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[RC] Broken Bone Veteran - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: Laura T Tichenor06@xxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Being a compound tibia veteran, NOT all bones heal in 6 weeks.  In a perfect 
world they may, but *your* body is one determining factor as to whether or not 
it will heal in that period of time.  Also, *you* will determine that also.  If 
you irritate the bone(s) it will take much more time.  Riding is irritating to 
the healing of that bone.

FWIW a tibia bone, which is just about the same size as your femur bone takes 4 
months to heal.  I really lucked out on my healing of my bone.  I had very good 
care at the hospital and at home, and I also took care of myself.  My husband 
was the BEST nurse, and my dog the BEST nurse too. I had prompt surgical care, 
had a rod, and two screws put in on the same day by a very good orthopedic 
surgeon.  My break was ideal being that it was broken straight across and not 
jagged, or at an angle.  Which bones broken on an angle can slip, and not 
always do they heal properly, which goes back to how your unique body heals 
(its healing rate) and how well you take care of yourself while you have a 
broken bone.

Just because a bone is pronounce healed, it still has to heal even more.  Heck 
after my ortho did my surgery he said you can get up and walk right now if you 
want.  Yeah, right.  He had to cut my once perfect knee - a vertical incision - 
and *move* my knee cap over the side, and then insert a titanium rod the length 
of my broken in two pieces tibia, line them up nice and snug, and screw it into 
place, which was at my once perfect ankel and the top inside of my tibia.  
Pretty graphic huh?  You should see the pictures we took when I got home.  
Lotsa staples.  I couldn't bend my knee for the 11 staples I had.  I had more 
staples for the other places, but will refrain from grossing out rc.

Just because the bone may be healed, you still have muscles that will have to 
be strengthed.  Also when you put stress on those freshly healed bones, it will 
hurt.  My areas would "twink" as I called it.  Comprable to a small jolt of 
electricity.  It would pound.  Or just ache - constantly.  This is after the 
proper healing time.  I have heard of people with the same injury going and 
riding 8 weeks out, and their leg healed wrong.  There are many factors 
involved in bone healing.  External and internal.

My leg is not the same, since 8/02.  I know a wrist is less than a tibia.  But 
still, if you are naughty, it will heal slower or maybe never.  I wonder how 
long mine will haunt me.  Physcially and mentally.  How did I get injured?  I 
was kicked by a horse on a friendly trail ride.  *My* horse was attacked by 
somebody else's horse.  I will stop with that.

I had alot of support from a broken bone website.  Got lots of info from other 
broken bone vets.  When I read their broken bone stories, I know I was lucky in 
my healing and care.

Maybe after reading a few of the stories, and postings you will want to never 
allow your horse to kick at other horses, especially when there are riders on 
those horses . . .

Check it out if you want.

mybrokenleg dot com

Laura T
Alabama


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