- A fracture means that there is a break or crack in a bone.
Causes of fractures:
- Direct force i.e. heavy blow to the body
- Indirect force i.e. twisting or wrenching (usually occurs when the bones are weak)
Types of fractures:
- Open fracture: Skin above the fracture is broken i.e. one of the broken bone ends may be sticking out of the skin or there is a wound at the fracture site. Since the skin is broken, there is a high risk of infection.
- Closed fracture: Skin above the fracture is intact.
- Stable fracture: The broken bone ends do not move.
- Unstable fracture: The broken bone ends can easily move out of position, resulting in severe damage to the blood vessels, nerves, and organs.
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