Study May Prevent Broken Bones
Researchers working with NASA have developed a non-synthetic substance made of bone cells that replicates actual bone. They intend to study how growth occurs in living bone.
We all have, or know someone who has, broken a bone. Interestingly, there are numerous types of broken bones. Not only is the probability of developing arthritis increased in the area of fracture, but additional complications result near joints.
The best way to prevent a fracture is to stop bones from reaching the point where they are prone to breaking, but understanding the process of how bones form and mature has been challenging. A fracture, also referred to as a bone fracture, is a medical condition where the continuity of the bone is broke. A significant percentage of bone fractures occur because of high force impact or stress; however, a fracture may also be the result of some medical conditions which weaken the bones, for example osteoporosis. A fracture caused by a medical condition is known as a pathological fracture.
The word break is commonly used by lay (non-professional) people. Among health care professionals, especially bone specialists, such as orthopedic surgeons, break is a much less common term when talking about bones.
A crack (not only a break) in the bone is also known as a fracture. Fractures can occur in any bone in the body. There are several different ways in which a bone can fracture; for example a clean break to the bone that does not damage surrounding tissue or tear through the skin is known as a closed fracture or a simple fracture. On the other hand, one that damages surrounding skin or tissue is known as a compound fracture or an open fracture. Compound or open fractures are generally more serious than simple fractures, with a much higher risk of infection.
Most human bones are surprisingly strong and can generally stand up to fairly strong impacts or forces. However, if that force is too powerful, or there is something wrong with the bone, it can fracture. With travel speeds and related sudden stop velocity (crash) in cars, trains and planes far exceeding the old fashioned modes of walking, horseback riding (or elephant riding if you are from India), forces have greatly varied in modern times.
The older we get the less force our bones can withstand. Approximately 50% of women and about 20% of men have a fracture after they are 50 years old (Source: National Health Service, UK).
Because children's bones are more elastic, when they do have fractures they tend to be different. Children also have growth plates at the end of their bones - areas of growing bone - which may sometimes be damaged.
Some different types of fracture:
- Avulsion fracture - a muscle or ligament pulls on the bone, fracturing it.
- Comminuted fracture - the bone is shattered into many pieces.
- Compression (crush) fracture - generally occurs in the spongy bone in the spine. For example, the front portion of a vertebra in the spine may collapse due to osteoporosis.
- Fracture dislocation - a joint becomes dislocated, and one of the bones of the joint has a fracture.
- Hairline fracture - a partial fracture of the bone. Often this type of fracture is harder to detect.
- Impacted fracture - when the bone is fractured, one fragment of bone goes into another.
- Longitudinal fracture - the break is along the length of the bone.
- Oblique fracture - A fracture that is diagonal to a bone's long axis.
- Pathological fracture - when an underlying disease or condition has already weakened the bone, resulting in a fracture (bone fracture caused by an underlying disease/condition that weakened the bone).
- Spiral fracture - A fracture where at least one part of the bone has been twisted.
- Stress fracture - more common among athletes. A bone breaks because of repeated stresses and strains.
- Torus (buckle) fracture - bone deforms but does not crack. More common in children. It is painful but stable.
- Transverse fracture - a straight break right across a bone.
Now researchers at the University of Houston department of health and human performance have created a process that grows real human bone in tissue culture, which can be used to investigate how bones form and grow.
The research is ready to market and hopefully will help in the prevention of broken bones and advance our ability to heal them.
