Bone healing is a natural process.
Sometimes bone healing is needed when people requiresurgical procedures to fuse bonestogether.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Sometimes, however, bone healing does not occur without problems.
Verywell / Laura Porter
How Bone Stimulators Work
Bone stimulators come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and technologies.
The most commonly used bone stimulators in orthopedics are electrical stimulators and ultrasound stimulators.
The stimulator emits a pulsed electromagnetic or ultrasonic impulse to the area where bone healing should occur.
Essentially, the bone stimulator activates a pathway that releases chemicals within the body.
These chemicals are signals inside of your body to progress fracture healing.
Companies that market and sell bone stimulators are eager to promote these differences, and they can sound dramatic.
That said, there does seem to be a role for a bone stimulator in the right setting.
When Are They Necessary?
Bone stimulators are currently not necessary for routine fracture healing.
These injuries may include:
In addition to bone stimulators, there are other proven ways toaccelerate fracture healing.
Some of these are common sense, but their importance during times of healing cannot be overstated.
It is critically important to avoid smoking tobacco, eat a healthy diet, and ensure adequate nutritional intake.
These steps are best taken long before worrying about a bone stimulator.
A Word From Verywell
Bone healing typically proceeds without much problem.
In these situations, there may be steps to help stimulate the body to heal bone.
In these situations, wearing a bone growth stimulator may help accelerate fracture healing.
Childs SG.Stimulators of bone healing.
Biologic and biomechanical.Orthop Nurs.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
2011 Apr 13;(4):CD008471.
