Fractures
When outside forces are applied to bone, it has the potential to fail.Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand those outside forces.Fracture, break or crack all mean the same thing. One term is not better or worse than another. The integrity of the bone has been damaged, and the bone structure fails, and a fracture occurs( source www.boneclinic.com).
- Broken bones hurt for a variety of reasons including:
- The nerve endings that surround bones contain pain fibre. These fibres may become irritated when the bone is broken or bruised.
- Broken bones bleed, and the blood and associated swelling (oedema) cause pain.
- Muscles that surround the injured area may go into spasm when they try to hold the broken bone fragments in place, and these spasms may cause further pain( source healtheappointments.com/bone-fracture-types-essays/).
Often a fracture is easy to detect because there is an obvious deformity. However, at times it is not easily diagnosed. Fractures don’t always occur in isolation, and there may be associated injuries that need to be addressed.
Fractures can occur because of direct blows, twisting injuries, or falls. The type of forces or trauma applied to the bone may determine what type of injury that occurs. Some fractures occur without any obvious trauma due to osteoporosis, the loss of calcium in bone (for example a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the back).
Describing types of fractures depend on:
- Where the break has occurred within the bone.
- How the bone fragments are aligned
- Whether there are complications
- Whether the skin is broken or intact
Types of Fractures
Stress fracture
A stress fracture is an overuse injury. Because of repeated micro-trauma, the bone can fail to absorb the shock that is being put upon it and become weakened. Often it is seen in the lower leg, the shin bone (tibia), or foot. Athletes are at risk the most because they have repeated footfalls on hard surfaces. Tennis players, basketball players, jumpers, and gymnasts are typically at risk.
Compression fracture
As people age, there is a potential for the bones to develop osteoporosis, a condition where bones lose their calcium content. This makes bone more susceptible to breaking. One such type of injury is a compression fracture to the spine, most often the thoracic or lumbar spine. Since we are an upright animal, if the bones of the back cannot withstand the force of gravity these bones can crumple. Pain is the major complaint, especially with movement ( source www.boneclinic.com).
Rib fracture
The ribs are especially vulnerable to injury and are prone to breaking due to a direct blow. Rib X-rays are rarely taken as it doesn’t matter if the rib is broken or just bruised. A chest X-ray is usually taken to make certain there is no collapse or bruising of the lung(source www.boneclinic.com).
As we breathe, our ribs and lungs expand like a bellows. Air is sucked into our lungs when the ribs move out, and the diaphragm moves down as we inhale. When a person has a rib injury, the pain associated with that injury, be it a fracture or contusion (bruise), it makes breathing difficult, and the person tends to not take deep breaths. If the lung underlying the injury does not expand, it is at risk for infection. The person is then susceptible to pneumonia (lung infection), which is characterized by fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
As opposed to other parts of the body that can rest when they are injured, it is very important to take deep breaths to prevent pneumonia when rib fractures are present. The treatment for bruised and broken ribs is the same: ice to the chest wall, ibuprofen as an anti-inflammatory, deep breaths and pain medication. Even if all goes well, there will be significant pain for four to six weeks(source www.boneclinic.com).
Impacted Fracture
An impacted fracture is similar to a compression fracture, yet it occurs within the same bone. It is a closed fracture which occurs when pressure is applied to both ends of the bone, causing it to split into two fragments that jam into each other. This fracture is common in car accidents and falls.
Avulsion Fracture
An avulsion fracture is a closed fracture where a piece of bone is broken off by a sudden, forceful contraction of a muscle.This fracture is common in athletes and can happen when muscles are not properly stretched before activity. This fracture can also be because of an injury(source www.emtcity.com).
Open Fracture
An open fracture is a fracture where the broken bone is exposed. That is dangerous because of increased chances of infection (source www.emtcity.com/topic/19265-traction-and-saager-splint-contraindication/).
Closed Fracture
A closed fracture is a fracture where the bone is broken, but the skin is intact ( source www.emtcity.com).
Avoid these things
- sugar, salt, alcohol, caffeine, red meats etc.
- Smoking as it Slows the Healing Of Broken Bones
Supplements that may help
- Boron could reduce urinary excretion of calcium, apples, prunes and nuts are a rich source
- MSM is used for pain relief and anti-inflammatory
- Hydrolyzed collagen is an important part of the bone matrix, and could support faster healing
- Silica may help with bone health
- L lysine helps the absorption of calcium and regeneration of body tissues
- Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone repair
- Magnesium balances calcium levels in the body
- DL-Phenylalanine is useful for pain relief
- Horsetail is a rich source of silica and other minerals such as magnesium
- Calcium is vital for proper bone repair
- Bromelains enzyme that may help with swelling and inflammation
- Fenugreek could stimulate bone healing
- Comfrey(knit-bone) used externally to speed up the healing process
- Vitamin C is important for the repair of the bone matrix
- Zinc is important for tissue repair
- A diet rich in protein will aid the healing process
- Amino acids are used to provide the cells with the building blocks for repair
- Vitamin K also known as Menadione, plays a key role in normal blood clotting and helps deposit minerals into the bone matrix
