Fracture »
Introduction to fracture
Bones form the skeleton of the body and allow the body to be supported
against gravity and to move and function in the world. Bones also protect some
body parts, and the bone marrow is the production center for blood products.
Bone is not a stagnant organ. It is the body's reservoir of calcium and is
always undergoing change under the influence of hormones.
Parathyroid hormone
increases blood calcium levels by leeching calcium from bone, while
calcitonin
has the opposite effect, allowing bone to accept calcium from the blood.
What causes a fracture?
When outside forces are applied to bone it has the potential to fail.
Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand those outside forces. Fracture, break,
or crack all mean the same thing. One term is not better or worse than another.
The integrity of the bone has been lost and the bone structure fails.
Broken bones hurt for a variety of r...
Read the Fracture article »