What Are Bones Made Of?

“Thank goodness it’s only a fracture. I thought it might be broken.” People often think that a fracture is less severe than a broken bone, but fractures are broken bones.

To understand why bones break, it helps to know what bones do and what they are made of. The bones of the body form the human frame, or skeleton, which supports and protects the softer parts of the body. Bones are living tissue. They grow rapidly during one’s early years, and renew themselves when they are broken.

Bones have a center called the marrow, which is softer than the outer part of the bone. Bone marrow has cells that develop into red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body and into white blood cells that help fight disease. Bones also contain the minerals calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are combined in a crystal-like or latticework structure. Because of their unique structure, bones can bear large amounts of weight.

How Fractures Occur

Bones are rigid, but they do bend, or “give” somewhat when an outside force is applied to them. When this force stops, bone returns to its original shape. For example, if you fall forward and land on your outstretched hand, there’s an impact on the bones and connective tissue of your wrist as you hit the ground. The bones of the hand, wrist and arm can usually absorb this shock by giving slightly and then returning to their original shape and position. If the force is too great, however, bones will break, just as a plastic ruler breaks after being bent too far.

Types of Fractures

The severity of a fracture usually depends on the force that caused the fracture. If the bone’s breaking point has been exceeded only slightly, then the bone may crack rather than breaking all the way through. If the force is extreme, such as in an automobile collision or a gunshot, the bone may shatter. If the bone breaks in such a way that bone fragments stick out through the skin or a wound penetrates down to the broken bone, the fracture is called an “open” fracture. This type of fracture is particularly serious because once the skin is broken, infection in both the wound and the bone can occur.

Treating A Fracture

Because fractures hurt and make it difficult if not impossible to use the part of the body that is injured, most people call a doctor or seek emergency care quickly. In some cases, however, a person can walk on a fractured bone in the leg or foot, or use a fractured arm. Just because you can use your hand or foot does not mean that you do not have a fracture. If you think a bone may be broken, you should seek medical help immediately. A medical examination and x-rays are usually necessary to tell for sure and to ensure proper treatment.

It is very important to control the movement of a broken bone. Moving a broken or dislocated bone can cause additional damage to the bone, nearby blood vessels, and nerves or other tissues surrounding the bone. That’s why people giving first aid or emergency treatment may splint or brace your injury before medical treatment is given. Also, if there is an open wound it should be covered by a clean cloth or bandage on the way to further medical treatment.

At the emergency room, clinic or doctor’s office, the physician usually applies a splint to prevent further damage, to lessen the pain and to help stop any bleeding. The patient is usually asked to recline and elevate the injured part. Elevation helps to reduce bleeding and swelling.

X-rays can help the physician determine whether there is a fracture, and if so, what type of fracture it is. If there is a fracture, the doctor will “reduce” it, by restoring the parts of the broken bone to their original positions. “Reduction” is the technical term for this process.

All forms of treatment of broken bones follow one basic rule: the broken pieces must be put back into position and prevented from moving out of place until they are healed. Broken bone ends heal by “knitting” back together with new bone being formed around the edge of the broken parts. The specific method of treatment depends on:

• the severity of the break
• whether it is “open” or “closed”
• the specific bone involved–a broken bone in the spine (vertebra) is treated differently from a broken leg bone or a broken rib

Types of Treatment

The following treatments are used for various types of fractures.

Cast Immobilization
A plaster or fiberglass cast is the most common type of fracture treatment, because most broken bones can heal successfully once they have been repositioned and a cast has been applied to keep the broken ends in proper position while they heal.

Functional Cast or Brace
The cast or brace allows limited or “controlled” movement of nearby joints. This treatment is desirable for some but not all fractures.

Traction
Traction is usually used to align a bone or bones by a gentle, steady pulling action. The pulling force may be transmitted to the bone through skin tapes or a metal pin through a bone. Traction may be used as a preliminary treatment, before other forms of treatment.

Open Reduction and Internal Fixation
In this type of treatment, an orthopaedist must perform surgery on the bone. During this operation, the bone fragments are first repositioned (reduced) into their normal alignment, and then held together with special screws or by attaching metal plates to the outer surface of the bone. The fragments may also be held together by inserting rods down through the marrow space in the center of the bone. These methods of treatment can reposition the fracture fragments very exactly. Because of the risks of surgery, however, and possible complications, such as infection, they are used only when the orthopaedic surgeon considers such treatment to be the most likely to restore the broken bone to normal function.

External Fixation
In this type of treatment, pins or screws are placed into the broken bone above and below the fracture site. Then the orthopaedic surgeon repositions the bone fragments. The pins or screws are connected to a metal bar or bars outside the skin. This device is a stabilizing frame that holds the bones in the proper position so they can heal. After an appropriate period of time, the external fixation device is removed.

Each of these treatment methods can lead to a completely healed, well-aligned bone that functions well. Remember that the method of treatment depends on the type and location of the fracture, the seriousness of the injury, the condition and needs of the patient, and the judgment of the orthopaedist and the patient.

Successful treatment of a fracture also depends greatly on the patient’s cooperation. A cast or fixation device may be inconvenient and cumbersome, but without one a broken bone can’t heal properly. The result may be a painful or poorly functioning bone or joint. Exercises during the healing process and after the bone heals are essential to help restore normal muscle strength, joint motion and flexibility. Help your broken bone heal properly-follow your orthopaedist’s advice.

Preventing Broken Bones

Even though healthy bones are very strong, any bone will break if the force applied against it is great enough. Bones that are weakened by disease or misuse may break more easily than healthy bones. To develop and maintain healthy bones, a person needs adequate amounts of calcium and proper exercise.

Because of the way bones are made, calcium is very important in the growth, development, and maintenance of strong bones. Adequate amounts of calcium are necessary as a child grows and for the adult as well. Women, in particular, must have enough calcium in their diet. The female hormone estrogen regulates the use of calcium in women’s bodies. Following menopause, when women produce far less estrogen, calcium regulation is more difficult. So it is very important that women make their bones as strong as possible before menopause, through weight-beating exercise and adequate calcium in their diets. In some women after menopause, bones fracture very easily because they have been weakened by calcium depletion.

Because of the way bones are made, they also get stronger with regular but not excessive exercise. If a person is active, bones will become stronger and more dense. The bones of an inactive person are often not as strong and may fracture more easily than those of an active person. For this reason, older people should try to remain physically active.

Proper diet and exercise, along with an understanding of what bones are made of and how they break, may help in preventing some fractures. If you do break a bone, seek medical treatment and remember-follow your orthopaedist’s advice.

Most people think osteoporosis (loss of bone mass) is a disease of the elderly. However, although people normally lose bone mass as they age, the amount of bone growth that occurs during childhood and adolescence is just as important a factor in developing osteoporosis. That’s what experts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said at a conference on Osteoporosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy in March 2000.

Healthy Bones Begin in Childhood

Bones grow in size during childhood, gaining mass and strength. The amount of bone mass you obtain while you are young determines your skeletal health for the rest of your life. The more bone mass you have after adolescence, the more protection you have against losing bone mass later.

Childhood is critical for developing lifestyle habits that support good bone health. Cigarette smoking often starts in childhood. It has a harmful effect on reaching peak bone mass.

Good nutrition is vital for normal growth. Like all tissues, bone needs a balanced diet, enough calories, and appropriate nutrients, such as calcium. But not everyone follows a diet that is best for bone health. For example, the federal government’s Institute of Medicine recommends a calcium intake for children ages 9 to 17 years of 1,300 mg/day (800 mg/day for children ages 3 to 8 years). However, only about 25% of boys and 10% of girls in this age group have a diet that meets these recommendations.

Calcium is the most important nutrient for reaching peak bone mass. It prevents and treats osteoporosis. The body requires vitamin D to absorb calcium effectively. Most infants and young children in the United States get enough vitamin D from fortified milk. But adolescents don’t consume as many dairy products. They may not get adequate levels of vitamin D. Dieting and fasting to be thin may harm nutrition and bone health. Teens who diet may need to take calcium and vitamin D supplements.

Risk Factors

Several groups of children and adolescents are at risk for poor bone health, including:

• Premature infants and infants with low birth weight who have lower than expected bone mass in the first few months of life.
• Children who take medications such as steroids to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma.
• Children who have cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. These conditions make it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients appropriately.
• Adolescent girls who have minimal, delayed or irregular menstrual cycles because of strenuous athletic training, emotional stress, or low body weight.
• Children with cerebral palsy and other conditions that place limits on physical activity, especially those who take chronic medications for seizure control.

Prevention

Many more studies are needed on ways to maximize peak bone mass in girls and boys. Parents and children alike can benefit from following these suggestions:

• Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D throughout your life.
• Exercise regularly, using resistance and high-impact activities.
• Eat a healthy diet and follow a healthy lifestyle.

Before starting any exercise program, it is important to meet with your doctor for a complete physical exam. Ask your doctor if there are any particular medical problems you have that may affect your fitness program. If you do, work with your doctor to develop a safe exercise program.

It is important to remember to start slowly. It might have taken you a long time to get out of shape and it will take some time to get back into shape! Take it slowly and don’t get discouraged.

There are lots of ways to exercise aerobically. If you are just getting back into exercise, a good place to start is with a walking program. Purchase a pedometer at your local sporting goods store. This device attaches at your waist and tells you how many steps you have taken. Start by seeing how many steps you take in a regular day. Gradually add more steps to your daily activity. Easy ways to increase your steps include:

• Parking further away from building doors
• Taking the stairs instead of elevators
• Walking up escalators

Once you have begun increasing your steps, gradually work toward a goal of 10,000 to 15,000 steps per day. To do this you will need to plan time to walk for exercise. Walking a half mile every other day is a good start. As this becomes easier, try walking every day. When you are ready to increase your distance, be sure not to increase it more than a half mile at a time. This will help prevent overuse syndromes or other injuries.

Wear good shoes for your walks. Make sure they fit comfortably and have a good cushion. It is also important that the shoe’s toe box is wide enough for your foot. If you wear an orthotic (arch support), make sure it fits properly and always have it available when trying new shoes.

Replace your shoes every six to nine months, or about every 250 miles. Walking in worn-out shoes may lead to unnecessary pain and injury.

As you progress with your walking program, add variety so it does not become boring. Change where or what time your walk. Find a partner to walk with. Alternate walking one day with a different aerobic activity — such as bicycling — the next. This is called “cross training.”