A fracture (broken bone) can happen in a variety of ways depending on how the injury occurred. Bones are rigid and will bend or “give” when an outside force is applied, such as jumping off a bed onto your feet or falling and landing on an outstretched hand.
The type and severity of the fracture depends on what type of force caused the break. If the bone's breaking point has been exceeded only slightly, then the bone may crack rather than break all the way through. If the force is extreme, such as in an automobile crash or a gunshot, the bone may shatter.
The most common causes of fractures are trauma, osteoporosis, and overuse. Symptoms can include swelling, tenderness, and bruising at the site of the fracture. Sometimes a deformity is seen as well in which a limb may look “out of place” or part of the bone may be sticking out through the skin.
Fractures can take several weeks to several months to heal, depending on the extent of the injury and how well you adhere to your surgeon’s advice. The pain usually stops long before the fracture fully heals and is solid enough to handle the stresses of normal activity.