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The simple answer to this would be – it varies! To understand this better, we need to know more about bone fractures and bone healing. What is a fracture and why does it happen?Bones are a kind of connective tissue that is reinforced with bone cells and calcium. Bone cells are of four types; osteoclasts, osteocytes, osteoblasts and bone-lining-cells. The body is constantly strengthening and remodeling the bones by creating new bone cells. Certain diseases like bone cancer and osteoporosis can weaken the bones and make them brittle, so such people become more vulnerable to fractures. This is especially true of women who have crossed their menopause and elders with weak bones and lower muscle-mass. Other than this, sporting injuries, vehicle accidents, falls from heights and workplace injuries can also cause bones to break. For that matter, bones are quite strong but when the impacting force is higher than what a bones can bear, the tissues give way, creating a crack, a deep split, a displacement or division of the bone. Blood vessels in the bone at the site of fracture also get ruptured causing bleeding. Types of Bone Fracture
Symptoms of bone fractures
Complications from bone fractureNormally, the human body can heal or repair a bone fracture on its own. However, it’s risky to do so, and a doctor’s intervention is always required, no matter how minor the break. This is because, left on its own, the healing bone may be displaced from its original position or bent. There may be abnormal healing (excessive or lesser bone tissue), loss of function or weakness in that bone. This can be prevented by consulting a qualified orthopedic doctor who will use the right techniques to manipulate or ‘set’ the healing of the bone in the right direction. If fractures are not treated properly, there can be other complications such as:
How are bone fractures treated?
How long does healing take?Normally it takes 6-8 weeks for bones to heal completely in other parts of the body. When it comes to large or heavy bones like the femur (thigh-bone) and tibia (shin-bone), it could take as long as 20 weeks (5 months). Age, general health and overall bone health also affect the healing time. Bone healing goes through 3 phases:
What can be done to speed up healing?
Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care. Chennai – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801 Can a tibia heal in 4 weeks?What is the recovery process for a tibia fracture? Recovery time for a tibia fracture typically takes 4-6 months to heal completely. If the fracture is open or comminuted, healing time may take longer. Your doctor will often prescribe medications for pain-relief for a short period of time after the injury or surgery.
How fast does a broken tibia heal?Recovery from a tibia-fibula fracture typically takes about three to six months.
How long till you can walk after broken tibia?Any time a bone is broken we have to remove pressure on that bone to allow it to heal. This contributes to the prolonged healing time and requires a period of about 6 weeks where no weight is put on that leg. Depending on the severity of the break and the complexity of the surgery that time could be even longer.
Does a fracture hurt after 4 weeks?Your Recovery
Your doctor fixed a broken (fractured) bone without surgery. You can expect the pain from the bone to get much better almost right after the procedure. But you may have some pain for 2 to 3 weeks and mild pain for up to 6 weeks after surgery.
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