Bone Setting

Bone Setting (Asthi Sandhi Chikitsa) is a highly specialised traditional healing practice with roots in Kerala's ancient medical traditions, including Ayurveda and the warrior healing arts of Kalaripayattu. Our bone setters have inherited this rare knowledge through an unbroken lineage of family transmission spanning many generations. The practice involves the assessment, manual reduction, and stabilisation of fractures, dislocations, and complex joint injuries using entirely natural means.

The treatment begins with a careful physical assessment of the injury — including assessment of the fracture type, displacement, soft tissue involvement, and the patient's overall health. Unlike conventional orthopaedics, the traditional bone setter relies entirely on the sense of touch, accumulated clinical experience, and an intimate understanding of anatomy developed through years of training. The setting procedure involves skilled manual manipulation to guide bones back to their correct anatomical position, followed by immobilisation using herbal poultices and traditional splints made from bamboo or other natural materials.

After the bone is set, the injured area is treated with a series of specialised herbal applications — including freshly prepared poultices made from anti-inflammatory plants such as turmeric, castor root, and Cissus quadrangularis (bone-healing herb known as Hadjod) — which are changed daily. Warm medicated oil massages are also applied to the surrounding tissues to prevent atrophy, maintain circulation, and reduce secondary pain. The patient receives detailed guidance on diet, rest, and activity restrictions to support optimal healing.

Traditional bone setting is particularly valued for cases where surgery is not desired or not accessible, for injuries in children, and for complex soft tissue injuries around joints where conventional medicine offers limited conservative options. Our practitioners have successfully treated fractures, dislocations, ligament injuries, and joint instabilities that were previously considered surgical candidates. A full consultation and assessment is conducted before every treatment.