What Happens To Your Body When You Break A Bone

The thought of breaking a bone is enough to make most of us squirm, but the science behind the injuries is actually quite fascinating.

In the video above, the team at BuzzFeed find out exactly what a broken bone is and how our body works to repair itself after suffering from one.

When Do Broken Bones Occur?

A broken bone occurs if there is too much pressure put on a bone too suddenly.

A fracture is the technical term for a break in the bone, which is why there's sometimes confusion between the two phrases.

The most common broken bone is the clavicle or collarbone, followed by a break in the arm, then the wrist, then the hip.

There are many different types of fractures or breaks, which will determine how painful an accident is:

Types Of Fracture
Bowing Fracture: The bone bends, but doesn't break. This only happens to children.
Hairline Fracture: Just a small, thin break in the bone.
Greenstick Fracture: When the bone is cracked only on one side.
Single Fracture: When the bone is only broken in one place.
Simple Fracture: When a bone is broken into two pieces.
Comminuted Fracture: When the bone is broken in more than two places.
Open Fracture: When the broken bone is sticking out through the skin.

Although some fractures (particularly open fractures) can be incredibly painful, a person may experience another type of break and not even realise it.

How The Body Reacts To A Break

It is not uncommon for a person to feel dizzy or groggy after breaking a bone and sometimes people feel cold as their body goes into shock.

Within a few hours of your bone breaking, the body forms a clot around the break. Immune system cells in the blood clot get rid of germs that may have entered.

Cells called chondroblasts create a soft collagen callus around the break and a hard callus eventually replaces the soft callus, creating new bone.

During the final stage of healing, the extra bone that was created around the hard callus gets broken down, returning the bone to its original shape.

How A Break Is Treated

A doctor sets the bone in place and wraps it in a cast to keep it there. The cast will usually be worn by the patient for one to two months for smaller breaks.

For more serious breaks, doctors will sometimes need to insert metal pins in order to help set the bone in its correct position. These pins are then removed once the bone has healed.

Once The Break Has Healed

Once a break has healed and a cast has been removed, a patient may experience dry skin where they're body part has been covered for so long.

They may also notice a lack of muscle definition in that area, but the good news is this can be built back up over time.

6 Ways To Strengthen Your Bones

Eat Your Veggies(01 of06)

It's true that dairy products are rich in calcium, but that's not the only source of the bone-building mineral. Leafy green vegetables in particular are packed not only with calcium, but with vitamin K which has been shown to increase bone density and reduce the likelihood of fractures. Just a cup of kale contains nearly 10 percent of the daily recommended calcium intake and over 600 percent of the daily value of vitamin K. (credit:Getty)

Get Some Rays(02 of06)

While calcium is necessary to build and maintain strong bones, it's vitamin D that aids in it's absorption. If you're not getting enough vitamin D, your bones could become weak, brittle, and even misshapen. A combination of vitamin D and calcium is necessary to prevent osteoporosis in older adults.Sunlight helps produce vitamin D in your body and the NIH suggests as little as 10-15 minutes of sun exposure just 3 times a week will give you adequate amounts. (credit:Getty )

Kick The Soda Habit(03 of06)

You've probably heard that soda is bad for your teeth, with the harsh acids eating away at your enamel. But too much soda could also wreak havoc on your bones. Studies have suggested the more cola women drink (both regular and caffeine free), the lower their bone density will be. A study conducted by Tufts University found women who drank regular or diet soda three times a week over several years had significantly lower bone density than women who just drank cola occasionally. Experts say the phosphoric acid in cola could be to blame, leeching calcium from the bones. Other studies have shown excessive amounts of caffeine can lower the body's ability to absorb calcium. But it could also be that if you're guzzling soda, you're probably drinking less milk. Whatever the case, it's probably best to replace your soda habit with water, milk, or if you need a little fizz, some carbonated water. (credit:Getty )

Eat Plenty Of Nuts(04 of06)

Nuts can be considered a superfood when it comes to bone health and fighting osteoporosis. They contain calcium and protein which are both essential to strong bones. Older people with hip fractures often have protein deficiencies, which cause loss of bone mass. A cup of almonds and brazil nuts contains 385 mg and 213 mg of calcium respectively, while a cup of skim milk contains just under 300 mg. Plus, many nuts contain potassium which helps prevent calcium loss in urine. (credit:Getty )

Cut Out The Salt(05 of06)

Here's some food for thought: A Japanese study found older women who consumed high amount of sodium were four times as likely to suffer bone fractures. Salt may be responsible for speeding up calcium loss which can ultimately lead to loss of bone mass. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that you not only avoid sprinkling extra salt onto your food, but that you avoid foods which contain more than 20 percent of the daily recommended sodium intake. Processed and canned foods can be particularly high in sodium, so be on the lookout. (credit:Getty )

Get Moving(06 of06)

You may have made a New Year's resolution to lose weight, but here's the silver lining. Weight-bearing exercises not only help you build muscle and lose weight, they help you keep your bones strong too. With activities like walking, jogging, or climbing stairs, you can strengthen your bone tissue which you start to lose in midlife. Studies have shown resistance exercises can help post-menopausal women maintain bone density Plus, exercise will improve your balance, coordination, and stability which can all work to prevent falls and fractures. (credit:Getty )

Before You Go

uk lifestyle uk lifestyle news Health Health News

When Do Broken Bones Occur?

How The Body Reacts To A Break

How A Break Is Treated

Once The Break Has Healed

Before You Go

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