On the BBC News!

But a fracture sounds so much more impressive, just as HM never has a "cold", but a chill

I think we can count the BBC as 'lay' with regard to these terms. I suspect whoever was using the terms was doing so as nanaej and notso describe. Medics, like other professions, have their own jargon which the rest of us can't be expected to know much about.

Leeway for lay persons, please!

A broken bone is a fracture, there is no difference.

It is the way that it is described in medical terms, ie a surgeon will not discuss a broken hip with another doctor or surgeon but he will discuss a fractured neck of femur for example.

A "fracture" is described as "broken" in layman's terms.

I've aways understood that a broken bone means it's in two separate pieces and a fracture means the bone is cracked.

I'm not sure why, but a greenstick fracture sounds the most painful!

When I was a Girl Guide, I learnt all about the different kinds of fracture. When I was 3, I had a greenstick fracture of the elbow which is a name that really speaks for itself. Could that be what you mean nanej?

To an ignorant lay person like me a 'break' sounds like a complete 100% break and a fracture a bit like a torn branch on a tree still partly attached!!

I am sure that is not right but in my head that's what I see!!