Fracture Center - Attleboro, MAWebMD Physician DirectoryAttleboro, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-05-26
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FractureIntroduction to fractureBones 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 reasons including:
Often a fracture is easy to detect because there is obvious deformity. However, at times it is not easily diagnosed. It is important for the physician to take a history of the injury to decide what potential problems might exist. Moreover, fractures don't always occur in isolation, and there may be associated injuries that need to be addressed. Fractures can occur because of direct blows, twisting injuries, or falls. The type of forces on the bone may determine what type of injury that occurs. Descriptions of fractures can ... Recommended Reading Related to FractureWhat is osteoporosis?Osteoporosis is a condition that is characterized by bones that are less dense than, and thus not as strong as, normal bone. Osteoporosis increases the risk of breaking bone (fracture) with even minor trauma, such as a fall from standing height, or even from a cough or sneeze. Unfortunately, people often do not realize they have osteoporosis until either they have a fracture or have a screening test ordered by their doctor to check for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect an estimated 44 million Americans (National Osteoporosis Foundation 2008). Of those, 10 million have osteoporosis, and the remaining 34 million have a lower than normal bone mass and are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Other risk factors include older age, family history of osteoporosis, small and thin stature, inactive lifestyle, smoking, alcohol, and use of certain medications in... Other Related Fracture ArticlesEmergency Contact for Attleboro
Nearby Attleboro Hospitals * Sturdy Memorial Hospital  Arbour-Fuller Hospital  Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island  Butler Hospital  The Miriam Hospital  Taunton State Hospital  Morton Hospital & Medical Center  Our Lady of Fatima Hospital  Providence VA Medical Center  Roger Williams Medical Center  Hasbro Children's Hospital  Rhode Island Hospital  Bradley Hospital  Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island  Landmark Medical Center  Southern New England Rehabilitation Center  St Joseph Health Services  Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island  Boston VA Healthcare System Brockton  Kindred Specialty Hospital Stoughton  Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center  New England Sinai Hospital & Rehabilitation Center  Eleanor Slater Hospital Pastore Center  Caritas Norwood Hospital  Charlton Memorial Hospital  Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital  Massachusetts Hospital School  Milford Regional Medical Center  Saint Anne's Hospital  Westwood Lodge Hospital  Kent Hospital  Kindred Specialty Hospital Braintree  Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital  New Bedford Rehabilitation Hospital  Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham  South Shore Hospital  Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick  MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital  Milton Hospital  VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus  MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital  Eleanor Slater Hospital Zambarano Unit  Quincy Medical Center  Bournewood Hospital  Caritas Carney Hospital  Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged  Faulkner Hospital  Massachusetts Mental Health Center  Lemuel Shattuck Hospital  Newton Wellesley Hospital  Arbour Hospital  Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Westborough  Radius Specialty Hospital Boston  VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus  New England Baptist Hospital  St Luke's Hospital  Brigham & Women's Hospital  Dana Farber Cancer Institute  Pembroke Hospital  Children's Hospital Boston  Kindred Hospital Boston  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center  Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center  Franciscan Hospital for Children  Boston Medical Center  Arbour HRI Hospital  Westborough State Hospital  Hubbard Regional Hospital  Tufts New England Medical Center  M I T Medical  Mount Auburn Hospital  Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary  Massachusetts General Hospital  Newport Hospital  Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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