Broken Leg

[swittenauer]

My husband broke his leg on 9/29. I was wondering if being a celiac would slow down the healing process due to not absorbing nutrients as well. On the xrays it looks the same as it did when it initially happened. Has anyone heard anything about the healing of bones with celiac?

[Guest Viola]

I'm not sure that it is Celiac related, however it does make sense that some of it would be. A lot of us tend to bleed a lot from lack of vitamin K, which of course slows down the healing of cuts and scrapes. So perhaps it does the same thing to bones.

I do know that Smokers heal very slowly, as much as 50% longer than non-smokers. Don't know if he is a smoker or not.

I do wish him well, and hope things start going right for him quickly.

[swittenauer]

No, he isn't a smoker. I just thought it just had to be related to celiac. Seems to make sense.

[tarnalberry]

If he hasn't been on the diet very long, he may be low in calcium/vit D/magnesium/zinc, and/or he may be having trouble absorbing those nutrients. Is he on a good supplement to help him get calcium and all the other associated nutrients needed for bone growth?

[swittenauer]

He takes a supplement. Maybe I just worry too much.

[tarnalberry]

He takes a supplement.    Maybe I just worry too much.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"A supplement" may or may not have everything he needs - the one the ortho told me to take when I broke my leg certainly didn't. (Most calcium supplements don't have enough magnesium (if any), which is something celiacs, more so than non-celiacs, need for bone formation.)

[chatrbug]

make sure he is not eating any spinach..it causes bones to not heal fast.

we have a lady at church who broke her leg and was ina cast for 19 weeks. shes now in a walking cast.

[kevsmom]

One of the symptoms of Celiac is Osteoporosis. This causes thinning and weakening of the bones. It is true that men are less susceptible to Osteoporosis, but they do get it.

He may want to check with the orthopedic to see is this is what could be causing the slow healing.

[Ursa Major]

When I broke my ankle three years ago, it took much longer than expected to heal, too. I do believe that it is because of malnutrition issues with celiac. Supplementation with especially vitamins K, D, C and with Calcium/Magnesium might help speed up the healing process.

[swittenauer]

He is taking his supplements & hopefully the celiac won't effect the healing process too much. However, how could it not?