Fracture Center - South San Francisco, CAWebMD Physician DirectorySouth San Francisco, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
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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 South San Francisco
Nearby South San Francisco Hospitals * Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center  Seton Medical Center  Mills-Peninsula Health Services  St Luke's Hospital  Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center  San Francisco General Hospital  UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus  California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus  Mills Hospital  St Mary's Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center  UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion  Saint Francis Memorial Hospital  California Pacific Medical Center California Campus  California Pacific Medical Center East Campus  California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus  Chinese Hospital  San Francisco VA Medical Center  Seton Medical Center Coastside  San Mateo Medical Center  Alameda Hospital  Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus  Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland  Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland  Sequoia Hospital  San Leandro Hospital  Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center  Kindred Hospital San Francisco Bay Area  Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus  Alameda County Medical Center Fairmont Campus  Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus  John George Psychiatric Pavilion  Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center  St Rose Hospital  Eden Medical Center  Menlo Park Surgical Hospital  Lucile Packard Children's Hospital  Stanford Hospital & Clinics  Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo  Marin General Hospital  Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital  VA Palo Alto Health Care System  Washington Hospital  Fremont Hospital  Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center  San Ramon Regional Medical Center  El Camino Hospital  John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus  ValleyCare Health System Pleasanton  VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez  Contra Costa Regional Medical Center  John Muir Behavioral Health Center  John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus  Novato Community Hospital  Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center  St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health  Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center  Sutter Solano Medical Center  Valley Memorial Hospital  O'Connor 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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Osteoporosis
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