Guide to Bone Fracture

"BONE FRACTURE" refers to a broken bone. However, it is a very painful injury. To heal it, it could take weeks or months. The severity of fractured bones increases with age. Children's bones are more flexible and less likely to break. Falls or other accidents that do not harm children can cause complete fractures in older adults. Older adults suffer from fractured bones more than children because their bones are more likely to be brittle.

The most common symptoms of fractured bones are swelling around the injured area, loss of function in the injured area, bruising around the fractured area, or deformity of a limb. These are common signs that you should watch out for to detect broken bones early on.

The natural process of healing a fracture starts when the injured bone and the surrounding tissues bleed, forming a hematoma. The blood coagulates to form a blood clot situated between the broken fragments. Within a few days, blood vessels grow into the jelly-like matrix of the blood clot. The new blood vessels bring phagocytes to the area, which gradually remove the non-viable material. The blood vessels also bring fibroblasts in the walls of the vessels and these can multiply and produce collagen fibers. In this way the blood clot is replaced by a matrix of collagen. Collagen's rubbery consistency allows bone fragments to move only a small amount unless severe or persistent force is applied.

The seriousness of the fracture depends on the age of the individual and location of the fractured bone. Some fractured bones only require temporary protection (crutches, splint). More serious fractured injuries may require surgery.