Even the safest of sports has its risks. One of these is the risk of fracturing a bone. Fractured bones are more common in contact sports, but they can occur in any kind of vigorous physical activity. Fractures vary in their causes and severity, but they all require lengthy recovery and can seriously affect an athlete's performance.
Incidence of Fractures
Fractures are relatively common sports injuries. For example, a 2010 study in the "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine" reported that fractures made up approximately 10 percent of injuries suffered by high school athletes. This varied greatly depending on the sport. In football, 4.61 of every 10,000 athlete exposures to the risk of injury resulted in a fracture, while in volleyball the number was lower than one in 10,000. The most common locations for fractures were the hands, wrists and lower legs.
Types of Fracture
There are several types of bone fracture, depending on the cause of injury. These vary in their severity. A transverse fracture, in which the bone breaks straight across, is simpler to treat than a comminuted fracture, in which the bone shatters into several smaller pieces. Most fractures are caused by impact, which can include collisions between athletes, falls or being struck by equipment, such as balls, rackets or sticks. However, some types of fracture are caused not by impact but by long-term strain on a bone.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures occur when a bone undergoes repeated stress on the same location. They are most common in sports such as running, where the bones of the legs and feet are subjected to constant, repetitive stress. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, there is some evidence to suggest that female athletes are more at risk for stress fractures than males. This probably results from nutritional deficiencies common among female athletes, which can reduce bone strength if not addressed.
Treatment and Prevention
The treatment of a fracture depends on the severity of the break. The pieces of broken bone must be returned to their original positions and kept their while the bone heals. Restoring the bone to its original position is called reducing the fracture, and may sometimes require surgery. The bone is then immobilized, either fully or partially, and allowed to heal naturally. Preventing fractures involves minimizing the risk of impact with the use of protective equipment, as well as maintaining bone health with an appropriate diet.
References
- BBC Sport Academy: Our Guide to Broken Bones
- "Iowa Orthopaedic Journal"; Sports Fractures; T. A. DeCoster et al.; 1994
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Fractures
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Stress Fractures
- "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine"; Epidemiology of US High School Sports-Related Fractures, 2005-2009; David M. Swenson et al.; July 2010
Member Comments