If you’ve ever broken a bone, you know you’ll need to wear a cast for about two months while your bone heals. But have you ever thought about what goes on inside your that cast? Read on to learn how bones heal.
If you’ve ever broken a bone, you know you’ll need to wear a cast for about two months while your bone heals. But have you ever thought about what goes on inside your that cast? Read on to learn how bones heal.
Why Do Bones Break?
Your bones are strong, but they’re also lightweight and somewhat flexible. That is, they have a little bit of give when pressure is applied. But too much pressure or pressure that is applied suddenly will cause bones to break. Fortunately, bones can heal themselves naturally.
Why Do You Wear a Cast?
Casts keep your bone in the correct position as it heals and grows back together. Without a cast, the bone could heal incorrectly and be set an awkward angle which could need to be surgically repaired by an orthopedic surgeon.
How Do Bones Heal?
In the center of a bone is a system of channels that resemble a honeycomb. These channels provide the blood supply bones need to live. Surrounding the channels are the cortex and the periosteum, the very hard outer layer of bone.
When a fracture occurs, the channels are broken which results in a good deal of bleeding. Therefore, blood clots form around the broken area to stop the fractured fragments from bleeding. You body will eliminate tiny pieces of broken bone and fragments from the body.
Next, a spongy material called cartilage fills the gap between the two fractures. Blood vessels begin to regrow between the two sides and “woven bone” appears on the outermost layer of bone. The cartilage is eventually replaced by woven bone and the fractures are eventually united as woven bone continues to grow.
How Long Does it Take?
The location of a broken bone determines how long it takes to heal. Bones in your upper extremities generally take about six weeks to heal. Bones in your legs need around 12 weeks to heal. In some cases, bones can take up to a year to completely heal themselves.
How Do You Know if a Bone Is Broken?
If you trip and fall or hurt yourself playing sports, it can be difficult to determine if your bone is broken or if the tendons sprained. Read how to tell the difference between a wrist sprain and a broken wrist on our blog.
If you think you might have a broken bone, it’s important to get in touch with an orthopedic surgeon who can help your bone heal properly.
Stay On Track With Your Physical Therapy Homework
As few as 35 percent of physical therapy patients maintain their at-home regimens. But that’s not going to help you get better.
Most people fully intend to carry out their homework but time constraints, lack of motivation or simply forgetting cause people to fail to actually do it. For physical therapy to work though, you’ve got to follow through with your at-home exercises.
Homework is actually more important than the exercises you do with your physical therapist. The therapist’s work can only take you so far. Patients must commit themselves to the treatment plan.
Here are some tips to help you stick to your plan.
What is Kinesio Tape and How it Can Help You
If you watched the Olympic games, you probably noticed the brightly colored strips of tape some athletes had stretched across their bodies.
Called kinesiology tape, the tape helps reduce athlete’s pain and improve their performance. But you don’t have to be one of the world’s fastest, strongest or most talented athletes to use it. Anyone can learn to use it to their advantage.
Education: How To Prevent Ankle Scar Tissue
Spraining your ankle is painful and can limit your mobility. How you treat the ankle during the healing process will determine whether you have residual impairment even after the sprain itself has healed. Visiting a physical therapist is a great way to avoid developing ankle scar tissue and to improve your range of motion.
Ways To Keep Bones Healthy
Healthy bones are critical to avoiding injury and maintaining your ability to do the things you love. Keeping your bones healthy becomes even more important as you grow older, as 40 percent of women older than 50 will experience a hip, spine or wrist fracture at some point in the future, according to the Surgeon General’s Office. Consider the following tips to keep your bones healthy and strong.
Inspirational Athletes Who Conquered Arthritis
More than 53 million Americans suffer from some form of arthritis. Professional athletes are no exception. Arthritis is characterized by joint pain, swelling, stiffness and decreased range of motion. Despite this, several prominent athletes have overcome their arthritis symptoms and maintained a competitive edge in professional sports. Read on to read the inspiring stories of athletes who have conquered arthritis.
Tips to Reduce Risk of Arthritis
You may think arthritis is just a part of life that you must endure as you get older. And while there’s no magic bullet that will prevent painful arthritis, you can take steps to reduce your risk and/or delay its onset.
Common Hip Replacement Questions
If you’re having hip replacement surgery, you’ve probably got lots of questions for your orthopedic surgeon. You may have so many questions that you forget to ask something at a pre-op appointment.
Fear not. We’ve got you covered with answers to common hip replacement questions. If the answer to your question isn’t listed, contact one of our trusted surgeons to help.
Education: Common Knee Replacement Questions
If you’re considering knee replacement surgery, you probably have some questions about the procedure. Read below to see if we have addressed your concerns. If not, please contact one of our trusted orthopedic surgeons.
Education: Benefits of Acupuncture
If you have a sports-related injury, you’re probably aware that working with a physical therapist is a great way to rehab and return to the field. But did you know acupuncture actually complements physical therapy nicely?
The benefits of acupuncture for athletes are many. Acupuncture can improve your physical performance, reduce the negative effects of overtraining and prevent future injuries. It can also:
- Reduce pain and inflammation
- Promote circulation to injured tissues
- Promote balance among all your body’s systems
Acupuncture is an effective treatment for injuries and conditions such as: (more…)
