Osteomalacia (risk factors)

o Most often in older adults, premature infants of very low birth weight, and 

individuals adhering to rigid macrobiotic vegetarian diets

o Breast-fed black infants who do not receive vitamin D supplementation

o Vitamin D deficiency

Diet deficient

Decreased endogenous production of vitamin D

Intestinal malabsorption

Renal tubular disease

Anticonvulsant therapy

Periostitis

inflammation of the periosteum (the membrane enveloping the bone). the condition 

is chronic and marked by tenderness and swelling of the bone and an aching pain

distortion

a trauma to the joints, typically due to improper movement that cause momentary 

escape of the joint from its seat bone and its immediate return. Most often affected 

areas include ankle, finger, and knee joints

Fracture

• A fracture is a break in the continuity of a bone

• Occurs when force is applied that exceeds the tensile or compressive strength of 

the bone

Fracture (stats)

highest incidence - young male (15-24) and adults > 65

o Most prevalent among black males <65>65

o Young people tend to fracture healthy bones d/t trauma: tibia, clavicle, lower 

humerus

o Accidental fractures in workplace: hands, feet

o Older adults d/t osteoporosis: upper femur, upper humerus, vertebrae, pelvis

Complete fracture

bone is broken all the way through

Incomplete fracture

bone is damaged but still in one piece

Tend to occur in flexible, growing bones of children

Types of incomplete fracture

Greenstick fracture

Torus or buckle fracture

Bowing fracture

Greenstick fracture

fracture that perforates one cortex and splinters the spongy bone and is relatively 

unstable

Torus or buckle fracture

the cortex buckles but does not break; a relatively stable fracture

Bowing fracture

occurs when longitudinal force is applied to bone

Common in children (radius-ulna or fibula-tibia)

Treatment is difficult because the bowed bone interferes with reduction of the 

fractured bone

Open or compound fracture

if the skin is broken

Closed or simple fracture

if skin is not broken

Comminuted fracture

bone breaks into more than two fragments

Linear fracture

fracture runs parallel to the long axis of the bone

Oblique fracture

slanted fracture of the shaft of the bone

Transverse fracture

fracture straight across the bone

Pathologic fracture

a break at the site of a preexisting abnormality (ie tumor) and by force that would 

not fracture a normal bone

Stress fracture

occurs in normal or abnormal bone that is subjected to repeated forces (ie athletics)