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                                FRACTURES
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  A fracture is a cracked or broken bone. Although the outside of the bone
  is hard, it can crack or break, if struck, twisted or overstressed.

  All fractures must be handled carefully; mishandling by the unskilled,
  may result in further damage to the surrounding tissues.

  A bone can be fractured at the point directly where the force of a blow
  is applied. For example, if someone is struck by a moving vehicle, the
  lower leg may be broken where it was hit by the vehicle's bumper.

  However, a bone can also be fractured indirectly at some distance from
  the spot where the force is applied. In this case, the bone is broken
  by the force being transmittied along it, or adjacent the bone, from
  the point of impact. For example, a fall on the outstretched hand may
  result in a fracture collar bone.

  Another form of indirect force occurs when sudden powerful, muscular
  contractions pull peices of the bone away from the point where the 
  muscle is attached. Take for instance, a footballer who tries to kick
  a ball but misses and hits the ground ( probably a Man City player ),
  can cause  the knee-cap to snap in two because the powerful thigh 
  muscles jerk suddenly at the anchorage points on that bone.

  In the same way, the "wrenching" of a joint can cause it's ligaments to
  pull so hard at the joint that they fracture one of the bones to which
  they are attached. For example a person who turns the foot over by
  tripping or stumbling, may fracture a lower leg bone at the ankle.

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