Rehabilitation after fracture
I fell and fractured my tibia, and fibula. It’s referred to as a tib-fib fracture. It required surgery to realign the bones. I’ve been in the hospital for a few days. But, my doctor wants me to go straight to in patient rehabilitation. I think that it would be counterproductive to do so, and maybe even dangerous. Can anyone please give me their insights on this?
Hi
. As I am sure you know, we can't give you any medical advice, but I hope people share their own experiences with you. Whether rehab will help really depends a lot of your own over all mobility/strength, the kind of support you have at home, the availability of physical therapy and the quality of care at the rehab facility. There are some absolutely horrible rehab facilities out there where you will spend 90 percent of your time in bed and weekends with no rehab services. There are also some wonderful ones that push you to do as much as possible for yourself under supervision and in a safe environment. Personally, I would always take home care with out-patient physical therapy over inpatient rehab if possible , practical and safe, but I don't have MS (My father did.) I have a friend who suffered multiple fractures in a motorcycle accident and also has Lupus. Her doctor made the same suggestion after two surgeries to reset bones with pins and screws. She made very little progress in rehab, but it was an awful facility and she was depressed while there. Thankfully, she had lots of support from friends and family at home and was able to return with out-patient therapy. She recovered much more quickly on her own. A woman who was hospitalized with her was sent to a better facility and thrived. What are your biggest concerns about rehab? What are your doctor's concerns? Whatever you decide, I hope your recovery is fast and full. Best wishes. - Lori (Team Member) Hey. Thank you for responding. I decided to go to rehab, but I left the next day. My first night there was all it took. I felt very unsafe because no one would answer the buzzer whenever I pushed it. Sometimes, someone would respond by coming to my room, about 15 minutes later. If I was able to ambulate safely, it wouldn’t have been such a problem. But, I was concerned that I wouldn’t have help if I really needed it. Hi
. I wish you'd had a better experience, but I am glad you advocated for yourself and got out. Do you have support at home and transportation to out-patent rehab? - Lori (Team Member)
, I can't really add anything to what Lori already shared, but I hope you find the best facility for you, if you go that route. I hope your bones heal well and fully. Please keep us posted on how you are doing, only if you feel comfortable doing so.
Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.I am at home. My adult son actually moved back in with me for a couple of months, to help me. He is such a blessing. The pain in my leg is almost unbearable at times, especially when my leg spasms. I feel like I have been in almost nonstop pain since I broke it…about nine days ago. I’m worried that I might never get back to where I was before, even though I could barely walk, due to balance issues, weakness, and numbness. I am so exhausted, constantly. But, my faith in God and His goodness is what keeps me hopeful. And my son does take good care of me. I hope I didn’t complain too much. Hi
. I saw this after I responded to your update. I am thrilled to hear your son is with you. I hope your leg calms down and that you get some rest. The bones will heal and, hopefully, the nerves will follow. Unfortunately, anything that forces the muscles attached to that bone to move, like spasms, is going to cause pain until you reach a later stage in healing. Are you on medication for spasms? If not, you might want to give your neurologist a call. Medication for spasms will likely make you super drowsy, but it might also help you be pain free long enough to rest and heal. You can always stop the medication with your doctor's supervision when you feel you are ready. Gentle hugs. - Lori (Team Member)
