Last Updated on August 12, 2021 by
The human bone is so strong it’s a wonder it ever does break! Bone can carry a load 30 times greater than a brick can. The strongest bone in the body, the shin bone, can support a load of 1,600 kilograms.
Yet, as we all know, bone sometimes breaks as a result of violence. Each type of break has a name, depending on how the bone has been broken. If a bone is just cracked with part of the shaft broken and the remainder bent, it is called an “infraction”. If there is a complete break it is called a “simple fracture”. If the bone is broken into more than two pieces, it is a “comminuted fracture”. And if the pieces pierce the muscle and the skin, it is a “compound fracture”.
Mending a broken bone is somewhat like mending a broken saucer. The fragments have to be brought into as close alignment as possible. But the big difference is that the doctor does not have to apply any glue. This is produced by connective tissue cells of the bone itself.
Bone tissue has an amazing ability to rebuild itself. When bone is broken, bone and soft tissues around the break are torn and injured. Some of the injured tissue dies. The whole area containing the bone ends and the soft tissue is bound together by clotted blood and lymph.
Just a few hours after the break, young connective tissue cells begin to appear in this clot as the first step in repairing the fracture. These cells multiply quickly and become filled with calcium. Within 72 to 96 hours after the break, this mass of cells forms a tissue which unites the ends of the bones!
More calcium is deposited in this newly formed tissue. And this calcium eventually helps form hard bone that develops into normal bone over a period of months. A plaster cast is usually applied to the broken limb in order to immobilize the bone and keep the broken edges in perfect alignment.
What Are The Types Of Fractures?
1. Transverse fracture.
2. Oblique fracture.
3. Comminuted fracture.
4. Greenstick fracture.
5. Stress fracture.
6. Pathologic fracture.
What are the stages of bone healing?
Answer- There are three stages of bone healing: the inflammatory, reparative, and remodeling stages.
How long does it take for a broken bone to heal naturally?
Answer- On average, a broken bone can take anywhere from six to eight weeks to heal before it can be used again. For young children, the healing process may happen more quickly.
Which bones are the easiest to heal after a fracture?
1. Arm.
2. Leg.
3. Hip.
4. Wrist.
What’s the worst bone to break?
1) Femur.
2) Tailbone.
3) Ribs.
4) Clavicle.
