Bone Fractures

The human skeleton is made of 206 bones. The bones are the hardest material inside our body, give us form and muscles help to move them around, so that we can walk, run, jump and of course do acrobatics. Our bones are very stong but unfortunately kinda brittle. Elder people tend to have brittler bones than younger people. Newborns on the other hand have bones like wax. However, if enough force is applied, bones can break and that's what we call a bone fracture. Find information about common sports injuries at the injuries main page.

Description: Bone Fractures

• Stucture of a bone
  Our bones are made up od bone cells, proteins, and minerals like calcium. The strength of a bone depends on its density, size, healthyness and age. The healthier you eat and exercise, the stonger and healther your bones are. A healthy and young bone heals mucher faster after a fracture.
• How do you know a bone is broken.
  1) x-ray
  2) swelling
  3) thumb pain when you rest and sharp pain when you move or shake.
  4) concussion susceptible
• First aid
  Rest - Dont move around
  Ice - Releases pain, slows down swelling and bleeding (inside)
  Elevation
• Why to consult a doctor.
  Sometimes a fracture has to be put back in place before you can get a plaster and the healing process starts officially. The healing process actually starts right after the injury and in the worst case the doctor has to break the bone apart again to put the parts together straight, if you wait too long before you go to the hospital. Of course its very painful when the doctor breaks your bone apart again. The longer you wait the painfuller.
  If the bone is not put in place by a doctor, you might mess up your limb forever! 8 hours are enough to make it necesarry to break a bone apart again.
• Healing process of bone fractures.
  Depending on Thickness of the bone, age, calcium & vitamin-D consumption and healthyness, it can take 3 to 8 weeks until a bone fracture heals out. It also takes longer of your body has to recover other injuries or deseases at the same time. Broken toes often grow together in 14 days or less, while shoulder injuries or leg-bone fractures can take up to a few month. Elder people tend to cure injuries much slower an persons with osteoperosis (fragil bones) often have problems long after their fractures. (They also break their bones easier)
• Osteoperosis.
  To avoid Osteoperosis, live a healthy lifestyle, drink enough milk (calcium) and eat vitamin D rich food. Exercise with weights from time to time, which increases the density of your bones. Women tend to get osteroporisis faster than men.