Don't let yourself "fall apart"! Revealing the secret of bone strength

Substances needed for fractures

After bone damage, you need to immediately begin saturating the body with useful substances. Bone cells begin to grow together on the second day after injury, and from this time onwards they need an increased amount of certain compounds. During the rehabilitation period after a fracture, a person should consume the following vitamins and minerals:

• calcium is the most important macronutrient;
• ascorbic acid (C);
• calciferol (D);
• group of vitamins B;
• phylloquinone (K);
• zinc;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium.

All of the above substances are found in abundance in food, so it is not necessary to buy vitamin and mineral supplements with a complete diet.

Introduction

Calcium is an important macronutrient involved in various physiological processes.
Calcium accounts for up to 9% of total body weight. The main part of calcium is deposited in bones (99%), a small amount is deposited in teeth and soft tissues (1%), in intercellular fluid and plasma (0.08%) [1–5]. In blood plasma, calcium circulates in a free form and bound to albumin and chelate compounds. The indicated fractions collectively reflect the content of total calcium in the blood. Free calcium makes up approximately 50% of the total plasma calcium concentration and is a biologically active form involved in the physiological processes of neuromuscular conduction and blood coagulation. The concentration of total and free calcium is in a narrow range - 2.2–2.6 mmol/L and 1–1.2 mmol/L, respectively [1–7].

What substances are needed depending on the nature of the fracture?

When prescribing vitamins to a patient, doctors are guided by the age of the victim and the nature of the bone damage. It is mandatory to take substances that stimulate the process of bone tissue healing and prevent inflammation.

1. If the fracture provokes an inflammatory reaction, then vitamin C is prescribed.
2. A child with a bone injury needs vitamin D.
3. The old man needs group B compounds, calcium and magnesium. It is also advisable to take phylloquinone and vitamin C.
4. A person who has broken ribs is often prescribed fish oil.
5. Fractures of various parts of the spinal column require collagen. In this case, the use of gelatin is recommended.
6. If the jaw bones are damaged, you cannot do without taking calciferol and tocopherol. These substances together accelerate the restoration of damaged tissues and have an antioxidant effect.
7. If a leg, arm, or fingers are broken, it is advisable to take vitamin A. This substance accelerates the regeneration of difficult-to-grow and small parts of the skeleton.

What vitamins each specific patient needs is decided only by a medical specialist. One patient lacks minerals due to brittle bones, and another patient with slow bone healing needs pyridoxine, folic acid, pantothenic acid and ascorbic acid.

When taking vitamin preparations, you should adhere to the recommended dosage. You cannot exceed the daily dose: this will not speed up bone recovery, but will only cause hypervitaminosis. It is also unacceptable to exceed the rate. From the beginning to the end of the course, the dosage is gradually reduced.

Therapeutic exercise and gymnastics

Exercise therapy is prescribed by a traumatologist or orthopedist to restore the functions of the spine after a fracture or injury. If the injury is relatively mild, without rupture of cartilage, damage to joints or spinal cord, then therapeutic exercises are prescribed a week after the start of treatment. If there is a complication following an injury, the patient must first be stabilized, reduce the risk of further injury from the exercises, and then begin physical therapy. Typically, the recovery time for the patient’s normal condition in this case takes up to 1 month.

Rehabilitation with the help of exercise therapy takes place in several stages. At the first stage, which lasts up to one and a half weeks, the emphasis is on performing breathing exercises to restore normal activity of the heart and blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract organs, respiratory system, as well as increasing muscle tone. All exercises should be performed smoothly and measuredly, and excessive stress should not be placed on the back. The patient's position when doing therapeutic exercises is exclusively supine; the total duration of the set of exercises should not exceed 15 minutes.

At the second stage (before the end of the first month of rehabilitation), emphasis is placed on performing exercises that stimulate the regeneration of damaged bones and tissues, restoration of normal functioning of internal organs, and expansion of muscle activity. The duration of the exercises increases to 20 minutes. It is allowed to partially use the limbs and roll over onto the stomach.

At the third stage (lasting a month or more), exercises are performed using partial load on the back. The duration of one lesson is 30 minutes. The exercises are performed while kneeling.

At the fourth and final stage, discharge from the hospital occurs, but exercise therapy classes do not end yet. Their duration increases to 50 minutes. In this case, the patient wears a special corset. Sitting is not allowed.

Vitamin and mineral preparations for fractures

Vitamin and mineral complexes are not drugs, but biologically active agents that help strengthen skeletal tissue and accelerate the regeneration of damaged bone areas. Below is a list of drugs recommended by traumatologists.

1. Vitrum Osteomag. Based on vitamin D, calcium and magnesium. Helps make skeletal tissue stronger.
2. Collagen Ultra. Vitamin-mineral complex with calcium, biotin, vitamins A and C. Active components help fractures of legs and arms heal faster and bone callus forms correctly. The drug can be taken as a prophylactic to reduce the likelihood of possible fractures.
3. Calcemin. Eliminates calcium deficiency in the body. The composition contains vitamin D, which promotes better absorption of the mineral. Calciferol is also involved in the construction of collagen fibers.
4. Calcium-D3 Nycomed. Vitamin and mineral complex based on calcium and calciferol. Prescribed to compensate for calcium deficiency.
5. Osteo Sanum. A complex preparation based on calciferol, B vitamins, calcium and mumiyo extract. Drinking the drug is indicated to accelerate the healing of a broken bone. The complex helps to speed up recovery.
6. Joy NT. The drug, sold in capsule form, is based on bamboo extract, glucosamine, chondroitin, methylsulfonylmethane. The active ingredients increase bone strength, extinguish inflammation, and relieve pain from injuries.

Nutrient-Rich Foods

The diet after a bone fracture should be rich in foods rich in certain beneficial substances. The affected person should eat small meals 5 to 6 times a day. Below is an indication of which foods contain vitamins and minerals necessary for the healing of bone tissue.

1. Calcium. The most important macronutrient for bones, their proper and rapid fusion. A lack of substance provokes thinning of the skeleton and increased bone fragility, which increases the risk of fractures. To compensate for calcium deficiency, milk and all dairy and fermented milk products should be included in the menu. A good source of calcium and collagen, which strengthens joint tissue, is jellied meat prepared using tubular bones.
2. Ascorbic acid. Strengthens vascular walls, makes bone structures denser, supports bone mineralization, and participates in the construction of collagen fibers. Rich sources of the vitamin are citrus fruits, black currants, bell peppers, sea buckthorn, rosehip tea, and fresh herbs. All plant products contain ascorbic acid in varying quantities.
3. Calciferol. Ensures complete absorption of minerals in the digestive tract, fixes calcium in bone fibers. With a lack of vitamin, the supply of calcium to skeletal tissues is reduced by up to 10%. Calciferol is synthesized in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, so in the summer, to obtain a sufficient amount of the substance, it is enough to walk in the sun. And in winter, to saturate the body with vitamins, you need to eat certain foods: fish and seafood, dairy products, eggs, butter.
4. Group B. Pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9) and cobalamin (B12) are especially important for bone healing without complications. Legumes, sea fish, brewer's yeast, cereals, and herbs are rich in group B compounds. The source of these vitamins is high-quality beer, but if bones are damaged, drinking alcoholic beverages is undesirable, since the regeneration of bone fibers slows down.
5. Phylloquinone. Necessary for normalizing the process of hematopoiesis, which is important for the complete restoration of bone tissue. Without the vitamin, the healing process of damaged bones slows down. Phylloquinone is independently synthesized in a healthy intestine, but after an injury it does not hurt to include foods rich in the substance in the menu: legumes, meat, seafood.
6. Zinc. Accelerates the growth of skeletal cells, causing bone to regenerate faster. The microelement is found in abundance in nuts and seeds, bran baked goods, and meat.
7. Phosphorus. Strengthens bone tissue and prevents new skeletal damage. Sources of microelements include sea fish, seafood, and kelp.
8. Magnesium. Accelerates the healing of the injured bone area. It also normalizes the state of the nervous system and eliminates the effects of stress, which is important after an injury. To get enough magnesium, you should eat nuts and seeds, cereals, legumes, dairy products, and bananas.

The importance of calcium for bone tissue

Calcium is the main component of the mineral matrix, which makes up more than half of bone mass and provides complete skeletal structure. It is known that the skeletal system is constantly renewed (remodeled). During bone remodeling, calcium plays a key role in ensuring adequate ossification of the protein matrix. According to some authors, calcium activates calcitriol and growth factors, enhances the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, and reduces the rate of bone resorption. To maintain osteoid mineralization, a constant stable concentration of the mineral in plasma is required [2, 9].

Bone remodeling processes occur most actively in children and adolescents and are accompanied by an increased need for calcium. The formation of peak bone mass before 15–17 years of age determines bone strength in the future. At the same time, about 40% of Russian children without somatic pathology affecting phosphorus-calcium metabolism have reduced bone mineral density (BMD), and 11% of adolescents have osteoporosis. According to a number of authors, in 45% of cases of fractures of long bones in childhood, a decrease in BMD is diagnosed, and osteoporosis is verified in 7% of those examined. With scoliosis, a decrease in BMD is detected in 12% of children, and with severe curvature of the spine - in 70% [1–9].

One of the leading causes of imbalance in bone remodeling and decreased BMD in childhood is a nutritional deficiency of calcium and/or vitamin D against the background of rapid growth. It has been established that the physiological need for calcium can be met by daily consumption of at least 3 different dairy products and additional intake of fish twice a week. However, only half of Russian children receive dairy products daily, while their daily calcium intake is 50–60% less than the recommended norm and averages 400–800 mg. Approximately 60% of children and adolescents consume fish dishes less than 2 times a week [5–8]. An additional cause of dietary calcium deficiency is the consumption of foods that interfere with the absorption of this mineral in the intestines. Insufficient calcium in the diet causes the development of latent hypocalcemia, which leads to a compensatory increase in the secretion of parathyroid hormone, activation of osteoclasts and mobilization of calcium from bone depots into the bloodstream [8–10].

Products prohibited for consumption

In order for the bone healing process to proceed normally, the following foods must be excluded from the diet:

• coffee and strong tea;
• sweet carbonated drinks;
• alcohol;
• chocolate desserts;
• fatty and fried foods;
• sweet pastries.

The listed products impair metabolism, which is why beneficial substances cannot be fully absorbed and enter the bone tissue. It is also recommended to give up cigarettes after an injury. Toxic compounds contained in cigarette smoke interfere with the synthesis of substances that increase skeletal strength.

Should you take vitamin E?

Tocopherol is useful for both an adult and a child after a fracture. The vitamin is especially important for older women and men who have an increased risk of skeletal damage.

Previously, medical experts believed that vitamin E ensures the proper construction of bone tissue. But, according to recent scientific research, tocopherol accelerates the synthesis not of osteoblasts - young bone cells, but of osteoclasts - mature cells, from which a thinner and more fragile bone structure is built, characteristic of an old body.

Therefore, doctors do not recommend taking pharmaceutical tocopherol preparations for fractures. For the normal functioning of the body, the amount of vitamin that comes with food is sufficient.

Content

• Should I take calcium if I have a fracture?
• Calcium preparations for bone fractures
• What calcium supplements are best to take for bone fractures?
• Prevention of fractures

A fracture occurs when the pressure on a bone exceeds its load-bearing capacity.
There are conditions that weaken the bone (such as osteoporosis), and then a minimal impact is enough to cause a fracture. Among all injuries, bone fractures account for about 21.5%1. Healing of fractures is a critical physiological process that requires significant effort from the body. Improper fusion leads to severe dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system and deterioration in the quality of life. Rehabilitation after fractures takes from 5-6 weeks to a year or more. To speed up recovery, the body must receive a sufficient amount of calcium, which forms the basis of bone tissue in the form of hydroxyapatite.