The most common fractures in children are those of the forearm. In young adults, the ankle. And in older adults, those of the femur.
Fractures are common injuries, which can occur at all stages of life. They are almost always the product of a daily accident. That is why they are the bread and butter of emergency services around the world.
Any bone in the body can be fractured. However, there are some who are more prone to injury. This is because they correspond to areas that have greater movement under normal conditions, or that are more exposed in all types of falls.
Likewise, there are some bones that are more resistant to impacts than others, either because of their shape, their density or their location. Hence, there are some fractures that are more frequent. These are the seven most common.
1. Fingers.
The hand is an amazing feat of engineering. It has a significant number of bones and joints, in a space that is proportionally small, compared to the rest of the body. It is also one of the members that we use the most on a day-to-day basis.
Likewise, the hands are the first barrier that we interpose in falls or in other types of accidents. That is why it is not uncommon for one of the most frequent fractures to be that of the fingers, which are small and not particularly strong.
2. Clavicle, one of the most frequent fractures
The clavicle is another of those bones that is fractured more often than the others. This is a very common type of injury among athletes, especially in cycling, soccer, rugby, and combat disciplines.
The main function of the clavicle is to hold the arms together with the rest of the body. Its length and location make it prone to fractures. Fortunately, recovery is usually very fast and favorable, in most cases.
3. Forearm.
When you talk about fractures in the forearm, you are talking about injuries to the ulna or radius. Normally they are produced by direct impact in the area, as a result of a traffic accident, sports or a fall from a height.
This type of fracture is more common in children and the very young, and also involves a neurological injury. It requires conservative treatment if it is a displaced fracture. Otherwise, it demands a surgical intervention.
4. Humerus.
Humerus fracture is one of the most common injuries among those under 18 years of age. Sometimes they occur as an indirect effect of a fall on the hand, or by a direct impact on the arm. It is very usual after a fall down the stairs.
These types of injuries are difficult to treat. Typically, surgery is used to reattach the bone. Recovery time is slightly longer than necessary for other types of fractures.
5. Tibia and fibula.
This is another one of those injuries that are very common among athletes. The tibia is one of the longest bones in the body. The fibula runs alongside it. These bones are often fractured at the ankle or knee.
Tibia fractures are usually treated with cast immobilization. However, in most cases they require a surgical procedure to be performed so that the bone can be stabilized, using an endomodular nail.
6. The ankle.
The ankle is a joint in which the tibia, fibula, and talus meet. Injuries in this area are also among the most frequent. Although sprains are more common, fractures are not uncommon.
An ankle fracture usually occurs as a result of high or medium impact. Typically, such an impact is the consequence of deceleration forces. The typical case in this injury is that of falls with rotation of the leg. They almost always require surgery.
7. Femur.
Femur fractures are more common in people over 50 years of age. We must remember that this is the largest and strongest bone in the body. That is why it is more common for it to fracture in people who have some type of bone weakness.
It almost always occurs as a result of a fall. Most often, the injured area is the neck of the femur. Cases in which this type of fracture does not require surgical treatment are very rare.
