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Broken legs and ankles heal better if you walk on them within weeks

(www.scientificamerican.com)
611 points sohkamyung | 1 comments | 19 Feb 25 12:36 UTC | HN request time: 0.204s | source
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highfrequency ◴[19 Feb 25 14:25 UTC] No.43102466[source]▶
Very interesting, and seems like a delicate balance. Partial weight bearing reminds your body that you do need this bone to heal (much like lifting weights stimulates muscle growth). Too much instability, though, and the fracture won’t heal properly.
replies(1): >>43103112 #
1. flyinghamster ◴[19 Feb 25 15:29 UTC] No.43103112[source]▶
I went through a similar thing with a sprained knee (due to pandemic-related inactivity and resulting obesity). I had squatted down to pick something up, and when I got back up my knee, dodgy for years, finally said FU. I was still able to walk, but just barely, and I had to help myself get up out of chairs.

I started walking as much as I could stand, and after a long while, the knee improved dramatically. Then I noticed I was also losing weight even though my diet hadn't really changed. After a long enough time of this, I was able to once again put bike rides into the mix, weather permitting.

Daily walks (or equivalent/better exercise like bike rides or snow shoveling) have become part of my routine. I'm down 60 pounds from 2022, and at my best weight in over 20 years.