It takes more than 4000 newtons of force to break the femur, which is the strongest bone
in your body.
That’s close to 400 Kgs of weight.
So with that in mind it’s easy to understand the enormous amount of pressure your bones
can withstand.
Apply more pressure than that though, and you end up breaking a bone.
If you’ve gone through this then you know how painful it can be.
But did you ever wonder how exactly a bone heals and regains it’s strength?
Today bestie is here to tell you about the way bone fractures are treated and the science
behind the 3 stages of the bone healing process.
To help you heal faster in case of a fracture, we’ll give you some healthy tips too.
So grab your helmet as we take you on this ride.
Safety first!
We don’t want you to end up with any broken bones.
Medically termed as a fracture, a bone break can be complete or partial.
Whether it needs surgery a metal plate or just a brace for healing all depends on how
bad the break is.
The bone should heal in a way that stays true to its natural anatomy.
A bone that heals in an unusual position will likely have to be broken again, which doesn’t
sound like a picnic.
Not to mention if it heals incorrectly, it can lead to abnormal bleeding, clotting, infection,
muscle damage and swelling around the affected area.
Some bones such as your thigh bone can take longer to heal.
They might experience fat embolism too which is when fat globules are released into the
bloodstream and end up where they shouldn't.
Not something you want to happen, that’s for sure.
So, it is extremely important to consult a doctor in case of a . fractureSitting at home
and self- medicating can cause irreversible damage or something much worse, so avoiding
the doctor is a no no.
When you do talk to a doctor, depending on the location and how bad the fracture is,
you will be recommended a specific treatment.
If you just have a minor fracture, like a hairline one, that can heal on its own, you’ll
likely be given a traditional cast like the ones all the kids used to sign in school.
A fibreglass cast or plaster one makes the broken bone immobile and is the usual treatment
for fractures of the , arm, leg and wrist bones.
If absolute immobility isn’t required, a doctor can also put you in a functional cast,
or brace.
This one gives you limited and controlled movement.
Usually you’ll be first given a traditional plaster cast and then a brace.
This way you step up from absolutely no movement to a little movement gradually.
In case you’ve had a serious accident that left you with a more complicated or serious
break, the doctors will perform a special surgery known as a reduction.
In this procedure, they will expose and reposition your bone so it can heal properly.
The open reduction also uses tools or fixations like metal rods and special screws.
So basically you’ll become part robot.
Now that the broken bone is set in place, the healing can begin.
It happens in 3 crucial stages.
Stage 1: The inflammatory phase
The first stage of healing starts immediately after you break a bone.
It is also called Hematoma formation.
48 hours after the fracture, the blood is released by vessels around the affected area.
Eventually, this blood forms a hematoma which leads to the disruption of blood supply to
the bone.
Without blood, bone cells around the fracture die.
This goes on for about 1 week before the next stage of healing starts.
Stage 2: The Repairing phase
As the name suggests this is the phase where actual bone repair happens.
It lasts for about 2 to 3 weeks after the fracture and is the time when the body first
develops tissue and cartilage around the break.
If the bone is broken completely, a soft tissue collar starts forming on both ends of the
broken bone.
This growth will continue until there’s a bridge formed between the two broken ends.
Kinda neat huh?
This bridge is called callus and it helps in stabilizing the broken ends.
As time passes, this tissue callus will be replaced by a bony callus made up of spongy
bone.
This newly formed bony callus will be called trabecular bone and once this happens, the
final stage of the healing process starts.
Stage 3: Bone Remodeling
The third and final phase of bone repair replaces the spongy callus we just talked about with
a hard, solid bone.
Unfortunately, this takes a long time to happen, and can go on for several months.
The compaction of newly formed bone continues until it returns to its original state.
Blood circulation will continue to improve as you regain the use of the limb that was
broken with everyday weight and activity.
It typically takes around 6 to 8 weeks for these 3 steps to be completed.
Normally you’ll be able to do regular activities and stop feeling any pain much before that.
Though the healing time is different for everyone and depends on the type of fracture.
No matter how simple the healing process sounds, many things can slow it down.
Weightbearing too soon can break immature bone fragments, so when they doctor tells
you to take it easy, it’s best to listen to their advice.
You should try and avoid smoking too, as it can constrict blood circulation to the affected
area.
Also, medical conditions like diabetes or certain medications can slow down the healing
process as well.
Make sure you check with your doctor as everyone is different.
To help you heal faster alongside your treatment, we have a few healthy tips for you.
You can boost your bone healing by giving it what it needs the most, protein.
Protein deficiency can make callus formed around the fracture rubbery instead of solid.
The bone’s major component is protein so make sure you get lots of it in your diet
from food or supplements.
Certain antioxidants can prevent tissue damage during the healing, by removing free radicals
from your body.
So make foods like berries, kale, spinach and dark chocolate a part of your diet.
They are filled with those amazing antioxidants your body needs.
Apart from protein, bones also require minerals.
Calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus and zinc, all are crucial for bone repair.
So turn to foods like salmon, potatoes, and egg yolks to take care of your mineral needs.
These minerals specifically help the formation of callus and will help speed up the healing
process.
Now, you might have the raw material for bone formation in the form of protein and minerals
but most body interactions need vitamins.
This is why multivitamin supplements are recommended for stronger bones because bone rebuilding
needs them.
Vitamin B is essential for energy production and similarly, other vitamins like C, K, D
and E play a significant role in accelerating the bone rebuilding.
So your meals should include foods like broccoli, squash, citrus fruits and carrots as they
are rich in vitamins.
Apart from these foods you can also go for herbal supplements.
However we recommend you talk to your doctor before taking them alongside your regular
medicine.
Soon, you’ll need to get moving again, once you’ve been given the okay, physiotherapy
can be really helpful in certain cases.
Exercise improves blood flow to the site of injury and proper exercising can help the
patient regain the limb function too.
This part can be a bit uncomfortable but it’s a necessary part of the healing process.
Whichever way you end up breaking a bone, be mindful about the amount of pressure you
are putting on it.
Immobilization is the most important part of healing.
So don’t go jumping around until your doctor allows you to.
The main focus should be to take it slow and give the body the time it needs to heal.
Have you ever broken a bone?
How many have you broken?
Let us know in the comment section below.