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Fractures
Biology 120
Chapter 4
Allyson Lofgren
FracturesWhat are fractures?
•Fractures are breaks in bone or cartilage•Most fractures are caused by trauma•Bone diseases like cancer and osteoporosis make an individual more vulnerable to fractures since they weaken the bone
FracturesThree examples of fractures
•Stress Fractures•Spiral Fractures•Comminuted Fractures
Stress Fractures
What are stress fractures?•Stress fractures are small cracks in bones caused by overuse
•They happen when muscles become incapable of absorbing the stress of repetitive pounding on the body. The bones absorb the shock which causes them to crack
•Generally occur in the tibia and weight bearing bones of the feet
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Contributing Factors in Stress Fractures
• Increasing intensity and volume of training too quickly
• Little or no variation or periodization of training (i.e. runners who only run to train)
• Participating in high impact sports like as track, tennis and gymnastics
• Using worn out equipment and/or practicing on hard surfaces
• Excessive dieting and/or too low calcium and vitamin D intake
• Osteoporosis or osteopenia
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Symptoms and Treatment of Stress Fractures
Symptoms• Pain
• Inflammation that worsens while active and decreases with rest
Treatments
• Rest
• Walking boot, brace and/or crutches are used to reduce stress on the fracture
• Acetaminophen
Spiral Fractures
What are spiral fractures?
•Spiral fractures, which are also called torsion fractures, resemble a corkscrew in x-rays.
•They happen as a result of a twisting injury.
•Generally occur in the tibia, fibula, radius and ulna.
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Contributing Factors in Spiral Fractures
• Participating in fast paced athletic activities such as skiing. Quick,transverse movements can cause these injuries
• Child abuse consisting of grabbing and twisting is another potential cause of spiral fractures
• Osteoporosis or osteopenia
• Bone Cancers
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Symptoms and Treatment of Spiral Fractures
Symptoms• Pain
• Unable to bear weight on affected area
Treatment• Due to the shape of the fracture, healing time can be long.
• Surgery to plate and screw the bone internally
• Surgery to externally pin the bone to hold it in place
• Casts to immobilize the bone
Comminuted Fractures
What are comminuted fractures?•Comminuted fractures are fractures that consist of at least 3 bone shards
•They happen when the body is subjected to serious trauma or intense pressure like a major fall, traffic accident or bullet wound.
•Usually surgery is required to treat a comminuted fracture
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Symptoms and Contributing Factors in Comminuted Fractures
Symptoms• Intense pain
• Intense swelling
• Affected area is hot to the touch
• Unable to bear weight on affected area
• Often a compound fracture. Bone breaks skin
Contributing Factors• Bone cancers
• Osteoporosis and osteopenia
• Low calcium and vitamin D intake
Treatment and Potential Complications of Comminuted
FracturesTreatments
• Most communited fractures require surgery
• Surgically installed plates and screws
• External pins and splinting
• Stitches and/or surgical staples
• Acetaminophen
• Antibiotics if surgery and/or skin is broken
• Rest
Potential Complications• Avascular necrosis: bone tissue dies because blood cannot deliver
oxygen
• Atrophic non-union: callus does not form because blood cannot deliver oxygen
Works CitedBook
• Fremgen, Bonnie F. and Frucht, Suzanne S. “Musculoskeletal System” Medical Terminology: a Living Language. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009. 96-97. Print
Website • Mayo Clinic Staff, “Stress Fractures”, www.mayoclinic.com,
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-fractures/DS00556• Nakate, Shashank, “Spiral Fracture:, 1/21/10, www.buzzle.com,
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/spiral-fracture.html• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Staff, “Stress Fractures”, 10/07, www.aaos.org, http://
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00112