Fracture Care in Butler, PA
Fracture Care That Gets You Moving Again
A fracture doesn't wait for a convenient time, and neither should your care. Dr. Anthony Mustovich treats common fractures throughout the upper and lower extremities, from wrist and shoulder fractures after a fall to ankle and hip fractures that may require surgical treatment.
The right treatment depends on the fracture. Many broken bones heal well with a cast, brace, or other nonsurgical treatment, while displaced or unstable fractures may require surgery to restore alignment and provide the stability needed for healing and recovery.
Dr. Mustovich is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, with more than a decade of orthopedic experience that includes service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. If you've recently been diagnosed with a fracture, contact our office to arrange an evaluation. Injuries requiring emergency treatment should be evaluated in the emergency department.
Recognizing When You Need Care
Do You Have a Fracture?
Pain, swelling, bruising, or difficulty using an arm or leg after a fall, twist, or other injury can be signs of a fracture. Some fractures cause obvious deformity or make it difficult to bear weight, while others can be much less dramatic and may initially feel like a severe sprain.
Stress fractures can be more subtle and may develop without a single traumatic event. They often cause localized pain that worsens with repetitive activity and improves with rest. An examination and appropriate imaging can help determine whether a bone is fractured and what treatment is needed.
Some injuries require emergency evaluation rather than a routine office visit. An open wound over a suspected fracture, significant deformity, numbness or loss of circulation in the injured limb, inability to safely move or bear weight after a major injury, or a suspected hip fracture should be evaluated promptly in the emergency department. Hip fractures in older adults commonly occur after a fall and may cause severe hip or groin pain and an inability to stand or walk.
What Actually Happens When You Come In
What to Expect From Fracture Treatment
Evaluation and Imaging
Dr. Mustovich will examine the injured area and review X-rays to understand where the fracture is located, how well the bones are aligned, and whether the injury involves a joint. In some cases, additional imaging such as a CT scan or MRI may be helpful to better define the injury or guide treatment.
Nonsurgical Treatment
Many fractures can heal successfully without surgery when the bones are appropriately aligned and the fracture is stable. Depending on the injury, treatment may include a splint, cast, brace, or other form of protection while the bone heals.
Follow-up is an important part of fracture care. Dr. Mustovich may obtain additional X-rays during recovery to make sure the fracture remains appropriately aligned and is progressing toward healing. Activity and weight-bearing restrictions are adjusted based on the fracture and how recovery progresses.
Surgical Fixation
Some fractures require surgery because the bones are significantly displaced or unstable, the fracture involves an important joint surface, or satisfactory alignment cannot be maintained without surgical stabilization. Depending on the injury, treatment may involve plates, screws, rods, or other implants to restore alignment and stabilize the bone while it heals.
Dr. Mustovich performs surgical treatment for many common upper and lower extremity fractures, including selected wrist, shoulder, ankle, and hip fractures. More complex injuries may require treatment by an orthopedic trauma specialist or at a higher-level trauma center.
Healing Depends on the Break
What Recovery Looks Like
Recovery after a fracture depends on which bone was injured, the type and severity of the fracture, whether surgery was required, and factors such as your age, overall health, and activity level. Many fractures take several weeks for the bone to heal, but regaining full motion, strength, and function can take longer.
Some fractures require a period of restricted movement or weight bearing while the bone heals, while others benefit from earlier motion and rehabilitation. After surgery, physical or occupational therapy may be recommended to restore motion, rebuild strength, and help you safely return to everyday activities.
Dr. Mustovich and his team will give you a recovery plan specific to your fracture and follow your progress with examinations and imaging when appropriate. Activity restrictions are advanced as healing progresses, with the goal of safely restoring function while protecting the fracture during recovery.
What to Know About Coverage
Understanding the Cost of Fracture Care
The cost of fracture care depends on the injury, the treatment required, and your individual insurance coverage. Office visits, imaging, casts or braces, physical therapy, and surgery may each be subject to different deductibles, copays, coinsurance, or other plan requirements.
Insurance plans commonly provide coverage for medically necessary fracture care when applicable coverage requirements are met. If surgery is needed, the specific costs will depend on the procedure, facility, and your individual insurance benefits.
If you have questions about coverage or expected costs, please contact our office. You can also visit our insurance page for information about plans accepted through West Virginia University.
The Right Treatment for the Fracture
Not Every Broken Bone Needs Surgery
Good fracture care isn't simply about fixing broken bones with plates and screws. The first decision is whether surgery is needed at all. Many fractures can heal successfully with appropriate immobilization and follow-up, while others require surgical stabilization to restore alignment, protect a joint, or allow the bone to heal in an acceptable position.
As a general orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Mustovich treats fractures as part of a broader practice that includes both nonsurgical and surgical care. That perspective allows treatment to be based on the fracture itself, along with the patient's age, activity level, overall health, and functional needs.
When surgery is necessary, the goal is to restore stability and alignment while creating the best conditions for healing and recovery. When it isn't, Dr. Mustovich will recommend the appropriate nonsurgical treatment and follow the fracture as it heals.
The Surgeon Behind Your Care
Dr. Anthony Mustovich, Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Anthony Mustovich is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His background includes more than a decade of service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, where he developed broad experience caring for musculoskeletal injuries in an active, high-demand population.
Today, fracture care remains an important part of his general orthopedic practice. Dr. Mustovich treats common fractures throughout the upper and lower extremities using both nonsurgical and surgical treatment, depending on the injury.
His approach is individualized to the fracture and the patient. Whether that means protecting a stable fracture while it heals or surgically stabilizing an injury that requires fixation, the goal is the same: restore alignment and function while helping patients safely return to their everyday activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
It isn't always possible to tell a fracture from a severe sprain based on symptoms alone. Both can cause pain, swelling, bruising, and difficulty using the injured arm or leg. Significant tenderness directly over a bone, difficulty bearing weight, or visible deformity may raise concern for a fracture, but some fractures cause much more subtle symptoms. An examination and X-rays are usually the starting point when a fracture is suspected. In some cases, additional or follow-up imaging may be needed if the initial X-rays don't fully explain your symptoms. If you're unsure whether an injury is a fracture or a sprain, getting it evaluated is safer than assuming it's only a sprain.
Fracture surgery is generally performed when the benefits of restoring alignment and stability outweigh the risks of surgery. Potential complications can include infection, bleeding, blood clots, stiffness, injury to nearby nerves or blood vessels, problems with wound healing, and complications related to anesthesia. Some fractures may heal slowly or fail to heal completely, while others can heal in a less-than-ideal position. Plates, screws, rods, or other implants can also occasionally cause irritation or require additional surgery. The risks vary considerably depending on the fracture, the procedure required, and your overall health. Dr. Mustovich will discuss the risks and expected benefits of surgery with you before treatment.
Healing time depends on the bone involved, the type and severity of the fracture, whether surgery was required, and factors such as your age and overall health. Many fractures require several weeks for the bone to heal, while more significant injuries may take longer. Bone healing is also different from full recovery. Even after a fracture has healed enough to resume more activity, stiffness, weakness, and swelling may continue to improve over time. Physical or occupational therapy may be recommended to help restore motion, strength, and function. Dr. Mustovich will follow your recovery with examinations and imaging when appropriate and gradually adjust your activity as the fracture heals.
No. Many fractures heal successfully without surgery when the bones are acceptably aligned and the fracture is stable. Depending on the injury, treatment may include a splint, cast, brace, activity restrictions, and follow-up X-rays to make sure the fracture remains in an acceptable position while it heals. Surgery may be recommended when a fracture is significantly displaced or unstable, involves a joint in a way that could affect function, or cannot be maintained in an acceptable position without surgical stabilization. The decision also depends on factors such as your age, overall health, activity level, and functional needs. Dr. Mustovich will review your imaging and the specifics of your injury to determine whether nonsurgical treatment or surgical fixation offers the better path to recovery.
If you've already been evaluated at an emergency department or urgent care and were diagnosed with a fracture that needs orthopedic follow-up, call our office as soon as possible. Our team can help determine how quickly you should be seen based on the injury. If you have a new injury with significant deformity, an open wound near the fracture, numbness or loss of circulation, severe uncontrolled pain, or an inability to safely stand or walk after a suspected hip fracture, seek care in the emergency department rather than waiting for an office appointment.