Fracture
Alternative names:
bone-broken; broken bone; stress fracture
Definition:
A fracture is an injury in which the tissue
of a bone is disrupted. A stress fracture
is a (usually small) break in a bone that
develops because of repeated or prolonged
forces against the bone.
Considerations:
If more pressure is put on a bone than it
can stand, it will split or break. An open
fracture (in which bone breaks the skin)
can easily become infected. If a young
child does not start to use an injured arm
or leg within hours of an accident, or if
they continue to cry when the injured area
is touched, assume the child has a broken
bone, and get medical help. It is hard
sometimes to tell a dislocated bone from a
broken bone. Both are emergency situations.
The basic first aid steps are the same for
both.
Common causes:
-
A blow, fall or other trauma (causes of
most arm and leg fractures).
-
Skiing accident
-
Child
abuse
-
Osteoporosis
-
Bone
tumors
-
Metabolic disease
-
Prolonged standing, walking, or running
can cause stress
fractures of the foot and ankle
Update Date: 10/08/99
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