Bone fracture

A broken bone - or fracture, as the medical term is - is usually the result of direct or indirect force, for example due to an accident or fall. Overloading can also be a cause.

Cause: Why does a bone fracture occur?

In addition to an accident or overloading, a fracture can also be caused by an illness. The fracture is then usually the result of a pathologically altered bone, for example in the case of bone cysts, osteoporosis or tumor metastases.

Symptoms of a bone fracture

The symptoms or complaints depend on the type and extent of the fracture. Sports-related fatigue fractures - i.e. a fracture resulting from permanent overloading of the bone - are usually not as acute as a fresh fracture caused by an accident. The fracture often manifests itself through pain, misalignment or swelling. Restricted movement is also possible. However, not every fracture is perceived as painful; conversely, bruises can also exhibit these symptoms and be very painful.

Diagnosis of a fracture

Very reliable signs of fractures are a crunching of the fracture site or bone rubbing, pieces of bone protruding from a wound (open fracture), abnormal mobility or deviations in the shape of axial misalignments.

A detailed medical history also includes an analysis of how the accident occurred. This also includes a description of the pain and consideration of previous injuries or previous damage. The attending physician examines the affected area for misalignments and swelling and palpates the area to see if there is any pressure pain or if the muscles are particularly tense. An X-ray confirms the diagnosis and shows exactly where and how the fracture is located and to what extent bone fragments have been displaced.

To determine whether nerves, blood vessels or tendons are also injured, blood flow and sensitivity are also checked.

First aid for bone fractures

In the event of a fracture, the affected part of the body must first be immobilized. If the fracture is closed, the painful area can be cooled. However, the ice or cooling pad should not be placed directly on the skin, as this can lead to frostbite.

An open fracture must not be cooled as there is an increased risk of infection. Instead, the wound should be covered with a sterile wound dressing.

Treatment: How is the fracture treated?

The treatment usually consists of fixing the fracture pieces in their normal position until the fracture has healed in order to restore the function of the bone. This can be done with a plaster cast or an operation.

Surgery is usually necessary if the fracture is complicated. For example, open fractures, closed fractures with extensive concomitant injuries, fractures with joint involvement or comminuted fractures (the bone has several fractures).