According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a compound ankle fracture occurs when several bones in your ankle become broken and your ankle becomes misaligned. This injury often requires surgery and up to three months of not being...
According to the National Library of Medicine, a bone fracture occurs when a bone is subjected to more force than it can withstand, causing the bone to break or split. Fractures are commonly seen in automobile accidents, contact sports, falls,...
Broken bones occur in many degrees of severity. Bone fractures are broken bones classified in adults according to direction of the break and the alignment of the bone. Bone fractures are either open or closed. An open bone fracture or break means...
Bone fractures are common injuries. They occur when a sizable external force causes the bone to break. Falls, moving collisions and forceful blows are traumatic causes of bone fractures. Diseases that weaken the bones and overuse can also lead to...
A broken bone--or fracture--is caused by trauma to a particular area of the body. Notice that the first fracture symptoms are usually pain and swelling. The area around the injury may feel numb or have a "pins and needles" sensation. If the break...
One of the most telling signs that a bone is broken is the sound it made during the injury. If you heard a snapping or grinding noise, you should assume the bone is broken and have it X-rayed. A popping noise can also indicate a joint is...
Broken wrists are common among athletes, children or people with low bone density. When a person falls, his natural instinct is to attempt to brace himself with an outstretched arm; the force of the resulting impact may then result in a fracture...
Broken bones are common injuries suffered by people of all walks of life, especially those who are physically active. The injury requires proper treatment to ensure the bones heal properly. Physical therapy is also needed to restore flexibility...
There are two bones in the lower leg (shin). The smaller one is the fibula; the larger one is the tibia. You can feel the tibial crest in the front of the leg. There is not much soft-tissue coverage medially (toward the other leg). This has...
The radius bone is located in your forearm. It is a large bone on the side closest to your thumb. A fracture of the radius bone is a common injury that can occur at any age. Physical therapy is almost always recommended to regain strength and...
Osteomyelitis is a bacterial or fungi infection that occurs in a bone, according to the Mayo Clinic. Bone infections can result from a compound fracture, because in this case, the bone breaks through the skin. You can also get a bone infection...
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), the three main causes of fractures include trauma, osteoporosis and overuse. You will likely know if you have a fractured or broken bone. Usually, you will hear a snap or a popping...
The diversity of the functions of the 206 skeletal system bones includes support for bodily movement, protection of vital organs and production of blood cells in the marrow of some bones. From the femur, the longest bone, to the smallest bone in...
Triage is a response to a natural disaster, military or other emergency process engaged when multiple injuries occur at a scene. Triage may be set up at the site of a train wreck, a battlefield or a freeway pile-up. Triage is the term used to...
There are seven spots where you can find long bones in a human body. The humerus bone is the long bone that extends from the shoulder joint down to the elbow. Next, you have the radius and ulna bones, which comprise the forearm. The radius is on...
A mallet finger is a finger deformity which occurs when a tendon on the top of the a finger is damaged, causing the end of the finger to droop uncontrollably. Often extremely painful, mallet finger is a common athletic injury among those who play...
A break of a bone of any type is considered a bone fracture. The average person has two bone fractures in their life. The most common cause for bone fractures is traumatic injury; however, osteoporosis or bone tumors also cause bones to break. The...
Ankle injuries can knock you off your feet anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks, making physical therapy extremely important. Physical therapy helps to strengthen your ankle, and regain the balance you had before the injur. It also helps to...
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, coursing from the lower spine to the legs. It is the main highway for conveying motor and sensory information to and from each of the lower limbs. Due to its large size and expanse throughout the...
A broken wrist in lacrosse is a common occurrence in this increasingly popular sport. If you're experiencing pain in your forearm, wrist or hand after a lacrosse accident, consult with your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Sprains and...
The legs are a very important part of the body. They need to be strong and function properly to get you from one point to another, they need to hold you upright when you are standing and they need to get you out of bed in the morning. Aches and...
When professional hockey player Taylor Fedun crashed into the end boards during a game, more than his ego was bruised as he attempted to circumvent opponent Eric Nystrom to avoid an icing call. Doctors diagnosed the injury as a compound fracture....
Doctors used to use external fixation devices, such as casts and splints, to hold the bone in place while it healed. Today a cast or splint is still a preferred method for a simple fracture and for bones not displaced, but breaks where bones show...
According to the Mayo Clinic, osteomyelitis is a bacterial or fungal infection of a bone. You can get a bone infection after a compound fracture, because this involves the bone breaking through the skin. Bacteria or fungi can also reach a bone by...
The skeletal system is made up of bones and connective tissue. The bones are supported by cartilage and ligaments. Disorders of the skeletal system include fractures, deformities and diseases. Age, genetics and lifestyle are factors in skeletal...
Whitewater kayaking can be a physically demanding sport especially in non-stop turbulent waters. Tennessee has become a popular whitewater destination thanks to miles of cascading trails that drain the Great Smoky Mountains through steep gorges...
Acute head injuries involve trauma to the brain or skull. They are commonly due to accidents, falls, sports injuries or violence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports approximately 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain...
The human body is both durable and vulnerable. It proves remarkably durable in the ordinary circumstances of day-to-day life. In extraordinary circumstances, however, the body remains vulnerable to traumatic injury. Falls, accidents, violence and...
The two most basic bone fractures can be identified with the naked eye. Open bone fractures, also known as compound fractures, expose the bone, often through large wounds that break the skin considerably. Closed fractures, also known as simple...
