14 DAY TRIAL // New study tracks down another harmful effect smoking may have on the health of those who take up the bad habit - a research carried out recently by a team of scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that nicotine and cigarette smoke slow down smokers' recovery from joint injuries.
The findings of the study have been published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research and pointed out the fact that cigarette smoke was found to interfere with the healing of joint fractures by hindering the development of mature cartilage cells.
The study has been conducted only in mice so far and involved two groups of rodents - mice in both group had ligament fractures, but those in one group had been exposed to cigarette smoke for 6 days in a month, while mice in the other group formed the control group and weren't exposed to cigarette smoke. Overall results of the research showed that cigarette smoke interferes with the healing of the joint fractures in the early process of the recovery and slows it down.
The team of researchers pointed out in their report that a reduction of smoking in humans, even if temporary, would be very beneficial for speeding up the healing of ligament injuries and fractures: "Clinically, if specific events can be identified, smoking cessation in humans, even temporarily, may improve or speed the healing process after injury and decrease the significant morbidity associated with cigarette smoking during fracture healing."
In conclusion, smokers who suffer accidents and want their joint fractures to be repaired faster should refrain from lighting cigarettes at least for the period of time during which the recovery takes place. This piece of advice was issued by medical experts especially because hip fractures, fracture healing problems and bone infection are more common among smokers than non-smokers.