A broken bone is a fracture and soon after a fracture occurs, the body acts to protect the broken bone, and starts to heal itself by forming a protective blood clot and callus around the fracture. The fracture closes and the callus is absorbed.
All broken bones go through the same healing process. This is true whether a bone has been cut as part of a surgical procedure or fractured through an injury.
When a bone is broken, new bone cells start growing almost immediately on both sides of the break, in order to repair the bone.
When the new bone cells meet, they weave together, like a web. After a few weeks of this cell growth, the new bone material becomes a solid connection between the two broken ends.
A doctor will put a broken bone in a cast as soon as possible to ensure that it will heal properly. The doctor wraps gauze and plaster around the broken part. This keeps the broken bone from moving around, allowing it time to heal.
Bone healing is a complex process. Speed and success differ among individuals.
The time required for bone healing can be affected by many factors, including the type of fracture and the patient’s age, underlying medical conditions, and nutritional status.
Bone generally takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal to a significant degree. In general, children’s bones heal faster than those of adults.
Fracturesare a common injury, but the prognosis depends upon the bone that is broken, the location of the break, whether any complications exist and the underlying medical condition of the individual. Most arm and leg fractures heal well, and the goal is for the person to return to their baseline level of activity.
Content for this question contributed by Julie Hayes, resident of Silver Groove, Kentucky, USA
