I got an fracture. How much time it take to heal. I want to know it as soon as possible.

Question

Hello lybrate user, healing of a fracture depends on the many things. Firstly, on the bone which is fractured. Large bones of the arm, forearm, thigh and leg usually take 6 weeks or more to heal. Smaller bones of the hand and the foot usually take 3 to 4 weeks to heal. Secondly, the region of fracture in a particular bone. End of bones are highly vascular and heal much faster than the middle part fractures. Thirdly, type of fracture. Simple fractures tend to heal faster than a fracture with many bony fragments which we call communition. Also the gap at the fracture site. More the gap, more delayed is the healing fourthly, the type of intervention which is used. Fractures require rigid immobilization to prevent any motion at the fracture site. Any motion at the fracture site can lead to delayed healing. This rigid immobilization can be provided by use plasters, splints or through surgery and fixation with metallic implants. The better the stability, faster is the healing. Lastly, it also depends on the patient's general health and nutrition. The most important factor is the management. I would suggest, you consult a qualified orthopaedic surgeon for the best management. But, in general a fracture would take anywhere between 3 weeks to 3 months to heal depending on all the factors. But any problem at the fracture site would delay it further. Hope this helps.

Prateek Patil · Accepted Answer

Hello lybrate user, healing of a fracture depends on the many things. Firstly, on the bone which is fractured. Large bones of the arm, forearm, thigh and leg usually take 6 weeks or more to heal. Smaller bones of the hand and the foot usually take 3 to 4 weeks to heal. Secondly, the region of fracture in a particular bone. End of bones are highly vascular and heal much faster than the middle part fractures. Thirdly, type of fracture. Simple fractures tend to heal faster than a fracture with many bony fragments which we call communition. Also the gap at the fracture site. More the gap, more delayed is the healing fourthly, the type of intervention which is used. Fractures require rigid immobilization to prevent any motion at the fracture site. Any motion at the fracture site can lead to delayed healing. This rigid immobilization can be provided by use plasters, splints or through surgery and fixation with metallic implants. The better the stability, faster is the healing. Lastly, it also depends on the patient's general health and nutrition. The most important factor is the management. I would suggest, you consult a qualified orthopaedic surgeon for the best management. But, in general a fracture would take anywhere between 3 weeks to 3 months to heal depending on all the factors. But any problem at the fracture site would delay it further. Hope this helps.