Ankle Fractures

Ankle injuries are among the most common of the bone and joint injuries. Often, the degree of pain, the inability to walk, or concern that a bone may be broken is what might cause you to seek care in an emergency situation.

For the most part, your concern is the same as the doctor's: Is there a broken bone? It is often impossible to diagnose a fracture (broken bone) rather than a sprain, a dislocation, or tendon injury without X-rays of the ankle.

The ankle joint is made up of 3 bones coming together. The tibia, which is the main bone of the lower leg, makes up the medial, or inside, of the ankle joint.The fibula is a smaller bone that parallels the tibia in the lower leg and makes up the lateral, or outside, of the ankle joint.The far ends of both the tibia and fibula are known as the malleoli (singular is malleolus). Together they form an arch that sits on top of the talus, one of the bones in the foot. These 3 bones (tibia, fibula, and talus) make up the bony elements of the ankle joint.A fibrous membrane called the joint capsule, lined with a smoother layer called the synovium, encases the joint architecture. The joint capsule contains the synovial fluid produced by the synovium. The synovial fluid allows for smooth movement of the joint surfaces.The ankle joint is stabilized by several ligaments, which are fibres that hold these bones in place.

Knee Injury

The knee is one of the most common body parts to be injured.Types of common knee injuries include sprains, strains, bursitis, dislocations, fractures, meniscus tears, and overuse injuries.Knee injuries are generally caused by twisting or bending force applied to the knee, or a direct blow, such as from sports, falls, or accidents. Risk factors for knee injury include overuse, improper training, having osteoporosis, and playing high-impact sports that involve sudden changes in direction.The main signs and symptoms of knee injury are knee pain and swelling.Knee injuries are diagnosed by a history and physical examination. Sometimes an X-ray or MRI may be done.Treatment of knee injuries depends on the type and severity of the injury and can involve RICE therapy (rest, ice, compression, elevation), physical therapy, immobilization, or surgery. Prognosis for knee injury depends on the type and severity of the injury and the need for physical therapy or surgery. Prevention of knee pain and injuries involves proper training, proper equipment, and maintaining a safe playing field or home environment to avoid falls.

Elbow Fractures

Fractures that are out of place or unstable are more likely to require surgery. A surgical procedure would replace and stabilize the fragments or remove bone fragments. Whenever a fracture is open (skin broken over the fracture), urgent surgery is needed to clean out the wound and bone to minimize the risk of infection.

Non-surgical treatment such as using a sling, cast or splint is typically used when the bones are at low risk of moving out of place or when the position of the bones is okay as is. Age is also an important factor when treating elbow fractures. Casts are used more frequently in children, as their risk of developing elbow stiffness is small; however, in an adult, elbow stiffness is much more likely. Rehabilitation directed by your doctor is often used to maximize motion and decrease the chance of getting elbow stiffness. This might include exercises, scar massage, ultrasound, heat, ice and splints that stretch the joint.


Elbow fractures may result from a fall, a direct impact to the elbow, or a twisting injury to the arm. Sprains, strains or dislocations may occur at the same time as a fracture. X-rays are used to confirm if a fracture is present and if the bones are out of place. Sometimes a CT (Computed Tomography) scan might be needed to get further detail.

Neck Injuries

Playing sports regularly can put a lot of wear and tear on the muscles and ligaments of your neck.

Direct blows to your head or shoulder can lead to head injuries, as well as disc and nerve damage, strains and sprains, and other neck injuries.

Your neck takes a pounding every time you get tackled or fall. A high-speed collision that throws your head forward or backward can put a lot of force on your neck, just like getting whiplash in a car accident. When the neck is flung backward past its normal limits, it's called hyperextension. When the neck is flung forward beyond its limits, it's called hyperflexion. These sudden movements can tear ligaments -- the thick, rubber band-like tissues that connect the vertebrae in your neck -- causing a sprain or strain.

When the force of a hit or fall pushes your head to one side, you can get a neck injury called a burner or stinger. Named because of the shock-like jolt of pain it sends racing from your shoulder down your arm, a burner or stinger is caused by damage to the brachial plexus -- the bundle of nerves that supplies feeling to the arm. Burners and stingers are common: Up to 70% of college football players report having had one of these injuries.

Your neck is the part of your spine that connects your head to the rest of your body. Some necks are big and wide, others are long and thin. However it's shaped, your neck has a big job. It needs to be flexible enough to move, but also strong enough to support the weight of your head. Pick up a 10-pound bowling ball and you can feel how heavy a load your neck has to carry.

Back injuries

Low back pain is a fact of life. Just about everybody will suffer from it sooner or later. One of the main causes of back pain, whether acute or chronic, is low back strain.

So what is low back strain? A series of muscles and ligaments in your back hold the bones of your spinal column in place. You can strain these muscles by stretching them too far, causing tiny tears in the tissue. The muscles are then weakened, so they may not be able to hold the bones of your spinal column in place correctly. The spine becomes less stable, causing low back pain.

And because nerves stretch out from the spinal cord throughout the entire body, low back strain can cause pain in areas other than your back.

It can also be caused by emotional stress, improper posture, being overweight, out of shape, or sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Even a severe cough can result in low back strain.

Keep in mind that low back strain can't be blamed for all back pain. There are many other causes, like slipped discs, fractures, pinched nerves, arthritis, infections, and tumors.

Motorcycle Accident Injuries

There are more than 600 muscles [1] in the human body [xx] and each can be damaged from an injury. In our younger years, it may only take a few days to see significant progress to heal wounded muscles, but as we age you can expect that recovery time to lengthen. Most injuries from motorcycling are simple sprains rather than tears of muscle tissue, but the harder you ride, you can expect the bigger the injury opportunity may accompany right along. Think of the difference of a highway cruise compared to a day spent off-road riding. The cruise should be less strenuous on the body, while the off-road adventure may make every joint and muscle in your body hurt for a few days or more.


Some of the easier injuries to talk about are going to be bumps and bruises that can occur just from riding. You can expect that some days you’re going to look at your body and ask, “Where did I get that bruise from?” It’s just like another day in your life. You’ll find bruises and bumps are just a small part of motorcycling, and beyond the healing of them, they won’t be much to talk about.

The next level of injuries that you may encounter from motorcycling will be harder to recover from, as the injuries are a little more serious. A hard hitting accident may bring muscle damage, ‘biker’s arm’, and foot / leg injuries. Each can be harder to recover from and may have different recoveries depending on the injury.

Leg Injuries

Your legs are a bundle of bones, muscles, and connective tissues that runs from your pelvis, also called hipbones, to your ankle and foot.

Each of your legs has four bones:

The femur, which runs from your pelvis to your knee, is the largest bone in the body. The patella, or kneecap, protects your knee joint.The tibia, or shinbone, and fibula connect your knee and ankle.

It can take several weeks or months for a broken leg to heal fully. The time it takes depends on how bad the break was and how healthy you are. Younger people heal faster than those who are older. Most people get better in 6-8 weeks.

If you can’t put weight on your leg, you may need crutches, a cane, or a walker to get around for a while.

You may not be able to make certain moves or exercise right away after your doctor takes your cast off. But with your doctor’s OK, exercise may help you get back to your normal range of motion and strength more quickly.

Spinal injury

Your ability to control your limbs after a spinal cord injury depends on two factors: the place of the injury along your spinal cord and the severity of injury to the spinal cord.

The lowest normal part of your spinal cord is referred to as the neurological level of your injury. The severity of the injury is often called "the completeness" and is classified as either of the following:

Complete. If all feeling (sensory) and all ability to control movement (motor function) are lost below the spinal cord injury, your injury is called complete.
Incomplete. If you have some motor or sensory function below the affected area, your injury is called incomplete. There are varying degrees of incomplete injury.
Spinal cord injuries may result from damage to the vertebrae, ligaments or disks of the spinal column or to the spinal cord itself.

A traumatic spinal cord injury may stem from a sudden, traumatic blow to your spine that fractures, dislocates, crushes or compresses one or more of your vertebrae. It may also result from a gunshot or knife wound that penetrates and cuts your spinal cord.

Additional damage usually occurs over days or weeks because of bleeding, swelling, inflammation and fluid accumulation in and around your spinal cord.

A nontraumatic spinal cord injury may be caused by arthritis, cancer, inflammation, infections or disk degeneration of the spine.

Rotator cuff injury

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint, keeping the head of your upper arm bone firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder. A rotator cuff injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder, which often worsens when you try to sleep on the involved side.

Rotator cuff injuries occur most often in people who repeatedly perform overhead motions in their jobs or sports. Examples include painters, carpenters, and people who play baseball or tennis. The risk of rotator cuff injury also increases with age.

Many people recover from rotator cuff disease with physical therapy exercises that improve flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.

Sometimes, rotator cuff tears may occur as a result of a single injury. In those circumstances, medical care should be provided as soon as possible. Extensive rotator cuff tears may require surgical repair, transfer of alternative tendons or joint replacement.

Strains

A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments — the tough bands of fibrous tissue that connect two bones together in your joints. The most common location for a sprain is in your ankle.

Initial treatment includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. Mild sprains can be successfully treated at home. Severe sprains sometimes require surgery to repair torn ligaments.

The difference between a sprain and a strain is that a sprain injures the bands of tissue that connect two bones together, while a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.

Regular stretching and strengthening exercises for your sport, fitness or work activity, as part of an overall physical conditioning program, can help to minimize your risk of sprains. Try to be in shape to play your sport; don't play your sport to get in shape. If you have a physically demanding occupation, regular conditioning can help prevent injuries.

You can protect your joints in the long term by working to strengthen and condition the muscles around the joint that has been injured. The best brace you can give yourself is your own "muscle brace." Ask your doctor about appropriate conditioning and stability exercises. Also, use footwear that offers support and protection.

Broken nose

A broken nose, also called a nasal fracture, is a break or crack in a bone in your nose — often the bone over the bridge of your nose.

Common causes of a broken nose include contact sports, physical fights, falls and motor vehicle accidents that result in facial trauma. A broken nose can cause pain, along with swelling and bruising around your nose and under your eyes. Your nose may look crooked, and you may have trouble breathing.

Treatment for a broken nose may include procedures that realign your nose. Surgery usually isn't necessary for a broken nose.

A broken nose, also called a nasal fracture, is a break or crack in a bone in your nose — often the bone over the bridge of your nose.

Common causes of a broken nose include contact sports, physical fights, falls and motor vehicle accidents that result in facial trauma. A broken nose can cause pain, along with swelling and bruising around your nose and under your eyes. Your nose may look crooked, and you may have trouble breathing.

Treatment for a broken nose may include procedures that realign your nose. Surgery usually isn't necessary for a broken nose.
If you have a minor fracture that hasn't caused your nose to become crooked or otherwise misshapen, you may not need professional medical treatment. Your doctor may recommend simple self-care measures, such as using ice on the area and taking over-the-counter pain medications.
Fixing displacements and breaks