Fractures

A bone fracture is a break in a bone - most people fracture at least one bone during their lifetime. The severity of fractures increases with age because children's bones are more flexible and less likely to break.

What are the causes of fractures?

Fractures can occur because of direct blows, twisting injuries, or falls. The type of force on the bone may determine what type of injury occurs.

What are the types of fractures?

There are seven basic types of fractures:

  • Simple fracture: the bone breaks into two pieces.
  • Compound or open fracture: the bone protrudes through the skin
  • Complete fracture: the bone is completely separated into two or more pieces
  • Incomplete fracture: the bone cracks but doesn't separate
  • Stress fracture: a hairline break that is often invisible on an X-ray for the first six weeks after the onset of pain. Stress fractures can be the result of repetitive use.
  • Comminuted fracture: the bone breaks into several pieces
  • Impacted fracture: one bone fragment is embedded into another bone fragment

What are the symptoms of fractures?

Pain, swelling, discoloration, and deformity are the most obvious symptoms, but occasionally, the broken bone isn't obvious and the doctor needs to look for other signs that a fracture exists. For example, in elbow injuries fluid seen in the joint on X-ray indicates a subtle fracture. In children, bones may have numerous growth plates that can cause confusion in X-rays. Sometimes, the doctor will X-ray the opposite arm or leg to determine a baseline.

Diagnosing Fractures

As mentioned above, often a fracture is easy to detect because there is obvious deformity, but this isn’t always the case. It’s important for the physician to take a history of the injury to decide what potential problems might exist. Moreover, fractures don't always occur in isolation, and there may be associated injuries that need to be addressed. Patients should expect visual examinations and X-rays, and possibly more advanced procedures such an MRI.

Treating Fractures

At Midwest Sports Medicine, every patient receives individualized fracture care. This involves the evaluation of the fracture, the first cast or splint application and 90 days of follow-up care. Whether you’ve suffered a single broken bone, multiple fractures or severe soft tissue injury, our fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma specialist will provide the best possible care to ensure the best possible outcome.

Trauma patients will benefit from the caring, comprehensive service provided by the range of orthopedic specialists within our practice, including:

  • Board-certified subspecialists
  • Physiatrists
  • Physical therapists
  • Occupational therapists
  • X-ray technologists

We offer our trauma patients the services of board-certified physiatrists – physicians trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists often manage the rehabilitation aspect of patient care, evaluating the patient’s needs and developing aggressive, personalized programs that focus on restoring function.

In addition, physiatrists are trained to assess patient’s social, psychological, and vocational needs. Toward that end, they regularly coordinate, supervise, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, and athletic trainers to ensure complete recovery and return to normal activity.

We provide expertise not only in acute care, but also reconstructive care. This means that we treat orthopedic trauma immediately after it happens and manage any bone, joint, and soft-tissue reconstruction in the days and weeks that follow.

  
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our doctors





Eugene P. Lopez, MD

Dr. Lopez is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who is specialty trained in arthroscopic surgery, sports medicine and total joint replacement surgery. In addition, he has provided care for some of Chicago’s finest athletes such as Walter Payton. His referral network extends far outside the Chicagoland area. He has patients that travel from Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin. Dr. Lopez' experience confirms that most sports injuries are best treated conservatively with a customized rehabilitation program.

In his career, Dr. Lopez has performed more than 2000 arthroscopic ACL reconstructions and arthroscopic shoulder reconstructions. He was considered a pioneer when he performed his first meniscal allograft transplant in 1998. He credits his patient’s success to his specialized training, experience and his close working relationship with the physical therapists.

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Mary K. Morrell, MD

Dr. Morrell is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in orthopaedic traumatology and specializes in fracture management. She has a large general orthopaedic practice with special interests in pediatrics, hand and wrist conditions, arthritis pain and women’s health issues.

As one of a small number of female orthopedists in the country, Dr. Morrell has an understanding of the orthopaedic implications of women’s health issues in osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and female-athlete conditions. For arthritis pain, she employs all types of joint preservation treatment and uses minimally invasive techniques when joint replacement surgery becomes necessary. She supports the growing need for early detection and treatment of osteoporosis to maintain strong bones and prevent fractures.

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Sean D. Odell, MD

Dr. Odell is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine. He specializes in the treatment of complex injuries of the shoulder and knee including arthroscopic repair of tears in the rotator cuff, labrum, recurrent shoulder instability as well as ACL reconstructions. He also manages arthritis pain, and when necessary, performs joint replacement surgery of the knee, hip or shoulder.

Dr. Odell feels that patients need to be well informed about their diagnosis and their treatment so they can take an active part in their recovery and rehabilitation, allowing them to get back to competitive sports, work or back to their lives as soon as possible.

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Bruce J. Montella, MD

Dr. Montella is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who is fellowship trained in spine surgery. He has an additional board certification in "interventional pain management". He specializes in diagnosing and treating injuries of the back and neck, as well as sports medicine injuries.

Dr. Montella also has a strong interest in sports medicine. He played football in college and was named Sports Illustrated magazine’s offensive football player of the week. He had a brief playing career with the Chicago Bears. He was a team physician for Duke University’s varsity football and basketball teams. He understands the importance of making the appropriate diagnosis and formulating a treatment plan that enables the injured athlete to return to competitive activity as soon as is safely possible.

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Erwin Friedman, DPM

Dr. Friedman is a board certified podiatrist. He has additional certifications in endoscopic treatment and in shock wave treatment for treating plantar fascitis. He specializes in all foot and ankle disorders resulting from injury, overuse, deformity and degenerative conditions.

Dr. Friedman provides care and surgery for many foot and ankle problems including, but not limited to: Achilles injuries, Bunion correction, hammer toes, ingrown and infected toe nails, plantar warts, excision of neuromas, ganglion cysts and plantar warts, foot fractures and flat feet.

Dr. Friedman is a senior attending instructor and lecturer for the podiatry residency program at Rush North Shore Medical Center. He frequently lectures on foot and ankle disorders for businesses and at public forums.

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Seanra Kalil, PA-C

Seanra Kalil, PA-C, is a 2002 graduate of the Cook County Physician Assistant Program, the first PA program in Illinois. Her professional experience spans gastroenterology, otolaryngology, allergy & immunology and radiology. Preceding practicing as a Physicians Assistant, Seanra worked with spinal cord, brain injury and subacute patients as a mental health counselor. Her Master's thesis focused on psychotherapy with chronically ill and hospitalized children and she conducted her clinical studies at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital.

Seanra enjoys treating both adults and children in the Immediate Care clinic under the supervision of Dr. Eugene Lopez. She is a licensed and certified Physician Assistant in the state of Illinois. She is an active member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants.

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Kody Lewis, PA-C

Kody Lewis is a board certified physician assistant (PA-C). He is a Masters Graduate of Marquette University Physician Assistant Program, a National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) accredited program.

His training had an emphasis on general surgery, adult and pediatric orthopaedics, emergency medicine and general medicine. He is licensed to practice medicine and prescribe medications in the state of Illinois under physician supervision. Kody works directly with Dr. Lopez in the operating room as well as in the hospital and clinical settings.

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Ross Robarts, PA-C

Ross Robarts, PA-C is a graduate of the Yale University Physician Assistant Program, a National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) accredited program. He is board certified as a Physician Assistant (PA-C) in Illinois.

Ross is currently licensed to practice medicine in the state of Illinois as well as prescribe medications under physician supervision. Ross works directly with Dr. Morrell and Dr. Odell in the operating room as well as the clinical and hospital setting.

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