Bone fractures

Causes of bone fractures

It occurs when a force exerted against a bone is stronger than the bone can bear. It can be direct (impact to a site) or indirect force.

Causes of bone fractures can include:

• Traumatic incidents such as sporting injuries, vehicle accidents and falls
• Conditions such as osteoporosis and some types of cancer cause bones to fracture more easily

Symptoms of bone fractures

Fractures are different from other injuries to the skeleton, such as dislocations. Sometimes it can be hard to tell them apart.

A person may have more than one type of injury. If in doubt, treat the injury as if it is a fracture.

The symptoms of a fracture depend on the bone and the severity, but may include:

• Localised pain
• Swelling and tenderness
• Bruising and discolouration
• Twist or bend in the limb
• Loss of limb function
• Penetrating bone

Types of bone fracture

There are a few different types of fractures. The common types include:

• Closed (simple) fracture - the broken bone has not penetrated the skin
• Open (compound) fracture - the broken bone penetrates the skin. External bleeding is more likely
• Complicated fracture - the bone is shattered or structures surrounding the fracture are injured.