Up to now, doctors have had to rely on X-ray images and CT scans to provide occasional snapshots of the fracture site. Ganse and her team have now published their findings in Biosensors and Bioelectronics and the Journal of Functional Biomaterials.

Imagine pulling a small device out of your pocket, placing it onto the skin above the fracture site and after just a few seconds, you know how well the fracture is healing. If a plaster cast has been fitted, there would be a small opening in the cast to enable skin contact. This intriguing idea could soon be part of standard post-operative follow-up around the world.