Who is more susceptible to experiencing a greenstick fracture?

A greenstick fracture is a type of bone fracture that occurs primarily in children due to the inherent flexibility of their bones. Unlike adults, whose bones are more rigid and are more likely to break completely when subjected to stress, children's bones can bend and crack partially, resembling a green twig that bends but doesn't break completely. This makes them particularly susceptible to greenstick fractures, especially in the forearm or wrist.

Additionally, children's bones are still growing and developing, which means they have a different composition compared to adult bones; they have a higher proportion of collagen, making them more pliable. This pliability can lead to the characteristic incomplete fracture seen in greenstick injuries, as opposed to the complete fractures that are more common in adult bones. While senior citizens may experience different types of fractures due to osteoporosis and athletes may face a variety of stress-related injuries, neither group is primarily associated with this specific type of fracture. Thus, the risk of greenstick fractures is significantly greater in children compared to other demographics.