I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer, and over the years, I’ve handled cases for hundreds of clients who sustained a fracture to the leg. If you’ve never had a broken leg, you have no idea how difficult it is to get used to this injury and heal from it.
Here are a few things I’ve learned about that I’d like to share.
When you hear your surgeon tell you to stay off your leg for 6 to 8 weeks, you will find that difficult to take in. When that 6-8 weeks is underway, you may well find it unbearable. Here’s a few things you might do to help during the recovery of the broken leg.
Physically
In the beginning, many who suffer a broken leg may be in a lot of pain. Doing some exercise will help distract the brain from the pain and will improve the functional part of your body. Many clients decide to work on their arms while in bed due to a broken leg. They may use light dumbbells with lots of reps. Some have been helped by an item called a Gripmaster that builds forearms and helps raise your spirits. You can buy one cheaply here.
Your doc will tell you to walk around on crutches every hour or so in order to avoid blood clots. It’s unlikely you’ll want to do so, but you should force yourself. It will help you from sinking deeper into physical problems and help in your recovery.
If you smoke..now is a really good time to stop. There are numerous studies that show how smoking retards bone growth or regrowth.
Mentally
Learn something new. You will be keeping your spirits up and also changing what appears to be a breakdown into a breakthrough. Here’s a few of my favorite places to learn online: www.Coursera.Org
Coursera is an Online catalog of courses from some of the best universities around the world. There are hundreds of courses and all are free! A client of mine really had a great time taking The History of Rock and Roll Course. He talked it up so much I took it as well…and I agree. It was a fun course.
Another source of online learning is ITunes University, they have tons of free or minimally priced online courses.
The Teaching Company offers hundreds of courses from some of the most popular College instructors on DVD for very reasonable prices. Additionally, the Khan Academy is a great place to get help teaching your children while you learn new tricks yourself. Plus, it’s always free.
Audible is an Amazon owner subsidiary where you can just lay back and listen to some best sellers or classics. Ted Talks is a free Internet site where you can listen to and be inspired by some of the smartest, most creative people in the world. Great for your spirits!
Additional Quick Tips:
Many who have sustained a broken leg state that they have problems with sleep. Take 3 mg of Melatonin at night. it will help you sleep and dream.
Vitamin E Skin Cream helps scars from surgery.
Tension Tamer Tea by Celestial Seasons is good for anxiety and anger.
Many pain medications lead to constipation. Start early on laxative tea or stool softeners.
Having a fractured leg is no fun, even in the best of circumstances. However, with a little forethought, you can turn what appears to be a completely negative experience into one you can look back on as a turning point in your life for the better. Remember: “This too shall pass.”
Personal Injury Attorney in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Attorney. I can be reached anytime at 916-921-6400 in Sacramento. You can find my firm’s reviews on Yelp or Avvo.
Photo Attribution: By JanSLWC (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)],