PELVIC FRACTURE

A pelvic fracture is a break in one or more of your bones that constitute the pelvis. These bones are uncommon and the break can range from mild to severe. While mild pelvic fractures usually don’t require surgery, severe fractures do.

At Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, our expert Pelvic Fracture Doctors are dedicated to diagnosing and treating children and ensuring comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s needs. With advanced techniques and a compassionate approach, our team is here to diagnose, treat and care for children suffering from a pelvic fracture.

Schedule an Appointment

If your child needs surgery or casting, our Fracture Care Clinic opens every day and you do not need an appointment. Surgery rooms get scheduled every morning, so your child receives the care and attention they need right away.

Pelvic Fracture

A pelvic fracture is a break in one or multiple bones that make up the pelvis. The pelvis is the area of your body right below your abdomen and located between your hip bones. These injuries are an uncommon type of fracture that can be mild or severe. When it comes to treatments, mild pelvic fractures usually don’t need any surgery. On the other hand, fixing severe fractures requires surgery.

Which Bones Create the Pelvis?

The bones that build up your pelvis include:

The sacrum (the large triangle-shaped bone at the base of the spine).
The coccyx (tailbone).
The ilium, ischium and pubis.

Together, these bones form the pelvic ring. The pelvis is a firm structure that protects many vital organs, nerves, and blood vessels. It secures a woman’s internal reproductive organs, the lower part of the digestive tract, bladder, etc. Also, it acts as an anchor for the leg muscles.

Who do Pelvic Fractures affect?

Anyone at any age can experience a pelvic fracture. Mild ones are common in older people since they are more likely to have weak bones (as in osteoporosis). Also, severe pelvic fractures are most likely to occur in people aged 15 to 28. Men are more likely to experience a broken pelvic bone under age 35. And women are more likely to experience a pelvic fracture over the age of 35.

However, a broken pelvic bone is not a common injury. In adults, only 3% of bone fractures are pelvic fractures. In most cases, a broken pelvic bone occurs from high-impact incidents such as falling from a significant height or a car accident.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What is the extent of my child's pelvic fracture, and how severe is it?

A pelvic fracture is a break in one or more of the bones that make up the pelvis, which can result from various types of trauma, such as a car accident, sports injury, or a fall. The doctor will explain the nature of the pelvic fracture and the circumstances that led to the injury.

What is the recommended treatment plan for my child's pelvic fracture, and what is the expected recovery time?

The treatment plan for a pelvic fracture depends on the type and severity of the fracture. It may involve rest, pain management, physical therapy, or surgical intervention. The expected recovery time can vary but often takes several weeks to months, and full recovery may take longer. A broken pelvis may need a few months to heal. The doctor will outline the specific treatment plan for your child and provide an estimated timeline for healing.

Will my child experience any long-term complications, and what precautions should we take during their recovery?

The long-term outcome of a pelvic fracture depends on several factors, including the type of fracture and the quality of medical care and rehabilitation. While some children may experience lasting complications or limitations, many can recover well with proper treatment and physical therapy. The doctor will discuss potential long-term effects and offer guidance on how to support your child’s recovery and well-being.

Supporting Your Child’s Recovery at Home

Helping your child recover from a pelvic fracture involves more than just time and rest—it’s about creating a supportive environment and following your doctor’s recommendations:

Pain Management: Use ice packs or a cold compress on the painful area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time, every 1 to 2 hours for the first few days (while your child is awake). Always place a thin cloth between the ice and your child’s skin to avoid frostbite. Give pain medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If your child is not on prescription pain medication, check with the doctor before giving any over-the-counter options.
Mobility and Weight Bearing: Encourage your child to follow the doctor’s instructions about how much weight to put on each leg. Crutches or other assistive devices may be recommended, depending on the injury.
Preventing Constipation: Pain medication, reduced activity, and stress can cause constipation. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your child’s diet for fiber. Make sure your child drinks enough fluids—unless their doctor has advised otherwise due to a medical condition. As soon as the doctor approves, gentle daily activity can help keep things moving. Establishing a daily bathroom routine may also be beneficial, and remind your child not to rush or strain.
Encouraging Gradual Activity: Once approved by the doctor, help your child slowly build back up to regular activity. Start with short walks and increase activity as tolerated, aiming for a gradual return to normal routines.

With attentive care, patience, and the right support, most children can look forward to a strong recovery and return to their favorite activities.

When children break bones, parents need to take them to the very best doctors. At the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, we are the best. We specialize in children and their bones.

When Should You Call the Doctor During Your Child’s Pelvic Fracture Recovery?

As a parent, it’s natural to keep a close eye on your child’s healing process—and it’s always better to err on the side of caution. Contact your healthcare provider, orthopedic specialist, or nurse if you notice any of the following warning signs during your child’s recovery from a pelvic fracture:

Increasing or severe pain, especially if it’s not relieved by prescribed pain medication.
Changes in the color, temperature, or appearance of the foot or leg (such as becoming cool, pale, bluish, red, or swollen).
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the foot or toes.
Any trouble moving their leg or foot, or if your child starts limping more than before.
New swelling, redness, pain, or tenderness in the calf, thigh, or groin—which could be a sign of a blood clot.
Fever, chills, or other signs of infection, especially if your child had surgery or has a wound near the injury.
Slow or worsening healing, or if your child just isn’t bouncing back as the doctor described.

Always trust your instincts—if something about your child’s recovery doesn’t seem right, reach out to your doctor for advice and peace of mind. Prompt attention can make all the difference in ensuring the best possible outcome for your child.

When Should You Call the Doctor During Your Child’s Pelvic Fracture Recovery?

Increasing or severe pain, especially if it’s not relieved by prescribed pain medication.
Changes in the color, temperature, or appearance of the foot or leg (such as becoming cool, pale, blue, red, or swollen).
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the foot or toes.
Any trouble moving their leg or foot, or if your child starts limping more than before.
New swelling, redness, pain, or tenderness in the calf, thigh, or groin, which could be a sign of a blood clot.
Fever, chills, or other signs of infection, especially if your child had surgery or has a wound near the injury.
Slow or worsening healing, or if your child just isn’t bouncing back as the doctor described.

Why Is Follow-Up Care So Important After a Pelvic Fracture?

Just as getting the right diagnosis and treatment is crucial, follow-up care plays a big role in your child’s overall recovery from a broken pelvis. These follow-up visits let the doctor monitor how well the fracture is healing and catch any early signs of complications, like problems with bone growth, alignment, or possible infections. Regular check-ins also give you a chance to ask questions, update the care team on any new symptoms, and make sure pain is properly managed.

Staying consistent with these appointments helps your child’s care team adjust the recovery plan if necessary, whether that means changes in physical therapy, medications, or activity levels. And let’s face it, the path to healthy, strong bones is a journey you don’t want to take any shortcuts on.

It’s wise to keep all medical records, including X-rays and a list of any prescribed medications, on hand for each visit. This keeps everyone—doctors, parents, and your child—on the same page as healing progresses.

What Dietary and Lifestyle Habits Support Recovery from a Broken Pelvis in Children?

Recovering from a pelvic fracture is about more than just resting—your child’s daily habits can play a major role in how well and how quickly they heal. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Eating for Stronger Bones

A nutritious, well-balanced diet helps fuel the body’s repair process. Focus on:

Plenty of fruits and vegetables to provide vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin C for tissue repair).
Calcium-rich foods like yogurt, milk, leafy greens, and cheese to strengthen healing bones.
Lean proteins—think poultry, beans, eggs, and fish—to help rebuild tissues.
Whole grains and fiber-rich foods like oats, brown rice, and whole grain breads to keep digestion moving smoothly.

Staying Hydrated

Water is essential during recovery, especially if your child is less active and more prone to constipation due to restricted movement or pain medications. Encourage your child to drink water throughout the day, unless your doctor gives you other instructions.

Keeping Things Moving

Constipation can become an unwelcome sidekick during recovery. To help your child avoid it:

Offer fiber-filled snacks (like apple slices, carrot sticks, or whole grain crackers).
Encourage daily gentle movements and, eventually, regular exercise—walking around with assistance or doing doctor-approved stretches.
Support a daily bathroom routine by setting aside dedicated time each day, and remind your child to relax and take their time.

Following Activity Guidelines

Your child’s doctor will give you clear instructions about how much weight your child can put on their legs and when it’s safe to increase activity. Listen to these recommendations, and don’t rush things. Using mobility aids such as crutches or a walker may be needed, and our team can show you how to help your child use them safely.

Every child’s healing journey is unique. The best results come from a mix of excellent nutrition, wise habits, and attentive, personalized medical care—just what we offer here at Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists.

Types of Pelvic Fractures

Since the pelvis has many bones, there are various pelvic fractures. Depending on the pattern of the break, generally, there are several kinds of bone fractures:

Open or closed (compound) fractures: It is a closed fracture if the fracture doesn’t break open the surrounding skin. On the other hand, if the broken bone penetrates through your skin, it’s an open fracture, aka compound fracture.
Partial fractures: A partial fracture occurs when the fracture doesn’t go all the way through the bone.
Stress fractures: When the bone has a crack in it, a stress fracture occurs.
Complete fractures: When the bone breaks into two pieces, it is a complete fracture.
Displaced fractures: When there is a gap in the fractured bone, it’s a displaced fracture.

Along with the specific pattern of the fractures, specialists also categorize a pelvic fracture as being stable or unstable:

Stable pelvic fracture: In this fracture, there’s generally only one break in the pelvis, and the broken parts of the bones are in place. These fractures from low-impact incidents, such as running or a minor fall, are generally stable fractures.
Unstable pelvic fracture: In this type of fracture, there are often multiple fractures with the displaced ends of broken parts of the bones. In most cases, unstable fractures of this kind are caused by high-impact incidents such as car crashes.
Avulsion Fracture – Even though it’s not common, it is another type of pelvic fracture. This fracture occurs when the tendon or ligament tears away from the attached bone, taking a fragment of bone with it.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of a pelvic fracture may vary depending on how mild or severe it is. Common symptoms can include:

Pain in your child’s hip, groin, or lower back.
Increasing pain while walking or moving the legs.
Numbness or tingling sensation in the groin area or legs.
Pain in your abdomen.
Difficulty while peeing.
Difficult time walking or standing.

Causes

Situations and conditions that can cause a pelvic fracture are:

High-impact events: The Pelvis is a highly stable bone structure. That is why most pelvic fractures are likely to happen due to high-impact events that usually cause unstable pelvic fractures.
Bone-weakening diseases: Bone-weakening (osteoporosis) can cause pelvic fractures. If your child has a bone-weakening disease, even doing a routine activity or a minor fall can cause a broken pelvic bone. These are usually stable fractures.
Athletic activities: It is not common for someone playing a sport could get a pelvic fracture. But if it occurs, it is an avulsion fracture. Generally, a pelvic avulsion fracture is a stable fracture.

Diagnosis

For proper diagnosis, all pelvic fractures require an X-ray. Also, your healthcare provider may recommend your child undergo other imaging tests to learn more about tje injury. Here are the following imaging tests that help diagnose a broken pelvic bone:

X-rays: X-rays utilize radiation to take images of your child’s bones. All pelvic fractures require X-rays since they allow your healthcare provider to see which part of the pelvis has a fracture, how severe it is, etc. Thus, they can determine how to treat the fracture.

CT (computed tomography) scan: A CT scan uses multiple X-rays from different angles of the body to get detailed images. A CT scan offers more detailed images than X-rays. Your doctor may recommend that your child undergo a CT scan to determine the details of the pelvic fracture and to ensure whether there are other injuries.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): An MRI utilizes radio waves, a magnet, and a computer to get detailed images of the bones and organs. Your doctor may suggest an MRI if they can’t get enough information regarding your child’s pelvic fracture from a CT scan and X-rays.

Treatment

Pelvic fracture treatment depends on various factors, such as:

The severity of your child’s fracture.
The type and pattern of fracture.
Which bones are fractured, and how much are they displaced?
Your child’s overall health and other injuries (if any).

Usually, fractures in which the injured bones aren’t displaced don’t need any surgery. Treatments for a stable fracture are:

Rest: Doctors recommend that your child rest as much as possible so that there is no extra pressure or stress on the pelvic fracture.

Walking aids: Depending on where the pelvic fracture is,doctors may recommend your child use a walking aid such as a walker, crutches, a wheelchair, etc. To avoid putting much weight on your leg(s). Your child may have to use a walking aid for more than 3 months or until the pelvis heals completely.

Medications: For pain relief, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication. They may also prescribe blood thinner medications to reduce the chance of having blood clots in the veins of your child’s pelvis and legs.

Cold therapy: Apply ice or a cold pack to the painful area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time, every 1 to 2 hours for the first 3 days while your child is awake. Be sure to use a thin cloth between the ice and your child’s skin to protect against frostbite.

Safe use of medicines: Give pain medicines exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. If your child is not on prescription pain medicine, consult your doctor about the use of over-the-counter pain relief options.

Weight bearing: Only allow your child to put as much weight on their legs as advised by the doctor. Crutches or other walking supports may be necessary to prevent additional injury.

Preventing constipation: Pain medications and reduced mobility can cause constipation. To help prevent this:

Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your child’s diet for fiber.
Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids, unless otherwise directed by the doctor (especially if your child has kidney, heart, or liver conditions).
Facilitate gentle, daily exercise as soon as your child is able and the doctor approves—building up slowly to regular activity can help bowel movements.
Establish a regular bathroom routine and encourage your child not to strain when having a bowel movement.

These supportive measures, combined with rest and protection of the injured area, help ensure a safe and smooth recovery from a stable pelvic fracture.

Treating an unstable or more severe pelvic fracture usually needs one or multiple surgeries, such as:

External fixation: Using external fixation helps stabilize the pelvic area after a fracture. In this surgery, doctors insert metal pins or screws into your child’s bones by making small incisions into your skin and muscle. The screws and pins will stick out of your child’s skin on both sides of the pelvis. These are attached to the bars outside of the body. Thus, this system works as a stabilizing frame that holds your child’s broken bones in their proper position while the injury heals.

Skeletal traction: Skeletal traction is a pulley system outside the body. And it helps realign the fragments of a broken bone(s). During skeletal traction, the surgeon implants metal pins in the shinbone or thigh bone. And these stick out of the skin for positioning the leg. Weights are attached to the pins that gently pull on the leg. It helps keep the broken pelvic bone pieces in a more normal position.

Open reduction and internal fixation: During internal fixation and open reduction surgery, doctors first reposition the displaced pelvic bone fragments into their normal alignment. Then they use screws or metal plates to hold the fragments together. These screws or metal plates are attached to the bone’s outer surface.

Conclusion

People with severe pelvic fractures are often likely to have other injuries that need proper treatment for complete recovery. In these cases, treating the related injuries determines the success of a broken pelvic bone. If your child has a pelvic fracture, make sure you consult a doctor for proper treatment and recovery.

Request An Appointment For Your Child’s Broken Pelvic Bone

The Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists has been providing excellent broken arm fractures for many years. We focus on improving the long-term health of your child’s bones. If your child is in pain as a result of a broken pelvis, call one of our compassionate experts at 214-556-0590 to schedule an appointment with us. Finally, we offer personalized treatment and urgent pediatric care services at all of our five locations — Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney, TX. If you notice any symptoms of a broken arm in your child, don’t hesitate to contact us to avoid complications.

____________________

Footnote:

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Pelvic Fracture

Call 214-556-0590 to make an appointment.

Comprehensive services for children from birth through adolescence at five convenient locations: Arlington, Dallas, Frisco and McKinney.