Bones
are very tough. But even tough stuff can break. If the pressure
is too much, or too sudden, bones can snap. You can break a
bone by falling off a skateboard or crashing down from the monkey
bars.
When
a bone breaks it is called a fracture. There is more than one
way to break or fracture a bone. A break can be anything from
a hairline fracture to the bone that is snapped in two pieces
like a broken tree branch.
Description/Types
of fractures
-
A complete fracture is when the
bone has broken into two pieces.
- A
greenstick fracture is when the
bone cracks on one side only, not all the way through.
- A
single fracture is when the bone
is broken in one place.
- A
comminuted fracture is when the
bone is broken into more than two pieces or crushed.
-
A bowing fracture, which only happens
in kids, is when the bone bends but does not break, and;
- An
open fracture is when the bone
is sticking through the skin.
Patient With A Broken Bone
Breaking
a bone is a big shock to your whole body. It is normal for you
to receive strong messages from parts of your body that are
not anywhere close to the fracture. You may feel dizzy, woozy,
or chilly from the shock. A lot of people cry for a while. Some
people pass out until their bodies have time to adjust to all
the signals they are getting. And other people do not feel any
pain right away because of the shock of the injury.
The
worst thing for a broken bone is to move it. This will hurt
the person and it can make the injury worse. In the case of
a broken arm or leg, a grown-up may be able to cushion or support
the surrounding area with towels or pillows.
A
very, very important tip
If you are not sure what bone is broken or you think the neck
or back is broken, do not try to move the injured person. Wait
until a trained medical professional has arrived.
Treatment
To
treat the broken bone, the doctor needs to know which kind of
fracture it is. That is where X-rays come in handy. X-rays give
the doctor a map of the fracture so that he or she can set the
bones back in their normal position.
With
breaks in larger bones or when a bone breaks in more than two
pieces, the doctor may need to put in a metal pin - or pins
- to help set it. For this operation, you will get some medicine
so you'll be asleep and unable to feel any pain. When your bone
has healed, the doctor will remove the pin or pins.
After
your bone has been set, the next step is usually putting on
a cast, the special bandage that will keep the bone in place
for the one to two months it will take for the break to mend.
Casts are made of bandages soaked in plaster, which harden to
a tough shell.
Healing Of A Broken Bones
Your
bones are natural healers. At the location of the fracture,
your bones will produce lots of new cells and tiny blood vessels
that rebuild the bone. These cells cover both ends of the broken
part of the bone and close up the break until it is as good
as new.
Once The Cast Comes Off
Once the cast is off, the injured area will probably look and
feel pretty weird. The body part that was in a cast might look
strange at first. The skin might be pale, dry, or flaky. Body
hair might look darker and the body part itself might look smaller
because you might have lost some muscle while it was healing.
This
things are all temporary. In some cases, your doctor might suggest
you do special exercises to improve your strength and flexibility.
Preventive
Measures
Accidents happen, but you often can prevent injuries by wearing
safety helmets, pads, and the right protective gear for your
activity or sport. It is also a smart idea to do what you can
to build strong bones.
Things
You Need To Do
-
Get a lot of physical activity, such as, jumping and running.
-
Feed your bones the Calcium and Vitamin D they need to stay
strong. That means getting your share of milk and other
calcium-rich foods and drinks, such as broccoli and calcium-fortified
orange juice.
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