How to Heal a Fracture Safely and Effectively

Fractures are a very common type of injury. In fact, the average person in a developed country can expect to have at least two fractures in their lifetime. It is estimated that 7 million fractures occur annually in the United States, with the wrist and hips being the most affected areas. The vast majority of fractures require a cast applied by a doctor to heal properly, but there are also many methods to help the fracture heal faster.

Go to the hospital

Seek medical help immediately. If you have suffered a major injury (such as a fall or car accident) and are in significant pain, especially if you hear a cracking noise or see inflammation, you should go to the nearest hospital immediately. If a weight-bearing bone is injured, such as in the leg or pelvis, do not put pressure on it. Instead, get help to get to the hospital by car or call an ambulance.

• Some of the most common signs and symptoms of a fracture include severe pain, a bone or joint that has visibly lost its original shape, nausea, reduced mobility, numbness or tingling in the area, inflammation, and bruising.
• An X-ray, CT scan, or MRI can help doctors diagnose the fracture and its severity. Small stress fractures may not show up on X-rays until inflammation sets in (about a week later). X-rays are typically used to diagnose traumatic fractures.
• If your fracture is considered complicated, if the bone has broken into multiple pieces, if the bone has broken through the skin, or if the pieces of bone are completely out of place, surgery may be necessary 

Get a cast or splint. Before a cast can be placed over the broken bone, the pieces of bone may need to be put back into place and aligned. In many cases, the doctor will use a simple technique called "reduction," which involves pulling on both ends of the bone (to create traction) and manually pushing the pieces back into place  . For more complicated fractures, surgery is necessary and often involves the use of metal plates, screws, or other devices to provide support to the bones.

• A fiberglass cast or splint is the most common treatment for fractures. Most broken bones will heal well if they are properly repositioned, compressed, and immobilized. Typically, the doctor will start by applying a splint, a part of the cast made of fiberglass. The cast will be applied three to seven days after the inflammation has subsided.
• Casts are made of a soft layer and a hard covering (made of plaster or fiberglass). They usually need to stay in place for 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the bone that broke and the severity of the fracture.
• Alternatively, a functional cast (e.g., a plastic boot) or a supportive splint may be used instead of a traditional cast, depending on the type of fracture and its location.

Take medication. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin may be short-term solutions to help manage pain and inflammation related to the fracture.. Remember that these medications can upset your stomach, kidneys, and liver, so it's best not to use them for more than two weeks at a time.

• Children under 18 should never take aspirin, as its use has been linked to Reye's syndrome.
• Alternatively, you can also try other over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol, but do not take them at the same time as other NSAIDs without speaking to your doctor.
• Your doctor may give you a prescription for stronger medication if your pain is more severe.

Managing the fracture at home

Rest and apply ice to the injury. Once you leave the hospital, you will need to elevate the fracture and apply ice to it, even if you have a cast or splint, to help reduce inflammation and swelling.Depending on your job and the location of the fracture, you may need to take time off work to recover. You may also need to use crutches or a cane to help you walk.

• Bed rest is not recommended for most stabilized fractures, as you need some movement (even in the peripheral joints) to stimulate blood flow and healing.
• You should apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes every two to three hours for two or three days, then reduce the frequency of ice application as the pain and inflammation decrease. Never apply ice directly to the skin; wrap it in a thin towel first.

Put some weight on it. In addition to gentle movement of the joints around the broken bone, it may be helpful to put some weight on it after a week or two, especially if the fracture is in the weight-bearing bones of the leg or pelvis. Make sure your doctor is okay with this before putting any weight on the bone. Lack of activity and complete immobilization, proportional to the time spent healing, will lead to demineralization of the bones, which is not desirable while the bone is trying to regain strength. Some movement and weight on the bone seem to draw minerals into it, making it stronger and less prone to fractures in the future.

• There are three stages of fracture healing: the reactive stage (a blood clot forms between the two halves of the broken bone), a repair stage (specialized cells form a buffer between the two halves of the bone), and the remodeling stage (new bone is created and the injury is slowly resculpted to its original shape). .
• Broken bones can take several weeks to months to heal, depending on the severity of the fracture and your overall health. However, the pain most often subsides before the fracture is stable enough to withstand the demands of normal activity.

Take good care of your cast. Do not get the cast wet, whether it is made of plaster or fiberglass, as this will make it more fragile and it will no longer be able to properly support the fractured bone . If necessary, put a plastic bag over the cast while you shower or bathe. If you wear a plastic compression boot (which is generally recommended for stress fractures of the foot), make sure it maintains adequate pressure.

• If your skin is itchy from the cast, do not place anything between the cast and your skin, as this could cause a sore and lead to infection. Consult your doctor if the cast has become wet, cracked, has a bad odor, or is leaking secretions.
• Move joints not covered by the cast (elbow, knee, fingers, toes) to improve blood circulation. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the tissues.

Consume the necessary nutrients. Bones, like other tissues in the body, require certain nutrients to heal properly. Eating a balanced diet rich in minerals and vitamins can help your fracture heal faster. Focus on fresh produce, whole grains, lean meats, and drink plenty of water and milk.

• Certain minerals like calcium and magnesium are important for bone strength. You'll find plenty of them in dairy products, tofu , beans , broccoli , dried fruits and seeds, sardines , and salmon .
• Avoid eating foods that may slow your healing, such as alcohol, soda, fast food, and foods high in refined sugars.

Consider taking dietary supplements. While it's best to get the necessary nutrients from a well-balanced diet, supplements can help ensure you meet the high nutrient demands of healing bones without adding calories. An increase in calorie intake combined with a lack of physical activity typically leads to weight gain, which isn't desirable for healing bones.

• Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are the minerals found primarily in bones, so you should find a supplement that contains all three. For example, an adult needs 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium per day (depending on age and gender), but you may need a little more because of your fracture; consult a doctor or nutritionist for more information .
• You should also consider other important minerals like zinc, iron, boron, copper, and silicon.
• You should also not forget about vitamins like vitamin D and K. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of mineral salts in the intestines, your skin produces it naturally when you expose it to the sun . Vitamin K binds to calcium in bones and stimulates the formation of collagen which helps them heal.

Undergo rehabilitation

Consult a physical therapist. Once the cast is removed, you will notice that the muscles around the fracture look stunted and weak. If this is the case, you should consider rehabilitation. A physical therapist can show you specific, tailored stretches and strengthening exercises for the muscles in the area of ​​the injury  . You will typically attend physical therapy two to three times a week for four to eight weeks to see a positive impact on the part of your body where the fracture was located. Often, the physical therapist will give you exercises to do at home, and you will likely need to return several times.

• If necessary, the physiotherapist can stimulate, contract and strengthen your weakened muscles using electrotherapy, for example, electrical muscle stimulation.
• Even after the cast or splint is removed, you may need to limit your activities until the bone is strong enough to resume normal activity.

Consult a chiropractor or osteopath. Chiropractors and osteopaths are muscle and bone specialists who focus on restoring normal function and movement to joints, bones, and muscles . Hand manipulation of joints, also sometimes called an adjustment, can be used to loosen or reposition joints that are misaligned or stiff due to the trauma of the fracture. Healthy joints allow bones to move and heal properly.

• During an adjustment, you can often hear a clicking sound, but this has nothing to do with the fracture.
• While sometimes a single adjustment can help you regain full joint mobility, it's more likely that you'll need three to five adjustments before seeing significant results.

ry acupuncture. Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles into specific energy points in the skin and muscles to try to reduce pain and inflammation (which can be helpful in the acute phase of a broken bone) and to stimulate healing. Acupuncture is not generally recommended for healing fractures and should only be considered as a secondary treatment. However, there is anecdotal evidence that suggests this technique may stimulate the healing of many muscle and skeletal injuries. If you can afford it, it's worth a try.

• Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture helps reduce pain and inflammation by allowing the release of numerous substances such as endorphins and serotonin.
• Acupuncture is also said to stimulate the flow of energy, called qi, which may be the key to healing.
• Acupuncture is practiced by many healthcare professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, naturopaths, physical therapists, and massage therapists. Whoever you choose, make sure they have a certificate from a relevant authority.

Advice

• Always keep your doctor's appointments to ensure your bone is healing properly and always let the doctor know if you have any concerns during the healing process.
• Don't smoke , it has been proven that smokers have a harder time healing after fractures.
• Osteoporosis (which makes bones more fragile) increases the risk of fractures in the limbs, pelvis and spine .
• Reduce repetitive movements, as they fatigue muscles and put too much stress on bones, resulting in stress fractures.