Mechanism of accelerated bone fracture healing

Electrical stimulation is generally though of as enhancing bone repair. However, the effects of these fields are, in part, determined by their are three methods in use for bone fracture repair. One is electrostimulation due to direct current, second is inductive coupling and finally capacitively coupling a radiofrequency field at the fracture site using a set of parallel plates. Low-frequency fields have been used for bone loss and to maintain bone mass in models of bone resorption by decreasing osteoclastic bone removal. Studies of the effects of these fields upon osteoclasts in vitro have shown a decrease in both osteoclastic differentiation and lysosomal enzyme content. Finally these fields have been shown to interfere with parathyroid hormone receptors.