Colle's fracture is a common wrist fracture resulting from a fall onto an outstretched hand, typically causing distal radial displacement. It is characterized by dinner-plate or dinner-fork deformity with dorsal tilt of the fragments. The term honors Abraham Colles, who first described the injury in the 19th century. It is often treated with immobilization or surgery depending on severity.
"After falling on the icy sidewalk, she sustained a Colle's fracture and had to wear a cast for several weeks."
"The radiographs confirmed a Colle's fracture with dorsal displacement of the distal radius."
"In the emergency department, the clinician checked for neurovascular compromise after the suspected Colle's fracture."
"Physical therapy is usually recommended after immobilization for a Colle's fracture to regain wrist mobility."
Colle's fracture derives from the surname of Abraham Colles, an Irish surgeon who described the injury in 1814. The eponym was popularized in the 19th century as anatomy and clinical reporting standardized. The term Colles fracture initially referred specifically to a distal radius fracture with dorsal tilt after a fall on an outstretched hand. Over time, the description broadened to include variations and related deformities, but the classic Colles remains the quintessential distal radial fracture associated with a dinner-fork deformity. The usage evolved with advances in radiography and orthopedic management, helping clinicians distinguish it from Smith fractures (volar displacement) and other distal radius injuries. The eponym’s endurance reflects its clear clinical significance and the historical practice of naming injuries after the physician who first described them.
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Words that rhyme with "Colle's Fracture"
-als sounds
-les sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You say /ˈkɒl.iːz ˈfræk.tʃɚ/ in many US pronunciations, with Colle’s emphasized on the first syllable and a long “ee” vowel in the second syllable of Colle’s. In UK English, it’s /ˈkɒl.iz ˈfræk.tʃə/ with a shorter final schwa in fracture. In Australian English, /ˈkɒl.iz ˈfræk.tʃə/ mirrors UK vowel quality but with Australian vowel height. Pay attention to the subtle Vowel height in the first word and the rhotic or non-rhotic treatment of the final consonant depending on accent.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying Col-lé’s or Frac-ture with mis-stressed syllables), pronouncing Colle as /ˈkɒl.i/ with a short y sound instead of the long /iː/ in many US accents, and mispronouncing fracture as /ˈfræktʃər/ instead of /ˈfræk.tʃɚ/ or /ˈfræk.tʃə/. Correct by stressing Colle's first, elongating the /iː/ in Colle’s, and ending fracture with a light, unstressed /-ɚ/ or /-ər/ depending on the accent. Practice linking the two words smoothly to avoid a choppy rhythm.
In US English, Colle’s often has /ˈkɒl.iːz/ and /ˈfræk.tʃɚ/, with rhotic final. UK English tends to be /ˈkɒl.ɪz/ and /ˈfræk.tʃə/, with non-rhoticity affecting the final /ə/. Australian English sits between, usually /ˈkɒl.iz/ and /ˈfræk.tʃə/ with a centralized or schwa-like final vowel depending on speaker. The main differences are vowel quality (long /iː/ vs short /ɪ/), and rhoticity, which changes the ending of fracture slightly in American speech.
The difficulty stems from blending the two words with linked consonants and the final /tʃ/ cluster in fracture. Easy missteps include misplacing stress between the two words, shortening Colle’s without the long /iː/ vowel, or pronouncing fracture with a hard /t/ followed by a stressed syllable. Focus on the smooth /-z/ ending of Colle’s and the /tʃər/ or /tʃə/ ending of fracture depending on accent. Use slow repetition to build the natural rhythm.
No silent letters in Colle’s fracture. The word Colle’s includes a possessive apostrophe, but the pronunciation uses two clear syllables /ˈkɒl.liːz/ in US and /ˈkɒl.ɪz/ in some UK variants, with fracture pronounced /ˈfræk.tʃər/ or /ˈfræk.tʃə/. The challenge is articulating the /l/ blend and the /tʃ/ cluster together, not silent letters. Keep the final vowel soft and unaccented.
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