Bone, despite being a hard tissue, can break, leading to bone fractures. Depending on the severity of these, surgery may be required. In this post we tell you everything you need to know about bone fractures, their typology, symptoms, causes and the most effective treatment.
What are bone fractures?
A bone fracture is a total or partial break of a bone. They are injuries in which the bone loses the continuity of its tissue, so that its shape is altered by a force that exceeds the resistance of the bone tissue.
This usually occurs in the context of car accidents or trauma such as falls.
Types of bone breaks
The bone can fracture in various ways, so you must know the types of classification of bone fractures that exist.
Generally, they are classified as closed or open fractures, depending on whether the bone has protruded through the skin or not.
Depending on the number of fragments that make up bone fractures, they can be classified into different typologies.
The transverse fractures They are injuries whose path is perpendicular to the long axis of the bone, generally caused by a direct blow to the bone.
Secondly, it is known as linear fracture to that which goes in the same direction as the major axis of the bone, without moving part of the bone tissue.
For its part, the nondisplaced oblique fracture It is an inclined bone break, and appears as a cause of direct or indirect trauma, through bone bending mechanisms. In this fracture, the fractured ends are separated.
In the oblique fracture with displacement There is a separation of the ends of the fracture, and they are usually unstable fractures.
The spiral fractures, also called spiral fractures They are rare injuries. They resemble oblique fractures and present an element of rotation that runs longitudinally in the bone.
The green stem fractures They are common in children, where, in addition to bone development, bones splinter.
Another bone fracture that can be found is comminuted fracture, one of the most serious injuries, as the bone breaks and many fragments appear.
Finally, the stress fractures They are little known, and they appear due to repetitive movements that weaken the structure of the bones of the human body. This is a very common fracture in running and jumping athletes.
Symptoms of bone fractures
The symptoms of bone fractures are very varied, as they depend on the fractured bone and its fragmentation. Some of the common symptoms of bone fractures can be specific pain when performing a movement in a certain area of the body, with cracking sounds during the movement.
On the other hand, the patient with a bone fracture may present bone bruises, quite common in this type of injuries.
Numbness and tingling of the bones may also appear.
Causes of broken bones
The causes of bone fractures can be very varied. As has been well indicated previously, some bone fractures appear due to sports injuries, caused by forces that frequently act on the bone. These are bone stress fractures.
Fractures can also appear due to the presence of a bone weakened by a pathology or disease, such as bone tumors and cysts, osteoporosis and metastases.
Prevention and treatment of bone fractures
It is important to know that any type of bone fracture will involve making the least amount of movement possible, because if it worsens, it could cause more pain and even complications. Therefore, specialists must perform an x-ray in order to identify the position of the bone that is fractured.
Keeping bones strong will help prevent bone fractures from occurring. In this sense, it is essential to take foods rich in calcium and vitamin D for the development and strengthening of bones.
Continued exercise is another point to take into consideration, with special care for those that involve repetitive bone movements.
Physiotherapy will also contribute to strengthening bones. Recovery Clinic is a physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic in Madrid with a team of experts who can help you in the bone regeneration process.
If you detect any of the symptoms exposed during the post, it is necessary that you go to a traumatology specialist to obtain a more precise diagnosis and to determine the most appropriate treatment. In Elgeadi Traumatology We have professionals at the forefront of technology in the most advanced treatments, with more than 10 years of experience in the medical sector. Contact our experts and start the quality of life that your bones deserve.
