Breaking a bone isn’t fun. Understanding some of the common causes of fractures can help you to prevent these injuries. Below are 5 of the common reasons why people develop bone fractures and what you can do to protect yourself.
Falls
Slips and falls can often lead to bone fractures. A broken wrist is the most common injury due to the fact that most of us instinctively put out our arm to protect ourselves from the fall. Other common areas for fractures include the shoulder, collarbone, hip, knee and ankle.
There are countless measures you can take to avoid falls. Elderly people with mobility issues are most at risk – it’s essential to use mobility support if you need it and keep your home clutter-free. Younger people mostly develop fractures from falling while playing sports or while drinking alcohol. Wearing sports shoes with good grip and watching your alcohol consumption could help to prevent falls.
Motor accidents
Broken bones are also common in motor accidents. While drivers and car passengers can experience such injuries, motorcyclists are most at risk as a result of injuries during falls. Pedestrians also commonly experience fractures when involved in motor accidents.
Wearing a seatbelt is one of the best ways to avoid fracture injuries in a car accident. Driving carefully is the other obvious solution. Motorcyclists unfortunately can do little to protect themselves and are often involved in accidents that aren’t their fault. Bike accident claims can help to gain compensation if this does happen. Avoiding speeding and wearing good quality safety gear may help to reduce the risk of severe injuries.
Sports injuries
As already mentioned, falling over during sports is a common cause of fractures. However, injuries can also be caused by trauma from other players’ football boots or hockey sticks.
Wearing safety equipment like shin guards may help prevent injuries in sports. Practising safe tackles and techniques can also help prevent injury to you and other players. If you do sustain an injury in sports, make sure to get enough rest to help you recover – failing to get enough rest could result in you not healing properly, and could increase the risk of future fractures.
Running
If you do a lot of running, you could be at risk of developing stress fractures. These are tiny cracks that often occur in foot bones or lower leg bones as a result of repeated impact while running.
Wearing good quality running shoes can greatly reduce the risk of developing these fractures. You should also avoid running on rough terrain such as beaches or cobblestone paths – stick to the payment to protect your feet.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that leads to low bone density – resulting in bones becoming weak and brittle. Everyday activities and exercises can increase the risk of a bone fracture if you have osteoporosis.
This disease can be hereditary, however it can also be commonly caused by lifestyle factors. Being overweight, not exercising regularly, not consuming enough calcium, not getting enough vitamin D from the sun, smoking and drinking heavily can all increase your risk of developing osteoporosis in old age.
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