- Take multivitamins – Dr. Grunkemeyer recommends that his fracture patients take multivitamins to obtain the minerals, such as calcium, that the body requires to repair bone.
- Eat well – A healthy, balanced diet is always a good idea, but even more so during recovery from a break. "You are asking the body to generate the energy required to build back a broken bone, so good nutrition is crucial," Dr. Grunkemeyer says.
- Don't smoke – Again, this is something most healthcare professionals recommend anyway, but if you smoke during recovery from a fracture, it can slow your healing. The nicotine clamps down on the tiny blood vessels that deliver blood to the fracture site and promote healing. Studies have shown that ceasing nicotine intake accelerates healing. And, just maybe, this could be the incentive you need to quit smoking permanently.
- Consider surgical repair – Whether or not a fracture requires surgery depends on the degree to which the bone pieces are separated. Also, if you break one of the body's large, weight-bearing bones, such as your femur, you'll likely need placement of a rod to support the bone. Fractures that involve a joint often require surgical repair, too.
- Give yourself time to recover – Surgical repair of a fracture usually results in a full return to normal life, but just as when you have a severe cut to your skin, there is always an internal scar with a break.
- Get moving – You might think remaining sedentary after a fracture would help the healing, but nothing could be further from the truth. Start moving as quickly as your doctor deems safe – sometimes that's right away, sometimes that could be six-to-eight weeks.
Whether you've recently suffered a fracture, or you are looking for recovery from an injury, be sure to contact Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers and set an appointment with Dr. Grunkemeyer. Visit OrthoCincy.com or call (513) 221-BONE [2663].
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