How do you start walking after a broken leg?
How do you start walking after a broken leg?
Properly-fitted crutches or a walker will help you get around during this time. Some types of fractures can heal with weight bearing, but you will likely wear a rigid boot to provide stability for walking. When you are ready to walk unaided, it’s important not to overload your bone.
Can you walk after breaking your leg?
Sometimes, a really bad complete fracture will not be able to carry weight or otherwise function properly. Most of the time, however, fractures can indeed support weight. The patient can probably even walk on a broken leg—it just hurts like the dickens.
What happens when you start walking after a broken leg?
When you start walking again, the Mayo Clinic explains, you might have stiffness or weakness in your leg. This makes sense — after all, you haven’t moved it or used it in a long time. You likely will have lost muscle strength in your leg. In some cases, staying active is the best option for healing a broken leg.
When to start physical therapy after a broken leg?
Physical activity like walking means there is less muscle atrophy, so you will have an advantage when you start engaging in physical therapy to bring the leg back to full strength. The Mayo Clinic and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons agree that physical therapy and rehab are important parts of learning to walk after a broken leg.
How long does it take for a broken femur to heal?
If the fracture causes a break in the skin, you might see a visible portion of the fractured bone. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons notes that a broken femur often takes three to six months to heal. About 75 to 85 percent of the time, a fracture of the tibia is accompanied by a fracture of the fibula.
How to get your leg back to full strength after a broken bone?
In the case of a broken fibula, Saint Alphonsus Rehabilitation Services recommends using a walking boot to stay mobile while your fracture heals. Physical activity like walking means there is less muscle atrophy, so you will have an advantage when you start engaging in physical therapy to bring the leg back to full strength.