Every time I saw her I had new things to report that I had managed to do as my range of movement gradually increased and the pain and stiffness lessened.
Fallen on the ice? Slipped on the mud? Or is it just a sprain?
Whatever you have done help is at hand!
If you have broken your wrist or ankle and find yourself in plaster you need help. The limb is painful and life is difficult as you can’t use it normally. Patients are usually given exercises to do at the hospital but often do them incorrectly from fear of moving the break or just from pain.
A friendly Physio to help and advise at this stage can make a huge difference to the speed of recovery once the cast is off.
Age doesn’t matter, its not just the elderly, the young are also likely to fall over and break something in this weather.
A leaflet on what to do in plaster or after a break is available at the Physio Centre in Shaftesbury. Call for a copy to be sent to you or to make an appointment to see Jacqueline in Shaftesbury.
Just Sprained it? Then RICE it!
A badly sprained ankle needs rest. It will not repair as quickly nor as well if you ‘walk through it’. Elevate it and apply an ice pack.
Use crushed ice or a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a wet towel and applied around the part for a maximum of 20 minutes as you can burn yourself with ice.
You can repeat the ice treatment every two of hours, reuse the frozen peas but don’t eat them!
A crêpe bandage or Tubigrip will compress the joint and help to reduce the swelling.