Injury & Inflammation
What forms right after the bone breaks?
A hematoma (blood clot)
What replaces the hematoma during this stage?
A soft callus made of cartilage and collagen.
What type of tissue replaces the soft callus?
Spongy bone tissue.
What happens during this final stage?
The bone reshapes to look normal again.
What type of tissue makes up bones?
Connective tissue.
Which cells come to clean up the area?
White blood cells (and osteoclasts)
Which cells start to rebuild tissue?
Chondroblasts and fibroblasts.
Which cells build new bone?
Osteoblasts.
Which two cells work together here?
Osteoblasts (build) and osteoclasts (remove old bone).
What gives bones their hardness?
Calcium and minerals.
How does this stage help the bone heal?
It brings nutrients and clears out damaged cells.
Why is this called the “soft” callus?
Because it’s flexible and not yet bone.
What’s the hard callus made of?
Trabeculae (tiny bone structures).
What happens to the bone’s strength?
It becomes just as strong as before.
What is the name of a bone cell?
Osteocyte.
What does the injury look like inside the foot during this stage?
Broken bone ends separated, swelling, and bleeding.
About how long after the injury does this stage begin?
Around 1–3 weeks.
How does the bone look now?
It’s connected again but still weak.
What kind of bone replaces the spongy bone?
Compact bone.
What connects bones to muscles?
Tendons.
Why is inflammation actually a good thing here?
It triggers the healing process by signaling repair cells.
What holds the bone together during this time?
The soft cartilage bridge.
How long can this stage last?
6 to 12 weeks
How long can full remodeling take?
Several months to a year.
What connects bones to other bones?
Ligaments.