People who suffer a fracture can expect a faster healing time if they are non-smokers, a new study has shown.

UK scientists looked at 50 patients with fractures, analysing the blood around the fracture area.

They wanted to see if there were any differences in the quality and quantity of stem cells and molecules that are usually involved in the regeneration of bone after a fracture has occurred.

The study found that the bone-healing cells found in people who did not smoke were of a superior quality, when compared to those who did smoke. These cells were also more active and quicker at dividing in the non-smokers - this leads to a faster healing process.

"We set up the research looking at the factors which affect the healing process of fractures in 2007, which involved collecting the blood from consenting patients, both smokers and non-smokers, who had suffered tibial fractures.

"We also set up a ‘smoking machine' which simulates smoking 20 cigarettes per day to study the effects of smoking on the blood in a controlled environment," said Prof Mohammad Maqsood, a trauma consultant at Lincoln County Hospital.

The study found that overall, smoking had a ‘detrimental impact' on stem cell growth and development, and this led to ‘abnormal bone repair'.

Details of these findings were presented by the scientists at conferences in the UK, France, Finland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.