How Can I Help My Healing Fracture?
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The Bone Healing Process for Healing Fractures
| Inflammation or Injury Phase Bleeding at the site of the fracture leads to inflammation and the formation of a blood clot. |
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Bone Production Phase Fibrous tissue and cartilage replaces clotted blood, the soft callus then turns into a hard callus |
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Bone Remodeling & Regeneration Phase The bone continues to form and becomes compact returning to its original shape |
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How Can I Help my Healing Fracture?
Nutrition is the Key to Helping Your Fracture Heal
Eating a proper diet during the healing process is vital to ensure a speedy recovery.
Foods to eat which can help your fracture heal otherwise know as bone healing foods:
- Protein is the building block which can help your body grow and repair itself.
- Calcium plays an important role in essential functions such as bone and teeth formation, as well as the healing of broken bones.
- Vitamin C helps to reduce bone loss.
- Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium and can make your bones stronger.
What Foods Should you Avoid?
Foods to avoid which may delay fracture healing:
- Alcohol is associated with low bone mass. It can cause decreased bone formation. It can also slow the healing process of bone.
- Caffeine is linked to lower bone density and higher risk of fracture.
- Soft drinks have phosphorus and can deplete calcium reserves.
- Fast foods are low in nutritional value
- Smoking, chewing tobacco and nicotine patches. These items can create complications and slow the healing process due to a constriction of blood vessels
Avoid smoking during the healing process. Smoking has been proven to delay the healing process of bones.
Doctor going over an X-ray with patient.
Always Listen to your Therapist!
Make sure to follow your therapist’s and doctor’s advice for appropriate exercise with respect to your healing process. If you would like to learn more about other orthopedic conditions, go to our library at JOI.NET. To read an article about wrist fracture healing time, please go to: Wrist Fracture. To schedule an appointment for hand therapy at JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.
Book an Appointment with The Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute Today!
JOI Physicians continue to offer online new patient appointments. This is another option to make it more convenient to make new patient appointments with less phone hold times. Follow the link below to select your JOI MD and schedule online.
New to JOI, you can now schedule your follow up appointments and cancel appointments on the JOI Portal.
To make appointments with JOI Rehab, please call 904-858-7045.
By: Chad Evans, Physical Therapist
