Learn how to speed the bone fracture healing time simply and naturally

A bone fracture can be a defining moment in a womans life the break itself is an isolated incident, while the healing process can take weeks, months, or even years depending on the injury. After youve fractured a bone, all your systems are called upon to repair the injury. Cells and tissues proliferate, hormones are released, antioxidants and amino acids are brought into play, and all this happens while the body carries out its usual everyday duties. Needless to say, it takes a lot of energy and sometimes a lot of time to heal a fracture. Very few of us who have broken bones have been told we can make our bones heal faster at most, the advice were given is to limit the use of the injured bone or limb (not easy to do if the fracture is in your spine!). Women are always surprised when I tell them that there are a number of natural methods they can use to reduce their healing time and get back on the move sooner rather than later. The human body is amazing in its ability to heal itself. Taking a closer look at how our bodies heal bone reveals excellent opportunities to support that process naturally. You can make a significant difference in your recovery time and at the same time, in your overall health by working with nature. Lets take a look at five simple steps you can take to speed bone fracture healing.

1 Add a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement

70% mineral content calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, zinc, and others. Fracture healing requires a robust, readily bioavailable supply of all these minerals to be drawn to the site. Many of us under-consume minerals on an everyday basis, and when an unfortunate fracture occurs, the body must rob Peter to pay Paul. (Check the table of 20 key bone nutrients to evaluate your personal mineral intake.) Specific key minerals that enhance fracture healing include the following:

Zinc Copper Calcium Phosphorus Silicon

While protein and minerals serve as the building blocks for bone healing, vitamins are the catalysts for myriad biochemical reactions that are equally important. In fracture healing, we can clearly identify vitamins like C, D, and K as integral to laying down minerals in new bone.

Find a high-quality supplement like the one we offer in our Personal Program for Better Bones, that can add to this much-needed vitamin and mineral support. A 2006 Swedish study found that hip fracture patients given complex multinutrient supplementation had only a 15% rate of complications, as compared to a 70% complications rate among the non-supplemented group.

#2 Check your protein intake

Nearly half of your bone is comprised of protein. When a fracture occurs, the body is called upon to gather together all the protein building-blocks needed to synthesize new structural bone protein matrix. Following fracture, adding even modest extra protein to the diet can help reduce complications, shorten the healing phase, and minimize further bone loss in the area as the fracture heals by as much as half. To keep up with the demands of your healing bone, add more plant-based protein to your diet. Including more foods like soy, lentils, other legumes, almonds, and quinoa will increase your protein intake without creating a more acidic environment in your body the way excess animalbased protein can. Protein supplementation aids healing and bone conservation by increasing insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), a polypeptide hormone that exerts a positive effect on skeletal integrity, muscle strength, immune response, and bone renewal. Protein malnutrition or under-nutrition leads to a rubbery callus, compared to the more structurally sound calluses of those with adequate or high protein intake. Protein is made of amino acids. Specific amino acids of importance include lysine, arginine, proline, glycine, cystine, and glutamine. Lysine, for example, is known to enhance calcium absorption, increase the amount of calcium absorbed into the bone matrix, and aid in the regeneration of tissue.

#3 Increase anti-inflammatory nutrients

Whenever a fracture occurs, the rupturing of the tissues generates a tremendous amount of freeradicals, and these can overwhelm the bodys natural antioxidant defense mechanisms. In such cases, antioxidants including vitamins E and C, lycopene, and alpha-lipoic acid may be of benefit. Studies suggest antioxidants accelerate fracture healing by suppressing the inflammatory and destructive effects of free radicals on whole-body systems. Resolve to eat a cup of berries a day, investigate new recipes that include leafy greens like kale and chard, or add an omega-3 supplement to your diet like the one we offer in our Personal Program for Better Bones. All of these steps will help to offset the increased free-radical production that occurs when a bone is fractured.

#4 Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen

One of the first things we reach for with an injury after the ice, of course is frequently aspirin or ibuprofen. Cells damaged from the trauma of fracture release large amounts of inflammatory prostaglandins at the site of fracture. The ensuing inflammation causes pain, and the natural tendency is to want to block this painful reaction. But certain ways of blocking pain can interfere with your healing. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors) like aspirin and ibuprofen can delay fracture healing. As it turns out, prostaglandin-induced inflammation is an essential component of the fracture healing process, and cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) play important roles in fracture repair. These inflammatory prostaglandins are a natural and essential part of initial tissue repair, and the initial inflammatory immune response is crucial to fracture healing. Aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin, etodolac (Lodine), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), and naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn) are all among the NSAIDs to avoid when healing damaged bone and cartilage. One alternative to help reduce the pain of fracture is acetaminophen (which is found in Tylenol). In severe cases, narcotics such as codeine can be given along with the acetaminophen. Natural pain-relief alternatives. In clinical use at the Center for Better Bones, we have found that the well-studied bioflavonoid, quercetin, used in doses of 23 grams per day, has a synergistic effect with vitamin C, amplifying the pain-relief benefits. These nutrients, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, reduce inflammation without inhibiting the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. Enzymes such as bromelain and trypsin (available in the combination formula called Wobenzym) have also been found helpful in reducing inflammation, edema, and pain in fracture patients.

#5 Exercise
While it makes perfect sense that increasing your nutrient intake would help healing bone, exercise would be unlikely to pop into your mind as a means to accelerate fracture healing. Yet it is. In general, bone tissue responds to patterns of loading by increasing matrix synthesis and by altering matrix composition, organization, and mechanical properties. And there is scientific evidence that the same holds true for bone under repair. Biomechanical stimulation enhances bone fracture repair and regeneration, and is also required to restore the fractured bones structural strength. Fracture healing also requires good circulation and an adequate flow of nutrient-replenishing blood to the fracture site both of which are enhanced by exercise. To avoid stress on the broken bone, exercises that focus on joint loading and range of motion can be employed to accelerate healing and assure return of function post fracture. For example, in the case of a broken forearm, recommended exercises would involve movements of the fingers and hand, as well as the elbow and shoulder joints. Consult a physical therapist about exercise thats best for you.

Healing bone your body knows the way

An unfortunate fall or accident resulting in broken or fractured bone can certainly slow you down, but it can also be a wake-up call in many ways. Support your body with a natural approach that will have you moving again in no time. This approach will work with your bodys built-in mechanisms for healing while also improving your overall bone health. Because your bones serve as a vitamin and mineral reservoir for your body, healthy bones mean better overall health. Theres never been a better time to fall into optimal bone health!
http://www.womentowomen.com/bonehealth/speedbonefracturehealing.aspx

Bone Fracture Healing Explained

How Your Broken Bones Heal

Introduction 1 Broken Bones Explained 2 Inflammation Stage 3 Soft Callus Formation Stage 4 Hard Callus Formation Stage 5 Bone Remodelling Stage

There are over one million fractures (broken bones) each year in the UK alone. Fractures can occur in people of any age, but two groups of people tend to sustain most fractures - the elderly and the childhood age groups. In children a broken forearm is the most common fracture, with boys sustaining fractures more than girls. Teenagers tend to be the most active age group, which increases their risk of injury, and their bones are more prone to breaking following the period of rapid growth during adolescence. In the elderly age group a combination of Osteoporosis (decreased bone density) and increased incidence of falls means that the number of broken bones increases with age. In the older age group women suffer more fractures than men - this is because hormonal changes during the

menopause increase the incidence of Osteoporosis. The most common fractures are the hip and wrist. This guide explains exactly what bone is and the four main stages of bone healing. By understanding bone healing better you can feel more in control of the rehabilitation process and help your fracture to heal.
http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/bone_fracture/2_bone_science.php

Problems That Can Occur During Fracture Healing

Fractures, or broken bones, are common injuries that orthopaedists treat. The healing process is generally the same for all fractures; through a series of stages, new bone forms and fills in the fractured area. If the fracture is severe, problems that slow the healing process can occur. How does a fracture heal? Stage 1: Inflammation Bleeding from the fractured bone and surrounding tissue causes the fractured area to swell. This stage begins the day you fracture the bone and lasts about 2 to 3 weeks. Stage 2: Soft callus Between 2 and 3 weeks after the injury, the pain and swelling will decrease. At this point, the site of the fracture stiffens and new bone begins to form (see figure). The new bone cannot be seen on x-rays. This stage usually lasts until 4 to 8 weeks after the injury. Stage 3: Hard callus Between 4 and 8 weeks, the new bone begins to bridge the fracture. This bony bridge can be seen on xrays. By 8 to 12 weeks after the injury, new bone has filled the fracture. Stage 4: Bone remodeling Beginning about 8 to 1 2 weeks after the injury, the fracture site remodels itself, correcting any deformities that may remain as a result of the injury. This final stage of fracture healing can last up to several years.

The rate of healing and the ability to remodel a fractured bone vary tremendously for each person and depend on your age, your health, the kind of fracture, and the bone involved. For example, children are able to heal and remodel their fractures much faster than adults. Problems Fractures heal without problems in most people. However, when they occur, fracture problems are almost always a result of a severe injury. Compartment syndrome: Severe swelling after a fracture can put so much pressure on the blood vessels that not enough blood can get to the muscles around the fracture. The decreased blood supply can cause the muscles around the fracture to die, which can lead to long-term disability. Compartment syndrome usually occurs only after a severe injury. Neurovascular injury: Some fractures are so severe that the arteries and nerves around the injury site are damaged. Infection: Open fractures can become infected when the jagged bone ends are exposed to the air where they have torn through the skin. Post-traumatic arthritis: Fractures that extend into the joints (intra-articular fractures) or fractures that cause the bones to meet at an abnormal angle in the joint can cause premature arthritis of a joint. Growth abnormalities: A fracture in the open physis, or growth plate, in a child, can cause many problems. Two of these problems are premature partial or complete closure of the physis. This means that one side of a bone or the whole bone stops growing before it naturally would. If one side of a bone stops growing before the other side, the bone will grow at an abnormal angle. If the whole bone, such as a thigh bone, stops growing prematurely, it will be shorter than the other thigh bone, making one leg shorter than the other. Delayed union: A fracture that takes longer to heal than expected is a delayed union. Nonunion: A fracture that fails to heal in a reasonable amount of time is called a nonunion. Malunion: A fracture that does not heal in a normal alignment is called a malunion. These problems and complications do not often occur. When they do occur, orthopaedists have methods for managing them. Richard Johnston III, M.D. Atlanta, Georgia