Open Fracture of the Radius

Injury report:

Open fracture of the Radius.

A triathlon involves swimming, running and then biking a set track.

A triathlete fell from his bike during training, due to the wet road.

He landed awkwardly on his bike.

His Radius was broken because he landed with his arm on the handle bars of the bike.

The force at which he landed on the handle bars caused his Radius to break and pierce the skin.

A cracked bone is called a fracture.

Fractures are most likely to occur in the limb bones. (Radius and Ulna; Tibia and Fibula)

Fractures are named according to the certain features which separate the different types of fracture.

• Closed fracture.

The bone is broken but the overlying skin surface is not damaged.

• Open fracture.

The broken ends of the bone have pierced the surface of the skin.

• Compound fracture.

The fractured bone has caused other injuries, e.g. the rib may have penetrated the lung.

The triathlete has an open fracture of the Radius.

(Image 1)

As can be seen in the above picture the Radius is a bone in the lower arm, on the same side of the arm as the thumb.

As people when falling-outstretch their arms to break their fall-the radius may received several quite heavy blows.

This may weaken the joints around the radius and may cause it to dislocate.

The triathlete has landed on the side of his radius, and the radius has broken in half and has pierced the skin.

This leaves the body vulnerable to infection and obviously isn’t pleasant for the triathlete.

Below is an image of the femur and on it is labeled the different types of bone and where they may be found.

The white hard bone on the outside is called the compact bone.

On the inside of the shaft is the bone marrow.

Inside the epipysis is the spongy bone.

Surrounding the ends of the bone is cartilage which eases movement between bones.

Osteo=Bone.

The bone marrow produces red and white blood cells.

Chondrin=Cartilage.

(Image 2)

Above is a diagram of the structure of a mature bone.

It shows what each different part of the bone looks like under a microscope, and where those parts of bone are found.

The top of this bone is called the head ( this also applies to the radius)

The long, thin part of the bone that gives the bone its length is called the shaft

Immediate first aid…

When bones are broken (The following must be done in a way that would prevent further injury) the immediate first aid is to…………..

1) Tell the casualty to keep still.

Steady and support the injured part with your hands.

DO NOT MOVE THE PATIENT UNNECESSARILY.

2) If there is a wound, control any bleeding by pressing