RT Book, Section A1 Malone, Terry R. A1 Hazle, Charles A1 Grey, Michael L. A1 Hendrix, Paul C. SR Print(0) ID 1128340506 T1 Long Bone Fractures T2 Imaging for the Health Care Practitioner YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071818391 LK accessphysiotherapy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1128340506 RD 2024/03/28 AB The appendicular skeletal structures include a set of long bones for both the upper and lower extremities. The special functions associated with these structures provide unique fracture and, thus, healing patterns. Since the lower extremity is weight bearing, specific approaches to fracture management which allow some level of early weight bearing have evolved to better minimize the secondary changes associated with immobilization and a non–weight-bearing status. As a general rule, lower extremity management is all about function (enable return to weight bearing and thus ambulation), whereas upper extremity management is more likely to include a level of attention to cosmesis. The long bones each have inherent patterns of loading related to their individual roles, and thus have specific patterns of injury. These will be addressed in each section of this chapter, primarily as fractures of the shafts of the long bones. Those fractures which include the articular portions of the bones are discussed in the chapters of their respective joints.