Bone Fractures

Types of Bone Fractures

 Our bones can be fractured in various ways but how you break your bone determines what type of fracture you get. There are several ways to classify a bone fracture, which is important to know because it gives us certain information about the fracture and the treatment needed. A general classification involves displaced bone fracture, undisplaced bone fracture or hairline fracture, pathological bone fracture, and compound bone fracture. Displaced bone fracture is when the broken ends of a fracture move away from each other and a gap is between them. Undisplaced bone fracture or Hairline fracture is when the bone breaks and a crack is made. This type of fracture typically stays in place and remains without a gap. A pathological bone fracture occurs when a disease (cancer or osteoporosis) has weakened the bone. A bone is classified as a compound bone fracture when the bone breaks and penetrates through the skin creating an external wound.

 A more broad classification and straightforward type of fracture is open fracture or closed fracture. A bone fracture is categorized as an open fracture when the bone penetrates through the skin which increases the chances of infection. Closed fractures are when the bone breaks but is not exposed, the skin is still entact. Other types of fractures like comminuted fractures, which breaks in many pieces, happen as a result of high velocity injuries, like car accdents. This type of fracture are dificult to treat and at times it leads to deformity. A spiral fracture is easier to treat because it breaks in large curvy edges and happens when the bone is applied twisting force. These types of fractures are only but a few but the vast majority.

Work Cited

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       and Pictures. Orthopedic Doctor, 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. 

      <http://www.bonefractures.org/>.

Pillai, Prabhakar. "Different Types of Bone Fractures." Buzzle Web Portal:

       Intelligent Life on the Web. Web. 02 Nov. 2011.

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"Types of Bone Fractures: Buckle Fracture, Stress Fracture, Comminuted Fracture,

      and More." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. WebMD, 2005-2011. 

      Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-

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By: Mayra Hernandez
                                                                                                                                                                      

Group members:

Marina Pulido