Extensive bruising after broken bone

[Ardent Lady]

About 10 days ago, I rather thoroughly broke my tibia, and capped off the fibula, too. The Dr. pieced it all back together, added some erector set pieces and I'm good to go, non-weightbearing profile for a long time, but apparently going to heal up fine.

My question is whether there is anything I can do to reduce the pooled blood that is still in my leg, especially the stuff that's accumulated in the ankle area. It's pretty sore, dark black and feels... lumpy under the skin. Do you know if there is something I can do to help get it broken down and moved along?

[rgrpuck]

WOW .....your going to setting off airport metal detectors with that much metal in ya.

That had to be exposed ...how did you do it?

[wellfed]

OUch...and the answer is TIME! You wrecked on a motorcycle didn't you? fell of a horse?.... Got hit by a car? Take it easy and elevate.

[B 2/75]

Nice Gams...

Keep the foot elevated, and exercise the leg muscles as best as you can, as often as you can.

Don't get on it too early... let it heal.


So... when do we get to see the rest????

[Ardent Lady]

WOW .....your going to setting off airport metal detectors with that much metal in ya.

That had to be exposed ...how did you do it?

It probably will set the airport wands beeping, but I'm hoping the surgery scar will explain it...

Fortunately it wasn't exposed - all bits and pieces stayed inside for the whole adventure.

It was a stupid accident, shoulda known better, but zeal overtook knowledge and I'm just glad it wasn't worse. Ladders, chicks with chainsaws... let the razzing begin...

My 18 year old son and I were taking down some small trees along the back of the yard. They were growing up into the wires, looked stupid trimmed out of the wires, so I decided it was time to take them down and plant something else. We did two out of three when things got interesting.

I was on a ladder, about 5-6 steps up. The branch I cut didn't fall, but instead bound the chainsaw blade. I worked it free, carefully, but then felt myself falling. Two thoughts came to mind with absolute clarity - clear the saw! Don't fall, JUMP! The saw swung away safely and I dropped it, felt my feet hit the ground, felt the knee give way, and gravity took over from there. I was probably turning as I landed, which explains some of the fracturing.

Lying there, I realized there was major badness in that leg, so I rolled on my side, and felt it. Kneecap was fine, shin was not, but it wasn't poking through. My son came over, I sent him to call 911 and get my husband out there; the next new adventure of living with me had just begun.

They did surgery the next day, and I came home on Tues., a week ago. No cast, just a velcro-knee brace to wear, and non-weight bearing, non-driving profile for a month or more.

My knee works fine, as does the ankle; just wondering if there's something I can do for all the bruising and swelling.

[rgrpuck]

[quote="Ardent Lady"] Ladders, chicks with chainsaws... let the razzing begin...

You could have stopped there.

[Silverback]

The fourth point of performance is “SLIP/TURN INTO THE WIND AND PREPARE TO LAND.â€

[66G_RN]

AL, you might want to talk to a physical therapist. Ultrasound therapy can relieve pain and inflammation, speed healing, reduce muscle spasms, and increase range of motion.

My personal experience with ultrasound therapy was from a long time ago and while it was a different type of injury, I had a huge contusion to heal up. When I was 19, I injured myself pretty good during Ground week at BAC and had a contusion from my right knee to the top of my right hip. Once I got back to my home near Ft. Polk, my doctor referred me to physical therapy. In addition to working on my range of motion, the PTs applied deep heat to the injury using ultrasound to enhance the absorption of the clot, speed my healing and heal the injured muscles.

I honestly don't know if this type of treatment would apply to your injury and I would think your orthopedic surgeon would have you in contact with a PT already. I would think elevation and ice would help reduce the swelling but in all honesty, I think you need to talk it over with your doctor and see a PT if you have not already done so.

My disclaimer here is that while I deal with broken bones on a regular basis, it's broken jaws and faces and reducing fractures of that sort, helping the doc insert plates and screws and such but not on extremities.

Here's an interesting article about if ultrasound can help heal bone fractures (study was done in rabbits, though!). http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/arc ... sound.html

[Thursday]

The best thing for you to do is just rest up, let it heal by itself. Use the RICE method.

Rest
Ice
Compress
Elevate

That will help reduce the swelling in a non-pharmacalogical method. There is also the option of using something like Ibuprofen or Motrin, but excessive usage of these can lead to pretty severe ulcers, so consulting an MD first is a sure bet. Don't overdue anything. You now have a golden ticket for anything you need at the house, just have your son/ husband do it for you and claim you are in your healing stages.

As for the bruising / hematomas, there really isnt much you can do about it. Like you said, all of the blood that setteled just underneath your skin is just staying put, slowing getting removed by your body. The only way to get rid of a bruise is time. But you can cover it with a ACE bandage or something that will keep it from being visible.

Lastly, that is a pretty awesome broken tib/ fib xray, probably one of the best I have seen.

Good luck and take it easy. If you try to start doing work too soon, you will just find yourself out of the game for longer with more damage.

-Thursday

[Ardent Lady]

Ranger Silverback, I hope my next landing is more up to specs.

Thank you, 66G and Thursday, for the pointers and advice. I will find out about the PT, and add that to the resting and elevation.

Having seen how very splintered the bones are makes it easier to accept the discipline of staying off of them, and to acknowledge the wisdom of all who've told me to do so.

[Rock Island Ranger]

Ranger Silverback, I hope my next landing is more up to specs.

Thank you, 66G and Thursday, for the pointers and advice. I will find out about the PT, and add that to the resting and elevation.

Having seen how very splintered the bones are makes it easier to accept the discipline of staying off of them, and to acknowledge the wisdom of all who've told me to do so.

You (and old woman) went up a ladder with a chain saw while a healthy teenage son watched???? Ok, your a dumbass.

[SmileyTFJ]

....you could always just take a chain saw to it.











Once it's healed enough check out the ultrasound therapy. Also check out a type of therapy where they send a mild electric current through the tissues. The saline is oppositely charged and when the electrodes are placed right it will force the fluid and the scar tissue broken up by the ultrasound therapy out of your lower leg. My therapist did that while encasing my foot in ice for about 10 min with compression (after the Ultrasound). I started seeing glimpses of an ankle!

[Ardent Lady]

Ranger Silverback, I hope my next landing is more up to specs.

Thank you, 66G and Thursday, for the pointers and advice. I will find out about the PT, and add that to the resting and elevation.

Having seen how very splintered the bones are makes it easier to accept the discipline of staying off of them, and to acknowledge the wisdom of all who've told me to do so.

You (and old woman) went up a ladder with a chain saw while a healthy teenage son watched???? Ok, your a dumbass.

I'll go with the dumbass point, Ranger Abell9, but old? You wish you were my age. Two years ago - and several gallons of water under the bridge - you could claim to be as old as I am, but not any more.

calling me old... someone 'round here thinks too much about all this age shit...

[Chiron]

Ranger Silverback, I hope my next landing is more up to specs.

Thank you, 66G and Thursday, for the pointers and advice. I will find out about the PT, and add that to the resting and elevation.

Having seen how very splintered the bones are makes it easier to accept the discipline of staying off of them, and to acknowledge the wisdom of all who've told me to do so.

You (and old woman) went up a ladder with a chain saw while a healthy teenage son watched???? Ok, your a dumbass.

I'll go with the dumbass point, Ranger Abell9, but old? You wish you were my age. Two years ago - and several gallons of water under the bridge - you could claim to be as old as I am, but not any more.

calling me old... someone 'round here thinks too much about all this age shit...

First off: Get well soon.

Now from reading this thread I see that you had a problem delegating authority. The boy should have climbed the ladder. The Lady should have supervised.