While it might be nice to have an active lifestyle, there are also some risks associated with it. You might end up in an accident, and one of the severe injuries you can get is broken bones. It is possible to treat a fracture, but it is not the initial fix that you have to worry about. Depending on how bad it is, you might face months of healing. The biggest mistake you could make is not taking care of yourself properly while you are on the mend. Here are a few tips that should help.
Take It Easy
One of the first things that you will have to do is learning how to take it easy. Keeping to an active lifestyle while recovering from a fracture is simply asking for another injury to happen. For example, you should not be working as much before the injury. That is fine if you were in a job that had you at a desk, but jobs like construction or being on the factory floor can be hard on your body. Ask for lighter duties or take a vacation until you are fully mended.
Make Some Changes at Home
Your home life is going to be affected by your recovery. You will not be able to move as you normally would, and some basic tasks will be difficult. There will need to be some changes in your home so that you are more comfortable. The most obvious one is to rearrange the furniture if you have a broken leg. This will allow you to move around with no problem. Ensure that there is space for your crutch or wheelchair to move around. Another change would be if you had a broken arm. You’ll need to buy tools that can allow you to live with one hand for some time.
Remember the Doctor’s Instructions
When you got sent home from the hospital, your doctor likely gave you instructions on how to take care of yourself. These were not suggestions. Your doctor knows best, and following his instructions will ensure that you can get back into good condition quickly. For example, they might recommend some medication to help deal with the pain. Additionally, listen to their advice in keeping the broken bone immobilized. This allows it to heal cleanly and ensure that you will have no problems when the cast is removed.
Get Some Help
Depending on the severity of the fracture, you might need the help of home health care services. Some people might feel that they can do without help, but that might not be possible in some instances. For example, if you live alone, it is much easier to have someone come in to help out for the weeks and months you are recovering. They can do the cooking, cleaning, and laundry. It also gives you someone to talk to since your social life will likely suffer because of your condition. Fortunately, many services can help. If you are short of funds, then you might want to look to family for some help.
Learn to Manage Pain
Another thing to take note of is that you might feel a lot of pain as your bones heal. It will be much easier for you if you can handle your pain a bit better. Weeks or months of gritting through it is not going to help. You might need to ask for some painkiller prescriptions so that you can properly fight the pain. Opioids are the preferred choice for this, but there are also anti-inflammatory drugs that can help. You can also choose to have ice therapy to help cool down the inflammation.
Go to Physical Therapy
After a fracture, your body needs to get back into good condition. Leaving it alone is good initially, but when you are not using your body, the muscles atrophy, and you will feel weaker. You might also lose some range of movement. If you want to be back to your pre-accident condition, then you’ll have to get some physical therapy. You can start with some basic exercises, but getting a professional to help is a good idea. The result is that you will be almost as good as new when the cast is removed.
A fracture is something you should take seriously when it comes to healing. If you insist on acting like there is nothing wrong, then your bone might mend incorrectly or take a longer time to recover. Heed the tips above so that you can have a quicker recovery.
