Something a Bone Will Never Say: Give Me a Break (1/2)

The medical term for a broken bone is a fracture" class="hjdict" word="fracture" target=_blank>fracture. But there are different kinds of fractures. A single fracture is when a bone is broken in just one place. You may have heard the term hairlinefracture. This is a single fracture that is very small, like the width of a hair. A complete fracture is when the bone comes apart.

When a bone is broken in more than two places or gets crushed, the name for it is a comminutedfracture. Still another kind is a bowingfracture. This happens with a bone that bends but does not break. It happens mostly in children.

Ever heard of a greenstickfracture? This is when a bone is bent and breaks along only one side, like a young stick of wood. Another kind of break is an open or compound fracture. This is when the bone breaks the skin. This is very serious. Along with the bone damage there is a risk of infection in the open wound.

A lot of things happen as the body reacts to an injury like a broken bone. You might suddenly feel lightheaded. You might also feel sick to your stomach.