Fractures - Causes - Better Medicine

What causes fractures?

Your bones are some of the strongest tissues in your body. If an impact or a force is stronger than the strength of the bone on which it is acting, then a fracture may result. The most common causes of fracture are falls, motor vehicle accidents, and a weakening of the bone called osteoporosis.

What are the risk factors for fractures?

A number of factors increase the risk of developing fractures. Not all people with risk factors will get fractures. Risk factors for fractures include:

Advanced age
Certain genetic disorders
Excessive tobacco or alcohol consumption
Female gender
Lack of physical activity on a regular basis
Lack of proper nutrition, especially calcium
Osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of the bones)
Participation in sports
Thyroid or endocrine disorders
Vitamin deficiencies

Reducing your risk of fractures

There are a number of ways you can reduce your risk of a fracture, though it is impossible to completely eliminate any chance of a fracture.

You may be able to lower your risk of fracture by:

Following your treatment plan for treatment or prevention of osteoporosis (which may involve calcium and vitamin D supplementation and medications)
Living a healthy lifestyle with a good diet and lots of physical activity
Watching young children closely
Wearing a seatbelt any time you are in a car
Wearing protective equipment when participating in sports

INTRODUCTION

What are fractures?

A fracture is a broken bone. Fractures can range in severity from a crack (known as a hairline or greenstick fracture), to a complete break and separation of a bone that may protrude through your skin (known as an open or compound fracture).... Read more about fractures introduction

SYMPTOMS

What are the symptoms of fractures?

Symptoms of fractures commonly include pain, swelling, bruising, and a change of shape at the surface of the skin due to the protrusion of a bone in the affected region. More rarely, a fracture can break through your skin, resulting in bone protruding from a wound.... Read more about fractures symptoms

TREATMENTS

How are fractures treated?

Fractures are treated in a variety of ways. The intention of most treatments is to realign the fractured bones in their original orientation and then to eliminate movement so the bones can heal. Realignment of the bone pieces in a fracture is known as reduction of the fracture. Treatment can vary from using ice and pain relievers (for a mild broken nose) to immediate emergency surgery.... Read more about fractures treatments