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611 points sohkamyung | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.438s | source
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Panzer04 ◴[] No.43108065[source]
I broke my ankle 15 weeks ago, and decided to weight bear early against the advice of my doctors. In my experience, it caused me no issues and prevented my calf from atrophying further. My foot was also super tight, and I can't imagine that would have gotten better by staying off it.

I think a lot of medical advice is based on what doesn't go wrong, rather than what might give the best outcome. I'm sure there are doctors who have tried one thing or another, had it go wrong and then become more conservative as a result. This prevents the worst outcomes, but also gives a lot more people and average or subpar rather than great outcome.

In any case there's a lot of research showing that rest is almost always the wrong answer nowadays. Tbh, I don't understand how people can stand it; I was thoroughly sick of the hospital bed within a day and sick of being a couch potato within a week. I would have walked even earlier I think knowing what I know now.

replies(2): >>43108121 #>>43116006 #
1. tonyarkles ◴[] No.43116006[source]
After my knee surgery (meniscus cartilage tear/repair) and after my appendectomy, I was pretty keen to get up and moving so that I could go outside and smoke. Both times the nurse commented that while smoking on its own isn't great for healing, the fact that it forces you to get up and moving quickly and frequently is generally helpful. In both cases the doctor was quite surprised at how quickly I'd healed up when I went for the follow-up/stitch removal.