Broken/Fractured Bones
As we go through life, we tend to break at least one bone. Whether you broke your ankle playing basketball or just broke a finger at work, we all know that breaking or fracturing a bone is painful and usually involves a long recovery process, but there are certain events that increase the likelihood that you will break or fracture a bone. Unfortunately, what sets these events apart from others is, they are ultimately caused by someone else’s negligence. For example, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 95% of hip fractures are caused by a fall, and while come of these fractures are caused by old age or just simply being clumsy, others are caused by slip and fall accidents that could have been avoided. Moreover, the way a bone breaks ultimately determines the type and amount of treatment your doctor recommends to fix the problem. Since bone fractures can take many forms and occur in multiple places in your body, it’s important for you to gain an understanding of how different types of bone fractures are categorized, the various symptoms associated with a bone fracture, and the most common types of bone fractures associated with being involved in a specific type of accident.Types of Bone Fractures
The type of fracture you sustain will impact both the amount of time you will need to recover from the injury and the type of treatment you will need during the recovery process. As such, it’s important for you to understand how each type of bone fracture is categorized. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, there are five different types of bone fractures:- Stable Fracture: This type of fracture can be defined as a bone fracture where both ends of the bone are aligned or barely out of place.
- Open, Compound Fracture: An open compound fracture is defined as a bone fracture with pierced skin on or around the site of the fracture. The bone itself may or may not be visible.
- Transverse Fracture: A bone fracture with a horizontal fracture line.
- Oblique Fracture: A bone fracture with an angled fracture line.
- Comminuted Fracture: A bone fracture that results in the bone shattering into three or more pieces.
Symptoms Associated with a Broken or Fractured Bone
Most people are very aware that they have broken a bone when the injury occurs because breaking a bone is often very painful. However, not all bone fractures result in agonizing pain, and it is possible for you to sustain a bone fracture without experiencing intense or overwhelming pain. Common symptoms associated with a broken bone include:- Swelling and tenderness around the injured area
- A visible deformity around the injury site
- If you think you have broken a bone in your foot or leg, an inability to place weight on your foot, leg, or ankle
- A loss of use of the affected body part
- A bone protruding from the skin
Common Causes of Broken Bones
There are certain events that are typically associated with certain types of bone fractures. For example, fractured ribs are typically sustained by car accident victims while fractured hips are normally sustained by slip and fall accident victims. As such, below is a list of accidents and the types of bone fractures that are typically sustained by accident victims involved in each type of accident.| Car Accidents | Slip and Fall Accidents | Boat Accidents |
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