Remember in childhood: “Do not run! Look at your feet! You fall and break yourself something! ”? And there were also such “heroes” who, despite all the warnings, still managed to break their arm or leg, and then proudly came to school with a cast, telling with rapture and desperately lying, of course, how it really happened.
Nevertheless, if we discard the peculiar “heroism” of adolescents, we understand that there is nothing funny or funny in injuries of this kind, and that human bones are quite fragile, and a fracture, say, of an extremity can change our usual way of life for a long time.
Realizing the seriousness of the consequences, we sometimes even fell slightly, listen to ourselves with fear, trying to dissuade ourselves and denying alternately all the signs of a fracture.
So, first of all, it should be noted that a fracture is called a violation of the integrity of the bone, which, as a rule, occurs as a result of various kinds of injuries.
In turn, the influence of the traumatic factor can be of two types: direct (impact) and indirect (high axial load on the bone).
Most often, the severity of the injury directly depends on the type of bone that is being affected.
Recall, by the way, that all bones can be divided into spongy and tubular. They have a different structure, and, therefore, differ from each other in their properties. For example, tubular bones (lower and upper extremities of a person) are able to withstand significantly greater loads, but at the same time they are less elastic compared to spongy.
Types and signs of bone fracture:
Fractures are of several types, among them, for example, transverse and spiral-shaped ones are often found, but multidirectional fractures resulting from comminuted injuries are considered the most dangerous.
The latter type is most often the result of a fall from a height or traffic accidents.
Some fractures occur without displacement of the axis, but sometimes, in more severe cases, several fracture lines appear, and the fragments are significantly displaced. The latter type leads to deformation of a part of the body.
Often, the sharp edge of a bone fragment injures adjacent vessels, as a result of which fractures are also complicated by heavy bleeding. In some cases, fragments can still injure nerve trunks in case of spinal cord fractures, the brain in severe craniocerebral injuries, and injuries of the lungs and pleura are signs of a rib fracture.
There are two main criteria that report the likelihood of a fracture — relative and absolute.
Relative signs of a fracture:
• Pain, which gradually increases significantly at the site of the bruise.
• After some time, a hematoma appears in the fracture area. If it also pulsates, this may indicate that intense bleeding continues inside the damaged area.
• The shape of the limb changes.
• A damaged limb loses its inherent functions, for example, its mobility or ability to withstand previously permissible loads is limited.
• Edema occurs in the area of damage.
Absolute signs of a fracture:
• With an open fracture in the wound, bone fragments can be seen.
• The presence of a kind of crunch called crepitation. This crunch can be heard by putting an ear to the damaged area, and sometimes it is felt just at hand.
• The position of the limb is unnatural.
• Abnormal mobility, ie the limb becomes mobile in a place where there is no joint.
Clinically, the symptoms of a fracture can be divided into reliable and probable. The first include: the feeling of a crunch of bone fragments at the fracture site and the occurrence of pathological mobility. The second includes pain, hematoma, deformity, bruising, impaired function and swelling.
You should always pay close attention to the color of the skin immediately near the injured place, as well as in the area of the hand and foot. If you notice a strong blanching of the skin, a bluish tint without any movement, this may indicate damage to large vessels. Serious damage can also be indicated by a violation of the sensitivity of the skin, an unpleasant burning sensation, a lack of pulse in the damaged area, a feeling of "goosebumps", and tingling.
In all of the above cases, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.