5. Illness
A number of different illnesses can make bones more brittle. This not only makes them more likely to break but also means that those breaks are likely to be more severe, increasing the likelihood of a comminuted fracture where the break occurs in multiple locations simultaneously.
One example is osteoporosis. This causes the bones to become much more brittle and makes fractures far more common. People with osteoporosis need to be vigilant to avoid injury and to be extra careful when engaging in potentially risky activities.
Another common example is bone cancer. Here, the cells have been damaged resulting in faulty DNA within the bone cells. That, in turn, means that the bones are not built or repaired correctly, which can then lead to them being weaker. Should you fall, they are much more likely to break.
Other illnesses that contribute to comminuted fractures include brittle bone syndrome, infection, tumor, steroid use, osteogenesis imperfecta, and more.