Bone Fracture Essay

A& P I

Bone is a hard living, growing tissue; it makes up the framework of the body. Made mostly of collagen and calcium phosphate, bones are strong and flexible enough to withstand stress. The skeleton provides support and structure to the body, it gives us the ability to move and hold our body up against gravity. Although our body is very sturdy, we are often prone to painful and disabling injuries such as fractures.

A bone fracture is a medical term in which a bone becomes cracked, splintered, or severed as a result of physical trauma when the force exerted on the bone is stronger than the bone can withstand. Bone fractures are very common; the average person fractures their bone twice during their lifetime. As we get older, we lose calcium and other minerals in our bones making it weak and susceptible to breaking more easily. Fractures can occur in any bone in the body. The symptoms of a fracture depend on the particular bone and the severity of the injury, but may include: bruising, deformity, swelling, and inability to use the limb. Doctors are able to diagnose fractures through x-rays, some may also use CT or MRI scans. Broken bones are able to heal on their own, but seeking proper medical treatment is recommended to make sure the bones are aligned to heal

An open fracture, also called a compound fracture, is a fracture in which the broken bone may pierce the skin exposing the bone and deep tissues. Closed fractures, also known as simple fractures, are broken or cracked bones that do not puncture the skin. Open fractures are more complex to treat than closed fractures because the punctured skin is exposing the tissues and to prevent osteomyelitis (bone infection) a specialist would be needed to cleanse the site. There are a number of different types of fractures, including but not limited to: avulsion, Salter-Harris, comminuted, greenstick, and