Natural frequency of fracture fragments in the assessment of tibial fracture healing

The natural frequency of fracture fragments has been measured at various times in the course of healing of 11 midshaft tibial fractures. The major fragments manifest different frequencies which are themselves distinct from that of the intact bone. It has been shown that the difference in frequency between the major fragments falls with time, so that the separate frequencies approach a common value which corresponds with the healed state. The results have been used to construct a model healing curve, against which other tibial fractures can be compared.