Smoking and Healing

All our providers at Direct Orthopedic Care recommend that patients quit smoking to aid in the healing process. Most patients know about the more prominent effects of smoking, including heart disease and lung cancer, but few know about the significant impact of smoking on their bone health.

Countless research findings indicate that the rate of healing, and the effectiveness of healing, is favorable in non-smokers compared to smokers. One study showed that, after arthroscopic shoulder surgery, 95% of non-smokers healed completely, whereas only 68% of smokers healed completely. Additionally, the healing time was 2 months longer in the smoking group. Some of the injuries and surgeries that have been studied based on these outcomes include rotator cuff repairs and tibia fractures. It is also important to note that, even after someone quits smoking, their outcomes are better than a current smoker, but still not as good as someone who has never smoked.

Why does smoking impair healing?

The primary reason why smoking slows healing is because it reduces blood flow. Nicotine constricts blood vessels by 25%. Blood carries nutrients, minerals, and oxygen throughout the body, and because of the constriction caused by nicotine, limited amounts of nutrients are delivered to injured areas. This significantly extends healing times.

Here at Direct Orthopedic Care, we encourage all patients to quit smoking as soon as possible in order to help with the healing process. Whether a patient has received a surgery or is trying to recover after a fracture, they will have better outcomes if they do not smoke.

Preparing to quit?

Sometimes the hardest part about quitting is making the decision to quit. It is important to pick a quit date, and then to ensure you purchase any smoking aids you might need, as well as disposing of all smoking paraphernalia. Another helpful tool is to create a journal focusing on the reasons you want to quit smoking, and to carry it with you in preparation for any urges to smoke. If you have questions about resources to assist in quitting, talk to your primary care provider as soon as possible.