Search for castor oil and bone healing and you will find claims that this plant oil can help repair a broken bone. Most of them trace back to one animal study. Here is what that study actually tested, what it does not tell you, and what genuinely helps a bone recover.
Castor oil for bone healing: what the study tested
The study most often quoted was published in the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A in 2014. Researchers took a polymer made from castor bean (Ricinus communis) oil, a solid material similar to a medical-grade plastic, and surgically implanted it into the shin bones of rabbits. Over 90 days, new bone formed around the implant and bonded to it.
You can find the paper on PubMed: Castor oil polymer induces bone formation with high matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression.
What it does not tell you
This was research into a surgical implant material, the kind used to fill gaps in bone during an operation. It was not castor oil as you would buy it in a bottle, and nobody rubbed it on skin or swallowed it. The animals were rabbits, not people.
So the study gives no evidence that castor oil applied to the skin, or taken by mouth, helps a broken bone heal. If you have a fracture, follow the plan from your doctor or specialist.
What actually helps a bone recover
Bone is living tissue that responds to load. Once your medical team clears you to start moving, the rehabilitation phase is where an exercise physiologist earns their place:
- Gradual loading. Bone and the muscle around it adapt to the work you ask of them. Load is built up in steps, matched to what the bone can tolerate at each stage.
- Strength around the injury. Muscles weaken quickly when a limb is immobilised. Rebuilding them protects the joint and restores normal movement. See our approach to strength training.
- Balance and confidence. After a lower-limb fracture, especially in older adults, balance work reduces the chance of a second fall.
- Everyday nutrition. Eat enough protein, and get calcium and vitamin D through your diet and sensible sun exposure, as your GP advises.
Where castor oil does fit
Castor oil’s real everyday use is cosmetic. It is a thick, rich oil that people use to moisturise dry skin and to condition hair and brows. If that is what you are after, look for a cold-pressed oil with nothing added, such as this organic castor oil Australia option.
If you are shopping for one, here is where to buy castor oil in Australia. Castor oil packs are another way people use it, and this guide explains how castor oil packs work. You will also see it spelled caster oil; this note on caster oil or castor oil clears that up.
The takeaway
The castor oil bone healing headline comes from a rabbit implant study, not from people using castor oil. For a broken bone, the evidence points to your medical team’s plan, followed by progressive, supervised loading once you are cleared. Keep castor oil for skin and hair.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your doctor about any injury.
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