Some injuries result in a fracture, which is the breaking of the bone. Fractures are extremely painful and often need to be managed by a professional.
Some fractures require simple immobilization, either splinting or casting. Other fractures require a reduction, which requires the broken pieces to be put back into position and then immobilized with a cast until they are healed.
For more severe fractures, surgery is required to reduce and stabilize the fracture back to the correct anatomic position. The type of treatment widely depends on the severity of the break.
Dr. Rocha has been taking care of patients in the Pensacola area for over 6 years. His expertise extends from simple fractures to complex injuries and nonunions. In the event of an unfortunate injury, let us help you on the road to recovery.
Common Sports-Related Fractures
If you take a moment to think about the number of bones that are in the human body, it’s easy to understand why just about any athlete may be at risk for a fracture at any given time. There are 206 bones in the typical human body, and nearly 25 percent of a person’s bones are located in the individual’s feet.
With the average person having more than 200 bones in their body, it’s understandable that fractures account for about 10 percent of the injuries that athletes competing at the high school level experience in the United States. While some sports expose athletes to greater risk for fracturing a bone, even a casual workout can make someone susceptible to breaking a bone.
Here are some of the bones that are broken most often in competitive sports and some of the activities that may cause these bones to fracture:
Clavicle
Also known as your collarbone, the clavicle is what attaches your arms to your torso. This bone is long which makes it particularly vulnerable to fractures. When the clavicle is fractured, the injury is frequently sustained in the middle of the bone. Clavicle fractures are often seen in contact sports, such as hockey and football.
Arm
Broken arms are responsible for about 50 percent of the broken bones suffered by adults. It’s possible to break your arm in its upper or lower region or both. When any bone breaks in more than one location, it’s referred to as a “compound fracture.” Whether it fractures in one or multiple locations, a broken arm is often sustained when someone falls or the person is involved in a contact sport like rugby.
Wrist
Fractured wrists are another common result from a fall. Many people will attempt to break their fall or lessen the impact of hitting the ground by extending their arms. This normally forces their wrists to bear their full weight, which can lead to a fracture, especially if the impact with the ground is severe. Wrist injuries are common in sports where competitors are prone to falling, such as skiing, skateboarding, snowboarding, basketball, and soccer.
Ankle
Many sports put your ankles at risk for a fracture, including football, basketball, and tennis. If you fracture your ankle, it’s likely that you’ll experience some ligament damage as well.
Feet
Impact can fracture one or more of the bones in your feet, but overuse can also cause stress fractures to occur. Ballet, soccer, and running are just a few of the activities that can lead to foot fractures.
If you think you may have broken a bone, a speedy diagnosis and treatment are the keys to you making a full recovery comfortably. If you put off seeking help with a broken bone, it may cause you to experience chronic pain and/or arthritis.
When a broken bone is treated by a doctor, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your bone immediately started to heal. While it may take a few weeks or months for a broken bone to heal completely, your bone will be just as strong at the end of the healing process as it was before you sustained a broken bone.
If you’ve suffered a fracture, make an appointment with Comprehensive Ortho and let the healing process begin!