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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: 0.211s | source
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clumsysmurf ◴[19 Feb 25 12:54 UTC] No.43101577[source]▶
It was ~20 years ago, so my memory is a little foggy, but I gave myself a "dancer's fracture" in one foot.

After many months, it was looking like a non-union. The podiatrist was worried any pin would split the broken bone even more. It wasn't looking good.

I had read something along these lines even back then, so with my crazy immobilizer boot on, I head to the gym and started doing light squats several times per week.

Next x-ray: healed.

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sethammons ◴[19 Feb 25 21:13 UTC] No.43107766[source]▶
I dropped a few hundred lbs on my foot and got my ballerina's fracture. I like "dancer's" better haha. I went to the gym 4 times a week, every week, even in the boot. Just did mostly sitting exercises. It took 4 or 5 months to start to fuse still. :shrug:
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1. 77pt77 ◴[20 Feb 25 17:31 UTC] No.43117634[source]▶
> It took 4 or 5 months to start to fuse

That's an insanely long time-frame for healing.

Bones usually start fusing in weeks, not months.