Posted by 
STEAM Project
Isabelle Soden
Professor Larson
Anatomy & Physiology
November 21, 2024
Fracturing or breaking a bone is a very common yet unfortunate situation. Humans and animals are very active organisms and sometimes their bones can accidentally break, whether due to physical activity or health issues. There are many reasons that fractures occur and many different types of fractures.
There are a number of reasons that a bone may break. Stress fractures are a type of fracture resulting from excessive physical activity. A small article entitled “Ultrasound ability in early diagnosis of metatarsal stress fractures” by Silvia A. et al stated that, “Stress fractures are commonly associated with aggressive or repetitive physical activity…” (Silva, 2024). A common physical activity that causes fractures is sports, such as running, basketball, football and other sports that involve lots of harsh contact. Sports like swimming, golf and other no-contact sports are less likely to cause fractures because of the lack of contact with other participants and movement on harsh ground or floors. Another reason that can lead to fractures in bones are bone diseases, aging and other medical issues. One special condition is Osteoporosis, which is a disease that is common among older females which causes bones to become weak and brittle. This makes it more probable for the bones to easily break.
Along with the many reasons bones may fracture, there are many different types of fractures. Some of the more common fractures include transverse, linear, greenstick and non-displaced oblique. Transverse fractures are described as a straight looking line across the bone, perpendicular to the direction the bone is set. So, a bone such as the tibia which goes up and down, a transverse fracture would go from left to right. A linear fracture is when the break goes the same direction that the bone is placed, so the tibia with a linear fracture would also go up and down rather than across. Greenstick fractures are another common type of fracture where the break occurs on the side of the bone and doesn’t go all the way through. Oblique fractures are when the crack is at an angle, but when it is not displaced, the bones are still in position yet still have a crack. These are just a few examples of commonly occurring fractures. A review done by Sevani Singaram and Mergen Naidoo wrote that, “Long bone fractures are common injuries caused by trauma and are a common cause for referral to hospitals” (Sinagram, 2019).
There are also many fractures that aren’t quite as common. A few examples are: displaced oblique, spiral, comminuted, and segmental but these are not all. As stated before, oblique fractures are at an angle but when it is displaced the bone pieces are completely separated which makes it possible for the bone to pierce through the skin. A spiral fracture occurs when there was a twisting movement during the incident, which caused the bone to break in a circular form. Comminuted fractures are when the bone is separated, but pieces of the bone are scattered around it. This makes it very difficult for recovery since there are many small parts all around. Lastly, segmental fractures are when the bone is broken all the way through in 3 or more places. “Some fractures are classified by their pattern. This can either be the direction a break goes (if it’s a straight light across your bone) or its shape (if it’s more than a single line break)” (Cleveland Clinic, 2022).
Fractures are unfortunately a common occurrence for many reasons. There are many different common and uncommon types of fractures, some minor and some very extreme. Bones break for many reasons, but it’s not always critical.
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, September 1). Bone Fractures. Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland Clinic.
Moore, B. (2022, September 9). Orthopedic Trauma & Fracture Care | Orthopedics at Titus.
Titusorthopedics.com. https://www.titusorthopedics.com/specialties-services/orthopedic-trauma-fracture-care/
Silva, A., Fontes, T., Fonseca, J. E., & Saraiva, F. (2024). Ultrasound ability in early diagnosis of
metatarsal stress fractures. ARP Rheumatology, 3(1), 53–55. https://doi.org/10.63032/zfct7949
Singaram, S., & Naidoo, M. (2019). The physical, psychological and social impact of long bone
fractures on adults: A review. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 11(1), 9. https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/1908/3144
It is interesting to see how different fractures can look on plants compared to bones. I really like how you included different types of plants that are very different composition wise. It strengthens the viewers understanding of how these fractures can affect many different types of plants. I also really like how you shaded the epiphysis of the bones it shows the different structures of bone clearly. I am glad you showcased how these fractures can spread out from the main break. Fractures are not always clean and it highlights how the rest of the bone is affected around the area of fracture. The oblique displaced is my favorite part of this piece. By including the skin around the bone we can get a clear image of how this fracture can break through the epidermis layer. I think you did a really nice job on this media project I can clearly tell the message you are trying to convey and it is organized neatly. Great Job!