Bones (Break/ Fracture)

$bones (break / fracture)$

A broken or cracked bone is known as a fracture. Fractures can affect any bone in the body.

Bones can fracture in a number of different ways. A fracture may be a straight break across the bone (transverse fracture), slanting (oblique fracture) or winding (spiral fracture). The break may run along the shaft of the bone (longitudinal fracture), or the bone may be shattered into pieces (comminuted fracture). Young bone is softer and more able to bend than adult bone, so children's bones often fracture on one side but bend on the other. This is known as a greenstick fracture.

Most broken bones heal successfully once they have been aligned correctly and immobilised. During the healing process, special cells (osteoclasts) remove damaged bone splinters, while other cells (osteoblasts) form a tissue called a callus around the injured area. New bone cells start to grow on either side of the fracture and towards each other until the fracture is closed. Over time, the callus is smoothed off and eventually the bone returns to its normal thickness.

Compound and complicated fractures often require surgery to repair the damage to the tissues that surround the bone or joint.

The time it takes for a broken bone to heal fully depends on the bone affected and the type of fracture. In some cases, physiotherapy may be needed to help build up strength and restore mobility in the injured area.

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