Improved
6112 HealthChanged
3785 LivesSaved
3568 Lives0 lives impacted in the last 24 hrs Learn More
The year is 1968. The setting is in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado on a chilly and blustery winter’s day. The sun shines brightly from above, casting a strong glare against the virgin snow.
A “young” woman of normal stature, a tinge of blue hair, and around the age of 63 has just swooshed down the beginner slope of this new ski resort. Her first attempt in her life at skiing, Kora had literally danced her way down the mountain, stopping at the bottom, proudly waving her arms above her head, ski poles in each hand, proclaiming her victory to her family who had snapped a series of photographs to capture this historic event. “I have wanted to do this for years!” she happily announced. “Now I can check that off of my list of things to do before I die!” (Note to readers: 41 years later, Kora is still alive and active, finding more things to check off of her list!)
Suddenly, from seemingly out of nowhere, a young man on skis was rapidly approaching Kora from behind. It appeared he was somewhat, if not totally, out of control. Within seconds, and with no warning to Kora, her arms still in the air, the young man slammed into the back of Kora, sending her tumbling to the snowy cushion in front of her. Thankfully, the snow padded her fall, but she still sustained some cuts and scrapes as well as her first ever broken bone. Her leg was fractured. The sweet smell of victory soon turned sour as the medics arrived to quickly transport her to the hospital.
Although I was five years old at the time, I remember this event rather clearly. Grandma Kora was taken to a nearby hospital for some surgery, and then the doctors put a cast on her. By the next day, she was learning to use crutches. As she hobbled down the hospital hallway towards me, I remember only one thing: I was terrified of her at that moment. For some strange reason, I was sure that she would kick me in the hindquarters with that beast of a cast, given the opportunity. No, Grandma was not mean, but to a small five-year-old, that cast, coupled with an over-bearing woman, was something to be feared!
Needless to say, that was the first, last, and only time Grandma took to the slopes. That has also been the only recorded time in her almost 105 years that she has broken a bone! Seems at her age now, her bones are more resilient than they were back in the 1960s. Within the past five years, she has sustained a few falls, some rather intense, yet she did not break one bone in each episode.
Two commonly used words associated with injuries to bones are fractures and breaks. What is the difference between these two? Or IS there a difference? According to sources on About.com, both words hold the same meaning. A fracture and a break are the same thing. Studies conclude that the average person will sustain two fractures over the course of his or her lifetime. (I have not yet had one, and at age 45, does this make me an above average or a below average person? I need some confirmation on that one!)
Fractures can occur from one of three reasons. First, there is the high-energy injury. This occurs when the bone breaks due to significant force acting upon it. I think I can confidently say that Grandma’s fractured leg bone was due to a high-energy injury.
Secondly, there are stress injuries. About.com defines a stress fracture as one due to repetitive micro trauma to the bone. “Over time, the body cannot keep up with the forces acting on the bone, and a fracture, eventually occurs.” As opposed to a sudden injury, this one develops and worsens over time.
Finally, there is the pathologic fracture. This happens when the bone is weakened by some problem, such as osteoporosis, infections, and tumors.
So, what do you do if you suspect you or another has been afflicted with a broken bone? Any injury to a limb that produces persistent pain and swelling should be examined by a doctor via x-rays.
Here are some following tips and guidelines offered by About.com to help you in your course of action if you suspect someone has a broken bone, such as an arm, leg, ankle, foot, or wrist.
1.) If the foot or hand at the end of the injured leg or arm is cold or blue, you need to call 911 immediately.
2.) Never straighten the arm or leg if it is deformed in its position. Keep it in the position in which it was found.
3.) Stabilize the afflicted extremity and use padding to keep it from moving about.
4.) Put ice on the injured area, but never directly onto the skin. Put it in a bag first and apply it to the affected area for about 20 minutes. Then remove it for 20 minutes.
5.) To help reduce inflammation and associated pain, you can have the patient take the recommended dosage for his or her age and weight of ibuprofen or naproxen.
6.) Elevate the extremity to reduce the swelling.
7.) If 911 was not contacted, be sure to seek the necessary medical attention for further relief of pain and for the full evaluation of the injury.
Additional tips include adding a bit of water to the ice bag to allow it to conform to the shape of the injury. Compression wraps may help with the swelling. Wrap it about 4-6 inches above and below the extremity. It should be snug, yet loose enough to allow one finger to slip under the elastic bandage.
Always be sure to seek medical care immediately for a full evaluation and subsequent treatment options.
Grandma Kora is planning another vacation for all of us for next summer. We are going on a Caribbean cruise. No ski slopes for miles around. I guess I now need to do some research on what to do when someone cries out, “Man overboard!”
Add a CommentComments
There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!