Broken bones have an amazing ability to heal, especially in children. New bone forms within a few weeks of the injury, although full healing can take longer. What Happens as Broken Bones Heal? There are three stages of bone healing: the inflammatory, reparative, and remodeling stages. The Inflammatory Stage When a bone breaks, the body sends out signals for special cells to come to the injured area. Some of these special cells cause the injured area to become inflamed (red, swollen, and painful). This tells the body to stop using the injured part so it can heal. Other cells that come to the area during this stage form a hematoma (blood clot) around the broken bone. This is the first bridge between the pieces of the broken bone. The Reparative Stage The reparative stage starts within about a week of the injury. A soft callus (a type of soft bone) replaces the blood clot that formed in the inflammatory stage. The callus holds the bone together, but isn't strong enough for the body part to be used. Over the next few weeks, the soft callus becomes harder. By about 2–6 weeks, this hard callus is strong enough for the body part to be used. The Remodeling Stage The remodeling stage starts around 6 weeks after the injury. In this stage, regular bone replaces the hard callus. If you saw an X-ray of the healing bone, it would look uneven. But over the next few months, the bone is reshaped so that it goes back to looking the way it did before the injury. How Do Casts and Splints Help Broken Bones Heal? Casts and splints can hold broken bones in place while they heal. New hard bone forms in about 3–6 weeks, and the cast or splint usually can come off. What Can Affect Bone Healing? A bone might not heal as well if someone: has a severe break has damage to the muscles, skin, and nerves in the area of the broken bone has a vitamin deficiency has a medical condition such as osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, diabetes, or anemia takes certain medicines (such as corticosteroids) drinks alcohol smokes cigarettes How Can I Help My Child? To help your child recover from a broken bone, make sure that he or she: eats a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D takes good care of the cast or splint follows the health care provider's directions for rest and/or doing any exercises goes to all follow-up appointments Looking Ahead A broken bone is a common, treatable childhood injury. Most breaks heal well, and kids can get back to all the activities they enjoyed before the injury. Back to Articles Related Articles Broken Bones Many kids will have a broken bone at some point. Here's what to expect. Read More First Aid: Broken Bones A broken bone needs emergency medical care. Here's what to do if you think your child just broke a bone. Read More Casts Casts keep bones and other tissues in place while they heal. Here's what to expect, and how to care for casts. Read More Broken Collarbone (Clavicle Fracture) Learn about broken collarbones (or clavicle fractures), a common sports injury in kids. Read More Broken Bones Bones are tough stuff - but even tough stuff can break. Find out what happens when a bone fractures. Read More Broken Bones What happens when you break a bone? Read More Casts This article for teens has tips on taking care of a cast so it keeps working as it should. Read More Broken Collarbone (Clavicle Fracture) A broken collarbone is one of the most common types of broken bones. Find out how it can happen - and how to treat and avoid fractures. Read More Casts Some injuries will heal best if a cast is used. Find out how they work and how to take care of them in this article for kids. Read More What to Expect When Your Cast Comes Off You probably can't wait to get back to your normal activities, but it takes a while for a limb that's been in a cast to finish healing. Here's what to expect. Read More Strains and Sprains Sprains and strains are common injuries, especially for people who play hard or are into sports. Find out what they are and how to recuperate from one. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.