Depending on the severity of the injury, it may take up to five months for a broken ankle to heal. But why? In this article, the Tennant Institute in Irving, TX, examines the factors that impact the healing process and why it may take up to five months for a broken ankle to heal. We’ll also discuss how our unique treatment approach accelerates recovery and reduces complications by supporting your body at the cellular level.
Why Does It Take 5 Months to Heal a Broken Ankle?
Bones heal in a complex process that happens in stages. While every individual heals at a different rate, five months is often the standard timeline because of the biology involved in repairing bone tissue properly. Here’s a breakdown of the timeline:
1. Inflammation (First Few Days)
The body initiates an inflammatory response to the injury. Blood rushes to the area to bring in oxygen and healing cells. This stage is necessary but also brings swelling, bruising, and pain.
2. Soft Callus Formation (2–3 Weeks)
Specialized cells begin to create a soft bridge—called a callus—between the broken bone ends. This callus is made of cartilage and collagen and begins stabilizing the injury, but it’s not yet strong enough for full weight-bearing.
3. Hard Callus Formation (4–12 Weeks)
Minerals like calcium begin to harden the soft callus into new bone. However, the replacement tissue still lacks the structure and strength of fully remodeled bone.
4. Bone Remodeling (3–5 Months and Beyond)
The final phase can take several months, as the bone slowly reshapes and strengthens to match its original form. During this phase, the old bone is removed and replaced by new, strong bone formed.
So when you ask, “Why does it take five months to heal a broken ankle?”, the answer is that this is the time required for your body to safely rebuild and remodel the damaged bones.
Factors That Can Delay Healing
For most people, it only takes five months to recover from a broken ankle. However, not everyone heals at the same rate. Some of the conditions that can prolong the healing process include:
- Poor circulation
- Chronic inflammation
- Low nutrient levels (especially calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D)
- Smoking or alcohol use
- Low cellular voltage
- Environmental toxin exposure
- Undiagnosed infections or dental issues
The healing process can stall when cells are inflamed, undernourished, or lacking energy. If the voltage is too low in the tissues surrounding the injury, bones can’t regenerate effectively.
How The Tennant Institute May Help Accelerate Recovery
At The Tennant Institute, we take a systems-based approach to healing. Instead of simply waiting out the typical five-month timeline, we address the underlying energy and voltage deficiencies that can delay or complicate recovery.
Dr. Jerry Tennant’s foundational principle, Health is Voltage®, guides our practice. In order for the body to heal anything, including broken bones, cells must have the proper electrical charge. Without enough voltage, your body simply doesn’t have the power to rebuild. In addition, undetected dental infections and chronic emotional stress can drain voltage from your body.
We assess and address these issues to remove hidden barriers to healing. We use proprietary technologies to measure and restore voltage in the specific areas where it has dropped. This recharges your cells and supports active tissue repair.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) and scalar energy therapies stimulate cellular function, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation. These therapies help speed the regeneration of healthy bone and soft tissue.
Nutrition is crucial to healing. We identify and correct nutritional deficiencies in minerals and vitamins critical for bone formation, such as vitamin D, magnesium, boron, and calcium.
Environmental toxins, heavy metals, and lymphatic congestion can interfere with healing. Targeted detox protocols to clear out these obstacles and support cellular repair.
You Don’t Have to Settle for “Normal” Recovery
The average healing time for a broken ankle may be five months, but that doesn’t mean it has to take that long. When the body’s voltage is optimized and supported, healing can happen faster, more efficiently, and with a lower risk of complications.
If you’ve been asking, “Why does it take five months to heal a broken ankle?”, the answer is that bone remodeling is a slow, energy-intensive process. But by working with the practitioners at The Tennant Institute, you may be able to reduce that time, restore function more quickly, and get back to your life with confidence.
Ready to support your body’s healing from the inside out?
Contact The Tennant Institute in Irving, TX, today to schedule your consultation.
