Our bones are fairly tough and are designed to withstand a fair amount of pressure. However, like anything, they can crack or snap if too much pressure is applied. This is what many of us refer to as a broken bone or a bone fracture.

Broken bones can be very painful and can take a while to heal - usually six to eight weeks. Some bones, such as the femur, can take as long as six months to heal. Treatment can be pretty expensive, depending on the severity of the break. All in all, broken bones are pretty unpleasant and best avoided. 

Understanding what causes broken bones can help you to avoid such injuries. Below are just some of the most common causes of bone fractures and how to avoid them.

Slips and falls

Many broken bones are caused by slips and falls. Most people end up breaking their wrists or ankles during a fall. A broken collarbone is also common if you land on your shoulder, while a broken tailbone can be caused by landing on your buttocks. More serious injuries include skull fractures and spinal cord injuries.

A few factors that can put you at a greater risk of these injuries include:

• Having mobility issues and not using a cane or support

• Wearing inappropriate footwear on uneven/slippery surfaces (I think most of us have been guilty here!)

• Consuming lots of alcohol

• Not cleaning up clutter from the floor

• Walking too fast over slippery surfaces (e.g., the side of a pool)

• Walking outdoors in bad weather

• Negotiating steps in poor lighting

Slips and falls aren’t always easy to prevent. Sometimes they can be due to someone else’s recklessness - in these cases you may be able to connect with a personal injury attorney and file a lawsuit to get some compensation. The best thing you can do is to always look where you’re walking - many slips and falls occur when we are distracted. 

Car accidents

While modern cars are a lot safer nowadays, car accidents are still a leading cause of broken bones. Common fractures include the wrists, ankles, knees, and ribs. More serious accidents can result in injuries such as spinal fractures and skull fractures.

You’re more likely to get into a car accident if you’re driving recklessly, speeding, driving under the influence, driving while tired, or driving while distracted (such as while eating or on the phone). To reduce the risk of breaking a bone during a car accident, it’s important to always wear a seatbelt and make sure that your car has passed annual safety checks.

Accidents can sometimes be the result of other drivers. As with slip and fall injuries, you can file a personal injury lawsuit if another road user is directly to blame. To reduce the risk of being in an accident caused by another driver, make sure that you’re always scanning the road for dangers including using your mirrors to check what is going on behind.

Sports and workout injuries

A lot of bone fractures are developed while playing sports or at the gym. These may be trauma fractures or fractures as a result of overuse.

Trauma fractures could be caused by all kinds of actions from getting hit by a hockey stick to getting slide tackled during a soccer match. You can always avoid these injuries if another player happens to be playing dirty, however in certain sports there may be safety precautions that you can take to minimize injury, such as wearing a mouthguard or shin guards and learning how to safely fall.

Overuse fractures are typically caused by repeated actions such as running or jumping. The ankles are the most common part of the body that are likely to experience these fractures. Overuse fractures can be prevented by not training too hard too fast - if you’re training for a long-distance run like a marathon, you need to build your way up slowly to strengthen your ankles. Wearing the right shoes (i.e., running shoes) and doing stretches before exercise can also help to prevent fractures. 

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a health condition that leads to bones becoming weaker and more fragile. People with this condition develop broken bones very easily. It is most common in older age - particularly among women.

How do you reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis? Generally speaking, people who live an active lifestyle are less likely to develop osteoporosis. It’s also important that you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D within your diet, as these minerals can help to strengthen bones. 

Medication can be used to help treat people with osteoporosis, but won’t generally won’t fix the problem completely - if you already have osteoporosis, it’s important that you take great care of your body to prevent fracture such as only doing low impact exercise.