DOs and DON'Ts

The DOs

-         Follow RICE guidelines: rest, ice, compression, elevation

-         Rest your leg/ankle as much as you can in the first weeks of healing

-         Apply ice to the injured area but be careful not to overdo it and damage your tissues

-         Keep your injured joint in cast, splint, boot or whatever device was provided to you in order to protect and compress it

-         Keep your leg/foot elevated for at least first few days to reduce swelling. The more you keep it elevated the faster that swelling will go away

-         Follow range of motion exercising routine if and only if prescribed by your physician

-         LISTEN and FOLLOW your doctor’s recommendations

The DON’Ts

-        Avoid stressing your injured joint: for example avoid spending too much time on your feet if you have broken leg/foot/ankle

-        Avoid putting too much heat on the injured area especially in the first few weeks after your injury

-        DO NOT smoke or abuse alcohol because that will delay your bone repair and jeopardize your recovery

-   Avoid drinking dark-colored sodas such as Coke or Pepsi as they contain phosphoric acid which slows down bone healing 

-        Avoid scratching under the cast using sharp objects. It may break the skin and cause an infection

-        Avoid putting weight or otherwise stressing your injured joint if your doctor prescribes no weight bearing