Walk on that broken bone!

In the old days, people who had broken a leg or ankle could be in a cast and on crutches for about two months. Nowadays, people begin to walk on broken bones in two weeks. Studies show that complications are no more likely with early weight-bearing than with a long delay. Except in a few complex cases, walking around earlier helps broken bones heal. With inactivity you not only lose muscle mass, you lose bone density. (Lifting weights, for example, increases bone density.)

Bone is living tissue. It heals naturally by making new bone and resorbing damaged cells. In the gap caused by a fracture, a healing tissue called callus forms first, which then turns into bone. The right amount of load or movement is critical to this process. Too little results in no callus; too much prevents the bone from knitting back together.

Some patients don’t have the dexterity and strength to manage partial weight-bearing while using crutches, so they stay in bed. The lack of movement leads to serious problems such as blood clots and weakening of the lungs. One 2005 study found that 9 percent of hip fracture patients died within 30 days of breaking a hip and that 30 percent died within the first year. More recent studies of hip fracture cases suggest that early weight-bearing decreases mortality rates, and doctors have altered their practices. The normal standard of care is now to fix it and let people walk.

I don't have any experience with this. I've never broken a bone (lucky me). I do know, from experience, that within hours of knee replacement surgery, they have you up and walking. Same idea, anyway.

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