How long does a tibia fracture take to heal in adults?

Recovery. Most tibial shaft fractures take 4 to 6 months to heal completely. Some take even longer, especially if the fracture was open or broken into several pieces or if the patients uses tobacco products.

How do you care for a patient with a fracture?

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  1. Stop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth or a clean piece of clothing.
  2. Immobilize the injured area. Don’t try to realign the bone or push a bone that’s sticking out back in.
  3. Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain.
  4. Treat for shock.

What do you do when an elderly person breaks a bone?

Even if you do break a bone, remember that plenty of older adults do make a full recovery and get back to their normal lives. Take quick action. Some fractures are emergencies — including skull, neck, back, hip, pelvis and upper leg fractures — and warrant a call to 911.

Do bones take longer to heal in the elderly?

The number of stem cells in our bone marrow declines as we age, which takes fractures longer to heal. Bone fracture healing requires adequate vascularization, which is the formation of blood vessels, of the tissue. Age hinders fracture healing by inhibiting vascularization at bone healing sites.

When can I start walking after tibia fracture?

The length of time you need to wear a cast for a broken tibia depends on how severe your injury is, but it will likely be at least six weeks. Your doctor will probably prescribe use of a walking boot for a few additional weeks. The boot will support your leg as you slowly start to bear weight again.

What are my nursing responsibilities in caring for patient with fractures?

Nursing care of a patient with fracture include: The nurse should instruct the patient regarding proper methods to control edema and pain. It is important to teach exercises to maintain the health of the unaffected muscles and to increase the strength of muscles needed for transferring and for using assistive devices.

What is the most common fracture in the elderly?

The most common fractures in older adults are vertebral fracture from compression or trauma, followed by hip and distal radius fractures.

Why do elderly bones break more easily?

As you age, your body may reabsorb calcium and phosphate from your bones instead of keeping these minerals in your bones. This makes your bones weaker. When this process reaches a certain stage, it is called osteoporosis. Many times, a person will fracture a bone before they even know they have bone loss.

When can I start walking after broken tibia?

If you had surgery for your tibial plateau fracture, you can put a little bit of weight on the leg after 6 weeks with the goal of walking normally by the 10th week. If you did not have surgery for your tibial plateau fracture, you can start walking safely with a knee brace in 4-6 weeks.