How long does it take for a comminuted fracture to heal?

  A comminuted fracture is a separation and misalignment of three or more pieces of bone caused by trauma. A comminuted fracture takes a relatively long time to heal.  A comminuted fracture heals in three phases: Phase I: Swelling reduction, which usually takes 2-3 weeks, should be done with passive or active muscle activity to prevent muscle atrophy or adhesions, regardless of whether the fracture is treated conservatively or surgically.  Phase II: the period of bone scab formation, which is the process of fracture healing, takes about 4-8 weeks. Some simple functional exercises can be performed in this phase under the guidance of a rehabilitation physician.  Phase III: Stabilization period, this period requires resting and increasing functional activities of the limbs to prevent osteoporosis and muscle atrophy.  Throughout the treatment process, it can be combined with some other therapeutic measures, such as fumigation with Chinese herbs, which also helps to reduce swelling and pain, and infrared physical therapy. During the treatment process, attention should also be paid to observe whether there are any other complications, such as any nerve damage, any damage to blood vessels, and other conditions. If there is vascular or nerve damage, the fracture recovery time will be prolonged.  There are individual differences in the healing of fracture, and it is also related to nutrition and other factors, so it is also necessary to increase nutrition during the treatment process, eat fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins, and avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs that affect the healing of fracture.