What happens when you break a bone? - Gurpreet Baht and Natalie Pang (Level 1)

About half of all people will break a bone in their life. Bones come in many shapes, but they all heal the same way. When a bone breaks, it hurts a lot because there are nerves inside. The break also causes bleeding. The body starts healing right away. First, special cells clean the broken area. Next, the body builds a soft patch made of cartilage. Cartilage grows fast but is not as strong as bone. After a few weeks, bone-building cells change this soft patch into a hard bone patch. Finally, the body slowly shapes the new bone until it looks like it did before. This can take months. Doctors use casts to hold the bone straight while it heals. Sometimes, bad breaks need surgery. To keep your bones strong and stop breaks, it is good to exercise. Walking and running help your bones grow hard and healthy.