Broken Bones and Fractures - body, causes, Keyword, Kens Elbow, What Are Bone Fractures? Broken Bones and Fractures Broken Bones and Fractures Photo by: kameel The bones in the human body are very strong; but they can be broken (fractured) as a result of trauma. Breaks can range in severity from hairline fractures that require minimal treatment to shattered bones that require surgery and may result in permanent damage. KEYWORD for searching the Internet and other reference sources Orthopedics Ken's Elbow Ken knew the steps to the attic were steep, but when his little sister ran off with his toy airplane, he took the stairs two at a time. Halfway down he slipped. Ken landed in a heap at the bottom and immediately howled in pain. When he got up, his arm was twisted in a funny way, and his elbow would not bend. Ken's mother rushed him to the emergency room where doctors took x-rays of his arm. He had broken the bone in the upper part of his arm as well as his elbow. The breaks were so bad that Ken had to have surgery that afternoon. The doctor put a metal pin in his elbow to hold the bones together while they healed.

After surgery, Ken's arm had to be in traction for two weeks. This means that he had to lie on his back in bed while his elbow was held in place by a special device hanging from the ceiling. This device put tension on his arm and elbow in just the right places to allow them to heal properly. After getting out of the hospital, Ken had a plaster cast on his whole arm for another eight weeks. Ken's arm and elbow healed completely, but every so often his elbow aches when he plays baseball. What Are Bone Fractures? Bone is the hardest tissue in the human body, but when bones are subjected to forces that exceed their strength, they may break. The terms "break" and "fracture" mean the same thing. A simple fracture is the most common type of break. The bone breaks but does not break through the skin. A compound (open) fracture occurs when the broken bone breaks through the skin. This type of break is serious because, in addition to the damaged bone, bacteria can infect the body through the break in the skin. Sometimes the jagged edges of bone break blood vessels and cause bleeding. A greenstick fracture is a type of incomplete fracture.

Greenstick fractures often affect children, whose bones are springy and resilient. The best way to visualize a greenstick fracture is to think of trying to break a small branch off a growing tree. It will not snap off; rather it requires twisting. Twisting of the branch produces splinters. This is similar to what happens in a greenstick bone fracture: the bone cracks and splinters but does not break. If the bone does break into separate pieces, it is called a complete fracture. Bone is the hardest tissue in the human body, but when bones are subjected to forces that exceed their strength, they may break in several different ways. Stress fractures are tiny hairline cracks that can occur when a bone is repeatedly stressed. An impacted fracture occurs when a bone breaks and the two pieces ram into each other. A comminuted fracture is one in which a bone shatters into pieces. Fractures also can occur through joints. Sometimes, people tear ligaments (tough bands of connective tissue that hold joints and bones together) even when a bone is not broken. Torn ligaments frequently affect the ankles and knees. Dislocations are injuries in which the bones in a joint are pulled apart or displaced in relation to each other.

Ligament injuries and fractures often occur with dislocations. What Causes Breaks and Fractures? Bones break when they are subjected to extreme force or stress. The likelihood that a bone will break depends on the location of the bone in the body, the thickness of the bone, and the circumstances under which the force was applied. The most commonly broken bones are those in the wrist, hip, and ankle. Bone is living tissue, and like other living tissue in the body, bone is affected by genetics, hormones, diet, physical activity, disease, and drugs. All of these things can make bones more or less prone to injury. In addition, the strength of bone and the forces acting on bone vary with age, so the types of fractures and the number of people affected by them vary with age as well. Anatomy of Bone The human skeleton consists of 206 bones that support the body and allow it to move. There are 29 bones in the skull, 27 in each hand, and 26 in each foot. Bone is living tissue. It consists of cells, blood vessels, connective tissue, proteins, and fibers, as well as minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.

Every bone contains both trabecular (tra-BEK-yoo-lar) and cortical (KOR-ti-kal) bone. Trabecular, or cancellous (KAN-sell-us) bone, looks like honeycomb. Despite being porous, it is very strong. Cortical bone is solid and dense. In cross-section, it has circular patterns like those seen in a tree trunk. It forms the outer layer of bones. Many bones also contain bone marrow, where blood cells are made. The ratio of trabecular to cortical bone varies depending on the type of bone. Trabecular bone surrounded by a thin layer of cortical bone makes up the spine, skull, ribs, and sternum (breast bone), whereas the bones of the arms and legs consist mostly of cortical bone, with only a small amount of trabecular bone at both ends. 150 Years Ago: Military Medicine The practice of military medicine during the U.S. Civil War contributed to the development of medical knowledge. Broken and shattered bones were frequent occurrences on battlefields. Treatment techniques were recorded in detailed reports by military physicians and were published in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion, written by Otis A. George and Joseph J.

Woodward. The book's case studies of wounded soldiers, and its statistics about the nature of wounds and the effectiveness of various treatments, provided a basis for improved management of wounds and fractures in the decades that followed. Many types of trauma (for example, skiing or car accidents) can cause a bone to break. However, some people are more prone to breaks because they have genetic conditions or bone diseases that weaken their bones. For example: Osteogenesis imperfecta, which means imperfect bone formation, is also called brittle bone disease. People with this condition have inherited genes that cause a defect in the production of bone. The result is weakened bones that break easily. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes a thinning and weakening of the bones, making them prone to fracture. It affects older adults, particularly women after they reach menopause. Osteopetrosis is a rare hereditary disease that causes the bones to thicken. Osteopetrosis comes in several forms, some of which cause joint problems. Osteopetrosis congenita is discovered in infancy or childhood and it affects the bone marrow; without a bone marrow transplant, this condition usually is fatal. Marble bone disease also is discovered in infancy.

It causes short stature and mental retardation. Other diseases, such as bone cancer, osteomalacia (adult rickets), Paget's disease (in which the bones become enlarged, weak, and deformed), and exposure to radiation can weaken bones and make them susceptible to breaks. How are Fractures Diagnosed and Treated? Diagnosis A doctor may suspect a broken bone based on the appearance of the injured area. A fractured bone may cause swelling or bruising in the affected area. As in Ken's case, the affected limb might look deformed and it may hurt to move. Sometimes, a break is obvious because the bone has poked through the skin. By touching and pressing on the injured area, the doctor may be able to tell if a bone is broken. X-rays of the injured area usually confirm the diagnosis of a broken bone, although stress fractures or hairline fractures can be difficult to detect on x-rays. Doctors use x-rays to confirm fracture diagnoses. This x-ray shows an open fracture of the fibula, a leg bone. © 1991 Scott Camazine/Photo Researchers, Inc.

Treatment Broken bones may be treated by realigning the bones back into their proper position, if necessary (a process called "reduction"), and then holding them in place while they heal. Treating a broken bone depends on where in the body it is located and how severe the break is. In the case of a stress fracture, a device called a splint may be used to immobilize the injured area while it heals. An arm sling also may be used to keep a person from using an injured arm. When a person has a simple fracture, the doctor will guide the bones back into their proper place, if necessary, and then immobilize the injured area with a cast made of plaster or fiberglass. Is It Broken? People can break bones anytime and anywhere. To assess the situation, doctors often look for signs of fractures and ask about symptoms. Among the signs doctors look for: Is the area swollen and bruised? Is the limb hanging at a funny angle? Does the limb look out of place? Is the bone sticking out through the skin? Among the symptoms doctors ask about: Did the injured person feel or hear anything breaking? Can they move the injured area? Does it hurt when touched? Other more serious types of fractures can require surgery.

For example, in Ken's case, realigning the bones was not a straightforward task. An orthopedic surgeon (bone specialist) needed to open the site of the fracture surgically and use metal pins and plates to hold the bones together temporarily, while they healed. Ken's injury required his arm to be in traction for several weeks before having a cast for another two months. Healing Splints, casts, and slings are used to keep bones in place while they heal. Healing occurs when the bone tissues produce a substance called callus, which binds the broken pieces together. Healing time varies with age. A fracture that may take three weeks to heal in a four-year-old may take three months to heal in an adult. Casts for simple breaks usually stay on for six to eight weeks, but more severe breaks may require a cast for much longer time periods. Many people recover completely from breaks and fractures. One possible complication, however, is osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone. Usually, it affects the long bones in the arms and legs but it can be treated with antibiotics.

Fractures through joints may increase the risk for arthritis in that joint later on in life, and older people, many of whom have osteoporosis, may not recover well from broken bones. See also Broken Bone: Causes, Types and Symptoms Your message has been sent. OK We're sorry, an error occurred. We are unable to collect your feedback at this time. However, your feedback is important to us. Please try again later. Close A broken bone, or fracture, happens when excessive force applied to your bone causes it to break or shatter. Some fractures break the bone completely, while others just cause a crack in the bone. Fracture types vary depending on the circumstances of the... Read more A broken bone, or fracture, happens when excessive force applied to your bone causes it to break or shatter. Some fractures break the bone completely, while others just cause a crack in the bone. Fracture types vary depending on the circumstances of the injury and the amount of force applied to the bone. What Causes Broken Bones? Bones are very strong. Their design allows them to absorb pressure if you fall or you’re in an accident. But your bones can only absorb so much pressure before breaking.

A broken bone commonly occurs for the following reasons: injury (accidental or intentional) falls on ice or other unsafe surfaces overuse, particularly if you run or participate in sports Osteoporosis is also a common cause of broken bones. This disease causes bones to weaken in older adults. What Are the Types of Broken Bones? A simple fracture is when the bone breaks into two pieces. An open or compound fracture is when a piece of bone protrudes through your skin or if the force of the injury breaks the skin. A closed fracture is when the bone breaks, but the skin is intact. A spiral fracture is when the break spirals around the bone. This can happen if something twists the bone. A compression fracture is when a bone is crushed, such as when a vertebrae in the spinal column push together in an accident. A greenstick fracture happens in children. It’s when a break occurs on one side of the bone, and the other side bends in response to the pressure. A comminuted fracture is when an injury causes a bone to shatter into at least three bone fragments. A transverse fracture is when the break occurs across the shorter part of your bone, rather than down the length of the bone.

An avulsion fracture is when an injury causes the tendon or ligament attached to the bone to pull off a piece of the bone. An impacted fracture is when a force presses against both ends of the bone, pushing the broken ends together. A stress fracture is when overuse or repetitive motion causes a small crack in the bone. What Are the Symptoms of a Broken Bone? If you have a broken bone, you may feel pain in the bone or surrounding area. You may notice that the area is swollen. When the bone breaks, you might hear a popping or snapping sound. If the broken bone is in your arm or leg, the limb may bend at an unusual angle or look deformed. You may notice your skin appears bruised or is bleeding. If you have a compound fracture, part of the bone may protrude from the wound. It can be hard to move a broken bone and you might have trouble walking if the bone in your leg is broken. What Are the Treatment Options for a Broken Bone? First Aid The following first aid techniques can help stabilize a bone until you can reach the hospital: Ice the injury and elevate the injured area to reduce swelling. Gently clean the wound with soap and water to help prevent bacteria from entering the wound.

Cover the wound with a bandage. If the broken bone is in your arm or leg, a sling or splint will stop the injured area from moving and will keep the bone stable. You can use a rolled-up magazine or newspaper as a homemade splint. If you have a possible broken upper leg, spine, pelvis, or hip, stay where you are until help arrives and don’t try to move the bone. Attempting to move it could cause more damage to the injured area. Hospitalization When you reach the hospital, you’ll get an X-ray to determine if the bone is broken and to identify the type of fracture. The doctor will align your bone correctly before stabilizing it or placing it in a cast. If the bones aren’t aligned correctly, the injury won’t heal properly. If you have a broken bone that can’t be put in a cast, such as a broken collarbone, your doctor may recommend that you keep the bone still by using a sling or special bandage. Surgery Many fractures and compound fractures require surgery. During surgery, your doctor might put pins, plates, screws, or wire cables in the bone to hold it together while it heals. What Is the Long-Term Outlook?

Healing can take weeks or months, depending on the type and severity of the break. Fractures in adults usually take a minimum of six weeks to heal, while a fracture in a child may heal faster. After the bone heals, you may need to perform exercises to strengthen muscles that you didn’t use while your bone was in a cast. Your doctor may suggest some exercises you can do at home. You may need to work with a physical therapist to strengthen your muscles and regain flexibility in your joints. Written by Holly McGurgan Kids' Health - Topics - Bone fractures – when you break a bone Bone fractures – when you break a bone fracture; haematoma; cast; healing; broken; bones; Contents What's a bone fracture? Your bones are very strong and can almost always stand up to the pressure you put on them when you are running, falling, crashing into things and all the other things that happen when you are busy adding to your collection of bruises! Your bones can even bend a little and come back straight again. Sometimes, however, the pressure is all too much and you break a bone. The medical name for a broken bone is a fracture.

Usually the parts of the body where the bones get broken are the arms or legs, but a bad fall or a road crash can cause fractures to other parts of the body such as the skull or spine. Doctors describe fractures in several different ways. Kids are more likely to have one of the following types of fracture. Greenstick fracture - where a child's bone bends and cracks, but doesn't break right across. Simple fracture – where the bone breaks cleanly in one place. Compound fracture - where the skin over the fracture is damaged. It hurts! How much it hurts can depend on where the fracture is and how your body reacts. Your brain will be getting messages from all over your body, not just the site of the break, so you may have several different things you could notice: a lot of pain around where the bone is broken dizziness some people cry some people don't feel any pain for a while. Our topic on First aid - broken bones will give you some tips on what to do to help yourself or your friend if there is no adult around. How your body heals fractures Your amazing body will quickly swing into action to start healing your broken bone. Inside your bone there are blood vessels.

When the bone breaks blood leaks out and forms a clot called a fracture haematoma (say frak-cher heem-a-toma). This helps to keep the bone in place and keep the pieces lined up so that they can mend. The area around the fracture swells up due to the bleeding around the place where the bone is broken. Cells in the fracture haematoma begin getting rid of dead and damaged tissue while other cells start to help your bone heal. Within days the fracture haematoma starts to become a tougher tissue called a soft callus. Special cells make fine threads of collagen while others make fibrocartilage. The callus gets stronger, changing into a fibro-cartilaginous callus (say fi-bro-car-ti-la-jin-us) and starts to bridge the gap between the pieces of bone. (It's a bit like a spider spinning a web, the more threads it spins the stronger the web grows.) Now other cells move in and start to make bone cells which make the callus much harder and more able to hold the pieces of the bone in place as it goes into the final stage of healing. It's now become a bone callus. The body has now fixed the bone's position.

Over the next months the bone callus is gradually replaced by harder bone, and blood circulation in the bone improves. For several months there is a lump around the fracture but this slowly changes so that eventually the bone usually becomes the same shape as it was before it was broken. Yes, your body can heal broken bones, but you need to see a doctor because the bone pieces may not be lined up properly so the bone may heal in a bent position. Your doctor will: take an x-ray to see whether the bone is broken and whether the pieces of the bone are lined up properly, or whether they need to be pulled back into the right position. If the pieces of the bone are not in the right position the doctor will give you an anaesthetic so that you don't feel pain while the bone pieces are being moved into the right position. put on a cast to hold the bones still. This might be plaster or sometimes plastic give you something to help manage pain. In very bad breaks it may be necessary to have an operation to put metal rods or plates into the body to hold the bone pieces together. When you have a cast on your arm or leg you will need to keep it dry when you have a shower or a bath.

Rest the limb as much as possible to help your body heal. Having a cast can be itchy and uncomfortable for a while but it is very important not to push something under the cast to try to stop the itching as you could damage your skin and germs could get in, and ....... just don't do it. You will need more x rays to check on how the bone is joining together. You will need to have the cast on for 4 to 6 weeks or longer. The cast is keeping your limb still so this means that the muscles around the break will get weaker. After the cast is taken off you will be given some exercises to do, and you may need to go to a physiotherapist for special treatment for a while until your arm or leg is strong again. Some people like to keep their casts afterwards because their friends have all written their names or messages on it. (Not as bad as keeping your tonsils or appendix in a jar I suppose. Yuckee!) The most common fractures are to the wrist as it is a natural reaction to put out our hands to protect ourselves when we fall over. Kids have more falls than adults, but young bones do not fracture easily. Kid's bones heal faster and more completely than adults.

People over 75 years old are more likely than younger people to break hip bones. The reason is that their bones are not so strong and they are easier to break as people get older. So make sure you don't knock your grandys over! Dr Kim says Remember always to wear a helmet when you go for a ride on your bike, skateboard, skates or scooter. If you play some sports such as cricket or baseball, wear a helmet when it's your turn to bat. Helmets have saved many people from having skull fractures. You can wear a special kind of helmet if you play rugby too. We've provided this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up. FirstAidGuide.net » Broken Bones Add to FirstAidGuide.net to Favs Broken Bones A broken bone is never a laughing matter and if you, or someone you’re with, breaks a bone it’s important to know what to do. Although you should always get medical help rather than trying to fix the problem yourself, sometimes help isn’t available and you’ve got no choice but to try to help the person yourself.

First off there are several different kinds of breaks. And before you begin any treatment, it’s important to know what type you’re dealing with. If you think an infant has broken a bone click Here to view a section on how to handle the situation. Classification A Greenstick Fracture is when the bone only cracks, and does not fully break. Because these do not break the skin, they should be treated as a Single Fracture. These fractures can be determined by using x-rays. A Bending Fracture occurs in children only. In this case the bone bends but does not actually break. A Single Fracture is when the bone breaks in one place, and does not pierce the skin. A Compound Fracture is when the bone has broken into two pieces A Comminuted Fracture is when the bone is broken in more than two places or crushed. An Open or Compound Fracture is when the bone has actually punctured the skin and is visible. These breaks are very severe and have a high risk on infection. DO NOT try to set these breaks yourself, instead get professional medical help immediately. Once you’ve determined what type of break you have, there are a few things you should know about breaks in general.

While your bones are strong, they can only take so much pressure and bend so much at one time before they crack or break. Younger people tend not to break bones as easily because their bones are more pliable, but bones that break at the ends should be looked at carefully because growth plates can be damaged. Older people are the opposite, a simple fall may result in a broken bone, which will take much more time and energy to heal. When a bone breaks, most people feel a sharp pain similar to that of a bad headache. The smaller the fracture the less pain you’re likely to feel, this can make it confusing if you are trying to determine whether the bone is broken. Whether you think it is or not, ask your doctor because no matter how small a break it seems, a break is always a big shock to your body. With bad breaks, some people pass out because the brain gets sent too many signals at once, others feel pain or other sensations in parts of your body that are nowhere near the fracture. Other signs of a break are dizziness, sweating, thirst, pale or ashen skin, chills, and numbness or bruising around the fracture site.

It is also important to try and get treatment for breaks as soon as you can because breaks that are not properly cared for can limit movement ability and cause deformities once they have healed. How do I treat these injuries? Now here’s what to do if someone has broken a bone. First and foremost, Stay Calm! Your staying calm will help to keep the person suffering the break stay calm and comfortable. Next, call 911 or get to an ER. If you are out of reach (say you’re camping in some remote area) and cannot get to help, or are instructed by a trained professional, only then should you begin the following steps. It is very important to note the following: If you think the person may have injured their back, neck, or head DO NOT move them unless it is Absolutely Necessary! Try not to move the broken limb, as it could cause more damage and pain. If you cannot reach help, or have been instructed to administer aid, here are the following steps for helping the person in need 1. Make the person as comfortable as possible before immobilizing the injured area. 2. To keep the area from moving you’ll have to make a splint.

This works with leg and arm breaks where the arm is not bent. This can be done using a variety of materials such as boards, rolled newspapers, sticks, an umbrella, rolled blankets etc. Place the item around the injury and gently secure it with rope, strips of cloth, a tie; whatever you have available. 3. If the above materials are unavailable, and the injury involves limbs, you may tape or tie the injured leg to the uninjured one, tape an injured arm to the chest, or to the side of the body (surround the limb with padding first) depending upon whether the elbow is bent. 4. After you have wrapped and splinted the limb, check for a pulse. If you cannot find one then it means the bonds are too tight and must be loosened. Because fractures cause swelling you should check this often to make sure the person remains comfortable. Other signs that the splint is too tight are a numbness, tingling, or bluish tint to the skin at the sight of the break. 5. If the person has broken their arm and the arm is bent at the elbow then take a cloth and fold it into a triangle.

Then gently slip the widest part under the arm and tie the two ends around the neck, forming a makeshift sling. You want the arm resting at a 90 o angle. 6. To keep the swelling and pain down, apply an ice pack, ice wrapped in a cloth, or, if all else fails, a bag of frozen vegetables. Do not keep the ice on for much longer than 20 minutes as it can cause numbness and discomfort. 7. Unless the person is bleeding, aspirin, ibuprofen, or another pain reliever may be used to ease the pain. Healing Process Once you have received professional help for a broken bone, the healing process can begin. Some bones are placed in a sling, others in a cast and depending upon the severity of the break can be in a cast for a few weeks or several months. Sometimes with more severe fractures, where the bone is crushed or broken into several pieces a steel pin is used to help repair the bone and set it in place. When the cast comes off you may notice that the area underneath the cast looks pale, dry, and smaller (where the muscles are). Don’t worry this is only temporary.

It’s good to remember that even though you are out of a cast or sling, your bone is still very weak and sensitive and it’s a good idea to avoid sports and activities where you might re-injure yourself until your doctor tells you it’s ok. Safety Tip/Prevention When you’re able to get back into the sports arena, remember, to avoid breaking another bone always play it safe! Wear any protective gear available when participating in any activity that can cause serious injury. Helmets, pads, face guards, and most importantly Seat Belts! Many states these days make wearing your seat belt a law, but don’t just do it because it’s the law, do it because it could save your life! If you’re driving a car and want to cut down on the risk of serious injury in case of an accident, make sure all your passengers are buckled up before you start the car. Remember, it’s not just a safety tip… it’s the law! *** Before administering any first aid to anyone outside your family, be aware of your rights and responsibilities: The Good Samaritan Law.

*** Copyright 2008, FirstAidGuide.netDesign by Venture Medias The Facts About Broken Bones The Facts About Broken Bones Información sobre las fracturas de huesos Your bones are tough stuff — but even tough stuff can break. Like a wooden pencil, bones will bend under strain. But if the pressure is too much, or too sudden, bones can snap. You can break a bone by falling off a skateboard or crashing down from the monkey bars. When a bone breaks it is called a fracture (say: FRAK-chur). There's more than one way to break or fracture a bone. A break can be anything from a hairline fracture (a thin break in the bone) to the bone that's snapped in two pieces like a broken tree branch. Doctors describe fractures in the following ways: A complete fracture is when the bone has broken into two pieces. A greenstick fracture is when the bone cracks on one side only, not all the way through. A single fracture is when the bone is broken in one place. A comminuted (say: kah-muh-NOOT-ed) fracture is when the bone is broken into more than two pieces or crushed.

A bowing fracture, which only happens in kids, is when the bone bends but doesn't break. An open fracture is when the bone is sticking through the skin . What Happens When a Bone Breaks? It hurts to break a bone! It's different for everyone, but the pain is often like the deep ache you get from a super bad stomachache or headache . Some people may experience sharper pain — especially with an open fracture. And if the fracture is small, a kid may not feel much pain at all. Sometimes, kids won't even be able to tell that they broke a bone! Breaking a bone is a big shock to your whole body. It's normal for you to receive strong messages from parts of your body that aren't anywhere close to the fracture. You may feel dizzy, woozy, or chilly from the shock. A lot of people cry for a while. Some people pass out until their bodies have time to adjust to all the signals they're getting. And other people don't feel any pain right away because of the shock of the injury.

If you think you or someone else has broken a bone, the most important things to do are to: stay calm make sure the person who is hurt is as comfortable as possible tell an adult if there are no adults around, call 911 or the emergency number in your area The worst thing for a broken bone is to move it. This will hurt the person and it can make the injury worse! In the case of a broken arm or leg, a grown-up may be able to cushion or support the surrounding area with towels or pillows. One super-important tip: If you're not sure what bone is broken or you think the neck or back is broken, do not try to move the injured person. Wait until a trained medical professional has arrived! continue What Does the Doctor Do? To treat the broken bone, the doctor needs to know which kind of fracture it is. That's where X-rays come in handy. X-rays are like pictures that give doctors a map. They can see what's broken and set the bones back in their normal position.

After your bone has been set, the next step is usually putting on a cast , the special bandage that will keep the bone in place for the 1 to 2 months it will take for the break to mend. Casts are made of bandages soaked in plaster, which harden to a tough shell (that's why they last so long!). Sometimes casts are made of fiberglass or plastic. Whatever the outer material, they also have a cotton inner lining so that the layer next to your skin is soft and comfortable. Casts used to be all white, but now they come in different colors and patterns. Casts today sometimes have waterproof liners, so you might be able to get them wet or even go swimming. But always ask the doctor the rules for your particular cast! With breaks in larger bones or when a bone breaks in more than two pieces, the doctor may need to put in a metal pin — or pins — to help set it. For this operation, you'll get some medicine so you'll be asleep and unable to feel any pain. When your bone has healed, the doctor will remove the pin or pins. How Do Broken Bones Heal? Your bones are natural healers.

At the location of the fracture, your bones will produce lots of new cells and tiny blood vessels that rebuild the bone. These cells cover both ends of the broken part of the bone and close up the break until it's as good as new. What to Do When the Cast Comes Off Can you believe they use a saw to remove your cast? The funny thing is this saw doesn't hurt your skin at all. It might even tickle! Once the cast is off, the injured area will probably look and feel pretty weird. The body part that was in a cast might look strange at first. The skin might be pale, dry, or flaky. Body hair might look darker and the body part itself might look smaller because you might have lost some muscle while it was healing. Don't worry. This is all temporary. Kids are great healers, so you'll be back to normal soon. In some cases, your doctor might suggest you do special exercises to improve your strength and flexibility. You'll want to go slow and ask the doctor if you should avoid any activities, such as hanging from the monkey bars. If you want to return to a sport, ask the doctor how soon you'll be able to do it.

How can you be sure you don't break any more bones? Accidents happen, but you’ll stay safer when you listen to your teachers and coaches. Always wear helmets, pads, and the right protective gear for your activity or sport. It's also a smart idea to do what you can to build strong bones. How do you do that? Get a lot of physical activity, especially stuff like jumping and running. Feed your bones the calcium and vitamin D they need to stay strong. That means getting your share of milk and other calcium-rich foods and drinks, such as broccoli and calcium-fortified orange juice. Compensation Claims for Fractured Bones or Broken Bones Begin a Personal Injury Claim after fractured bone Introduction to Fractures and Breaks Fractured Bone or Broken Bone It is a common misconception that a fractured bone is a minor injury involving a small crack and that a broken bone is a more serious injury involving a bone completely snapped in two; however, this is not the case. In medical terms, any type of cracked, broken or crushed bone is referred to as a fracture regardless of its severity.

Any bone in the body can be broken but some of the most common are broken leg, broken arm, broken wrist, broken ribs, broken nose, broken finger and broken toe. A more serious break would be a fractured skull which could lead to a brain injury or a broken back which could cause a spinal cord injury . If you have fractured a bone as the result of an accident which was someone else's fault, you may be able to make a personal injury compensation claim . For more information about how Thompsons Solicitors can help you complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms . Different Types of Bone Fractures / Bone Breaks Various ways of Bones Fracturing / Bones Breaking Any bone in the body can be fractured / broken and there are many different ways in which the bones can break. Some of these are listed below: Avulsion Fracture - Where a small piece of broken bone detaches from the main bone. Bowing Fracture - Where the bone bends but does not break. Only tends to affect children , as young bone is softer than old bone. Comminuted Fracture - A bone which is shattered into pieces or crushed. Complete Fracture - A bone which is broken into two pieces.

Complicated Fracture - Is where there is injury to other body parts near the fracture such as a major blood vessel or a nerve. Compound Fracture or Open Fracture - Where the bone breaks through the skin or a wound leads to the fracture. Compression Fracture - Where the bone collapses (mainly affects the spine). Fracture dislocation - Is where the joint is dislocated and one of the bones of that joint is also fractured. Greenstick Fracture - Bone fractured on one side only (like the Bowing Fracture, only tends to affect children). Impacted Fracture - One fragment of broken bone is driven into the other rather than separating as normal in a break. Longitudinal Fracture - Break running along the shaft of the bone. Oblique Fracture - Slanting break across the bone. Simple Fracture or Closed Fracture - Where the skin around the broken bone has not been broken. Single Fracture - Bone is broken in only one place. Spiral Fracture -Break winding around the bone. Transverse Fracture - Straight break across the bone.

Some fractures can be very complicated injuries involving surgical operations to open the limb or part of the body to gain access to the fracture site. The bone can be splintered and the jagged bone or surrounding soft tissue may need cleaning up. In some cases, it may be necessary to insert pins, plates and / or wires to stabilise the fracture and allow natural union and healing to occur. Further surgery may be needed later to remove the screws or plates inserted. This can lead to a great deal of pain and discomfort and residual unsightly scarring. In some fractures, the bones are so badly broken that surgery may be need to actually tidy up the end of the bones to allow the fractured ends to be united. This surgery is fraught with complication and the risk of infection is great. In very severe cases, it may be unavoidable that surgical excision or amputation of all or part of the affected limb has to be done as a very last resort. Where a fracture involves a joint such as hips, wrists, elbows, knees, thumb or fingers, the risk of arthritis increases in later years and that can lead to disability in the future.

Non bony union of some serious fractures can be a real problem and a risk of bone and soft tissue necrosis needs to be carefully appraised by an experienced orthopaedic consultant to identify the nature and extent of future problems where this risk arises. Damages may include pain and suffering and other potential expenses including a threat to employment, medical aids, physiotherapy and care costs as well as house and car modifications if there is significant residual disability either existing or to develop in the future. If you have suffered a broken bone / fractured bone due in an accident which was someone else's fault you may be able to make a claim for compensation . To find out how Thompsons Solicitors may be able to help you, contact us on 08000 224 224. Accidents which can lead to Broken Bones / Fractured Bones Causes of Breaks / Fractures A broken bone can be caused by just about any type of accident. Some of the most common causes of fractured bones we hear about at Thompsons Solicitors include Road Accidents , Slips, Trips and Falls , Accidents at Work and Sports Injuries such as injuries sustained whilst playing football, rugby or horse riding .

If you happen to break a bone and there is a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of it due to mistakes made by a medical professional and this delay causes the injury to be worse than it was originally you may be able to make a claim for clinical negligence compensation . Thompsons Solicitors can deal with personal injury compensation claims relating to accidents resulting in fractured bones / broken bones and can also deal with clinical negligence claims for misdiagnosed fractures. For more information about how we can help you, complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms . Broken Bone Compensation Claims we have dealt with News stories we have published about successful fracture compensation claims In the past we have published news stories on our website about accident compensation claims we have dealt with for people who have been injured due to someone else's negligence and have broken bones. To read a selection of these follow the links below or to read all of our news stories, visit our news desk . 28th November 2005 - Trampoline amputee wins compensation through UNISON scheme If you have suffered a broken bone / fractured bone as the result of an accident which was someone else's fault, you may be able to make a compensation claim.

To find out how Thompsons Solicitors can help you, contact us on 08000 224 224. How to start a compensation claim after suffering a broken bone Begin a Personal Injury Claim after fractured bone If you or someone you know has suffered a broken bone / fractured bone in an accident which was someone else's fault, telephone us now for accurate claim advice. There are strict time limits in place to make any compensation claim including claims relating to breaks and fractures. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page. Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters and are experienced in dealing with personal injury compensation claims involving broken / fractured bones. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a compensation claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms .

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Question: What is the name given to a bone fracture when the bone bends and splinters rather than breaks in two?
Answer: Greenstick