A bone fracture or fracture is a severing of bones of the skeleton. Thereby it comes mostly, by accidents and strong injuries, to a breaking of single or several bones. Furthermore, displacements or downright shattering of the broken bones can also occur.
What is a bone fracture?
A bone fracture or fracture is usually referred to when a bone of a person’s skeleton breaks through as a result of an accident, fall, or other massive action or event. A bone fracture or fracture is usually referred to when a bone of a person’s skeleton breaks through due to an accident, fall, or other massive action and event. In the case of the smaller toes, no too extensive measures are taken in the event of a bone fracture. Here, in most cases, it is enough to apply a firm adhesive bandage for a longer period of time. The situation is different, of course, if a bone fracture occurs in an arm or leg, for example. These body parts are usually constantly needed and used, so that a bone fracture can sometimes result in massive restrictions in daily life. In any case, a bone fracture must be treated by a doctor, sometimes more and sometimes less elaborately.
Causes
Especially on the more delicate limbs, such as the little toes and fingers, a bone fracture can easily occur due to impact on or against fixed resistance. In the case of toes, a bone fracture often results from the massive impact of heavy and also pointed or narrow objects. When these impact or strike the foot, either a bruise or a fracture occurs. Fingers sometimes suffer a bone fracture quickly if they are caught in a door or between other objects. On arms and legs, a broken bone often results from a fall. For example, while snowboarding or skiing. If there is any other forceful impact on a solid surface, a bone fracture can occur just as easily. Also a fall from the bed or the so-called “falling up” on a staircase, can result in a significant bone fracture. Furthermore, bone fractures can also occur more frequently in the context of various diseases and are not always caused by an accident or injury.
Diseases with this symptom
- Osteoporosis (bone loss)
- Brittle bone disease
- Cervical spine fracture
- Base of the skull fracture
- Ankle fracture
- Jones fracture
- Femoral neck fracture
- Pelvic fracture
- Elbow fracture
- Jaw fracture
- Fatigue fracture (fatigue fracture)
- Humeral head fracture
- Radius fracture
- Metacarpal fracture
- Nasal bone fracture
- Finger fracture
- Tibial plateau fracture
- External ankle fracture
Complications
An uncomplicated bone fracture treated surgically usually heals completely without any sequelae. More complicated fractures can be associated with a variety of complications. For example, adjacent structures such as soft tissue or blood vessels and nerves are more often injured as well. Depending on the extent, this can lead to internal bleeding or sensory disturbances or motor function disorders. Severe blood loss can even lead to circulatory shock, a medical emergency. Important organs are no longer supplied with blood properly and can die as a result. The kidney is particularly affected, and acute kidney failure is not uncommon in acute shock. The fact that the bone and the marrow are exposed by the fracture facilitates the path of pathogens. Infection of the bone marrow can occur (osteomyelitis), which can also cause the bone to die and, in the worst case, systemic spread of the inflammation (sepsis), which leads to death if left untreated. Further complications can arise if some fat droplets are released from the bone marrow of the fracture and washed out into the blood. In the process, they can clog vessels in a similar way to a detached thrombosis and thus trigger the life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Other consequences can be compartment syndrome, an increase in pressure in a muscle cell due to vascular constriction. This can lead to death of the muscles of the respective lodge.
When should you see a doctor?
In case of a bone fracture, a doctor must be consulted in any case. It is not possible and under no circumstances recommended to treat a bone fracture only by self-help and not have it examined by a doctor. This may result in deformities if the bones fuse incorrectly and the patient may suffer from consequential damages. Therefore, in case of a bone fracture, a doctor must be consulted immediately. If a visit to the family doctor is not possible, a bone fracture can also be treated in a hospital. In some cases, a longer stay in the hospital is necessary if the patient’s movement is severely restricted by the bone fracture. If it is not possible for the affected person to visit a hospital or a doctor himself, an emergency doctor usually has to be called. This will then transport the patient to the nearest hospital where the fracture will be treated. Quick action is necessary if the fracture occurred in an accident with other injuries or if the patient has lost consciousness due to the fracture.
Treatment and therapy
To correct a bone fracture, there are several healing methods. For a simple bone fracture, it is usually sufficient to straighten the ends of the bone by stretching, for example. Then the fracture is put in a cast or protected with a plastic splint for about six weeks. In the case of a very complicated bone fracture, more extensive measures may be necessary. These include the possibility of wiring the bone as well as inserting an implant. This is usually made of lightweight titanium. In order to adjust the bone fracture with an implant, the skin over the fracture is opened and the implant is screwed tightly to the ends of the bone, for example. After a few days, during which the affected body part is protected with a support bandage, many functions can often already be performed again. If the bone fracture has caused more extensive damage to the body part, such as muscles and nerves that have been affected, rehabilitation measures can follow directly just a few days after insertion of the implant.
Outlook and prognosis
A bone fracture must be treated immediately by a physician or in a hospital. If treatment is delayed, bones may grow together crookedly and need to be straightened with surgery. Bones growing together crookedly can have a negative impact on health. However, the more specific effects depend on the position of the bone and its exact function. Direct treatment does not usually take place. Only in a few cases does the bone have to be shifted first to prevent it from growing together crookedly. If a bone is broken, a cast is placed around the broken area. Depending on the position of the fracture, this can lead to restrictions in movement and everyday life, so that the patient is dependent on assistance or on a stay in hospital. When a bone is broken, it takes at least several weeks for the bones to grow back together. For larger bones, rehabilitation may take several months and require even more procedures. In most cases, treatment for a bone fracture is successful and the patient can return to a normal life afterwards. However, treatment must begin as early as possible. Therefore, if there is any uncertainty, a doctor must always be consulted.
Prevention
To effectively prevent a bone fracture, there is no patent remedy for healthy people. Sometimes a careless step is enough. When hitting with the arm or leg on a very hard resistance, it can then already come to a bone fracture. The situation is different for people who suffer from the so-called brittle bone disease: In this case, even light contact with solid objects is sometimes enough, which in the worst case can lead to an immediate bone fracture. People suffering from osteoporosis (bone loss) also cannot directly prevent bone fractures. In this case, the primary goal is to treat the disease. Anyone who tends to fall down or loses their orientation more often and suddenly bumps into walls or other obstacles should have their sense of balance examined to effectively prevent a bone fracture. If this is disturbed, frequent stumbling and falling can sometimes force a bone fracture.
Aftercare
Fractures require follow-up care, depending on the type and severity of the fracture, to ensure that the broken bone is healing as expected. This requires regular visits to the treating physician to clarify that no further complications are expected. The movement restrictions make everyday life more difficult, so that affected persons are sometimes dependent on the help of relatives and friends. The first weeks after the occurrence of the fracture should be approached calmly, and physical exertion should be limited. The load should only be increased gradually and cautiously. However, since immobilization involves muscle loss, it is recommended to perform light exercises agreed with the doctor.
What you can do yourself
In any case, in the event of a bone fracture, you must immediately go to the hospital or to a doctor. If the fracture is not treated until a few days later, deformities may occur and the bones will not grow together properly. This usually does not look attractive and can lead to further problems, which is why a bone fracture must always be treated by a doctor. As a rule, most fractures pass without further difficulties. They grow back together after a few weeks and the body part can usually be used again by the patient. In order to speed up healing, the body part in question needs rest and recuperation. The patient must eat a healthy and varied diet to provide the body with all the necessary ingredients for the bones to grow together. Physical exertion or sports activities should be refrained from, as this could lead to accidents and further injuries. In many cases, work must be stopped due to your bone fracture. Often the patient is accompanied by a feeling of dizziness and nausea in the first hours after the fracture. This is a common symptom that usually goes away on its own. For the time after the treatment in the hospital and the healing of the fracture, rehabilitation measures, such as physiotherapy or sports therapy, are prescribed by the treating physician in many cases. These help, for example, to build up the muscles that have regressed.
