Of the many injuries we are familiar with, a fracture seems to be the most painful. Not only it is excruciatingly painful, but it also takes a long time to heal. A fracture can slow you down, even for basic day-to-day chores. The healing is given ample time to ensure that the bones are correctly aligned. But having said that, waiting for your fracture to heal can be tedious.
The healing of a fracture covers three main stages: Inflammatory, reparative, and remodelling. During the inflammatory stage, special cells assemble in the injured area and cause redness and swelling. This is an indication to the body to stop using the affected area. The first bridge between the broken bones is made here as a blood clot or hematoma.
During the reparative stage, a soft bone or callus takes the position of the blood clot and holds the broken bones together. This soft callus is not strong enough to handle weight and movement. Over the subsequent weeks, the callus becomes stronger and can handle movement.
During the final stage, the normal bone replaces the callus entirely, and over a few weeks, the bone is back to its original condition.
In this article, we will look at the few things we can do to accelerate the speed of recovery.
1. Restricting movement:
The more the movement, the longer it takes for the bones to heal. To heal properly and quickly, the best method is immobilisation. Castes and plasters are the most common ways of giving your bone the support it requires while also restricting any painful movement.
If the fracture is more severe, the doctors might rely on screws, plates, or wires to keep the bone fragments intact. Always remember to consult a doctor in case of pain or discomfort.
2. Improving food habits:
A weak bone can take longer to heal. Vitamins and minerals are vital components of a healthy body. The essential component for bone development is calcium. Include food items such as milk, cheese, and other dairy products that contain high amounts of calcium that your bones require. For your bones to absorb maximum calcium from these food items, your body also needs Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the bones effectively absorb the calcium from various food sources.
Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption. People who indulge in these habits experience slower and more painful healing. Avoid food with high sugar and salt content. Excessive sodium or sugar removes calcium from your body and significantly slows down the repair of broken bones.
3. Physical therapy:
Physiotherapy can work wonders for bone repair. Blood flow is an essential part of bone healing. Therapy under the guidance of a physiotherapist can help you regain strength and a greater range of motion. There are also some exercises that you can occasionally do. This ensures that your muscles and bones do not get stiff over time while in a cast.
4. Post care:
After the cast is taken off, try not to test the broken bone. Do not put a lot of pressure on the bone to ensure if your bone has healed or not. As tempting as it may seem, give your bones time to adapt to the surroundings without having external support.
These are a few valuable tips you can follow if you want a faster recovery of broken bones. All the methods mentioned above are simple practices you can incorporate into your daily routine. Healthy eating habits, regular exercising, and timely body check-up are essential to maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle.
This article is also a reminder for you to do your health insurance policy renewal. Accidents can be expensive, with the medical bills skyrocketing. Hence timely health insurance policy renewal is non-negotiable to avoid stress due to health problems.
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Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.