How Do Broken Bones Heal?

Have you ever broken a bone? If you did, you probably remember that it was really painful and took several weeks to heal. The doctor probably treated your broken bone by giving you a cast, sling, or special boot.

How can our bones break? And how do they heal? Let’s find out!

Ouch!

Your bones can break, or fracture (FRAK-chur), when they take more force than they can handle. Many children break bones by falling. Symptoms of a broken bone often involve pain, swelling, bruising, and trouble moving the injured limb.

If you go to the doctor for a broken bone, you will most likely get an X-ray, a picture of your bones taken by a special camera. If your bone is broken, the doctor will probably treat your injury by setting it and wrapping it in a cast or by giving you a sling or special boot. These help keep the bone in the right position while it heals. If the break is really bad, you might need to have surgery to help you heal faster.

Bone Fix-It Crew

A lot happens inside your body to heal the bone.

1. First, a blood clot (a mass of blood that sticks together) forms around the fracture.
2. Next, a soft callus forms around the broken bone, replacing the blood clot. The callus is harder than the blood clot, but not as firm as bone.
3. After the callus forms, special cells called osteoblasts move in to form new bone in the fractured parts.
4. After the new bone is formed, cells called osteoclasts have their turn. They return your healed bone to its normal shape by breaking down any extra bone that may have formed.

In the original perfect creation, before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, people didn’t have to worry about broken bones. And even in our now-fallen world where we sometimes experience suffering and injury, God designed our bodies to mend and heal.

Do you have a question about God’s Word or his world that you want us to answer? Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Ask your parents to help you submit your question today. Watch for our answer here on the blog or in Kids Answers magazine. We’d love to hear from you!