Exploring Traditional and Complementary Medicine Approaches for Fractured Bones: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of published clinical studies that have examined the effects of different traditional and complementary medicine (TACM) interventions on patients with various types of bone fractures. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted in major databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane library, and Scopus. The search encompassed studies published from the inception of these databases until October 20, 2023. The inclusion criteria encompassed original research papers that evaluated the outcomes of patients with any type of bone fracture who received TACM interventions. Results: Out of the initial 952 search results, a total of six papers met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Among these, four studies focused on biologically-based TACM interventions, primarily herbal formulations. The remaining two studies examined energy-based TACM, specifically auricular acupressure and electromagnetic intervention. Conclusion: The findings of this review suggest that the studied TACM modalities demonstrate promising efficacy and safety for patients with fractured bone. However, it is important to note that most of the included studies had limitations in terms of small sample sizes and short follow-up durations.