Bone Bruise Information

A bone bruise differs from a bruise beneath the surface of the skin and a bruise inside a muscle. Bone bruises are long lasting and very painful, typically caused by falls and collisions.

Bone Cortex

When someone's bone strikes an object with sufficient force, a bone bruise can occur. The force causes small breaks and tears in the cortex of the bone, the bone's outer layer.

At Risk

Athletes often suffer bone bruises, as they can collide with other athletes or equipment in sports such as hockey, basketball, football and other contact sports.

Limited Motion

The bruised area will be very difficult for someone to use until it fully heals, as the pain will reach high levels, making movement of the affected area limited.

Pain

One of the most obvious and telltale symptoms of a bone bruise is a pain that can linger for days and even weeks at a time where the individual was injured.

Diagnosis

Bone bruises are sometimes hard to diagnose because although swelling and some discoloration may accompany a bone bruise, this is not always the case. While an X-ray can reveal a bone fracture, it cannot discern a bone bruise.

Treatment

Treating bone bruises involves icing the region to keep swelling to a minimum, refraining from activity so the area may fully heal and utilizing painkillers such as acetaminophen to relive pain symptoms.

References

• NBA.com: Bone Bruises
• National Institute of Health.gov: Bone Bruises
• Diagnoseme.com: Bruising Susceptibility