How a Women’s Health Physical Therapist Recovers from a Broken Bone
3 Things a Physical Therapist Does Everyday After a Broken Leg
In March I broke my leg in three places while out for a run, had surgery in June and then had my 40th birthday in August. I was in a boot for 6 months which left me weak in mind and body. As a physical therapist for the last 15 years in the Des Moines area, I have never taken mobility for granted. I knew my situation was temporary but it was still hard.
Here are three things I do every day since my accident:
1. Go for a walk.
One of the hardest parts of healing was not being able to go for a walk with my dog. I love to walk and not being able to do it for over 6 months was excruciating (again, temporary mantra). Now that I’m able to go, I make sure to go, even for a short distance, every single day. I plan to do it in the cold days of winter in central Iowa too. I’m going to bundle up and at least go around the block.
2. Monitor my protein intake.
Most of the time I’m a healthy eater but it is really easy for me to get behind on protein. Being in a walking boot for 7 months, as you can imagine, made my whole body very weak. I had a lot of work to do to build up muscle again and I had to be sure I was getting enough protein. It really opened my eyes to many years of not getting enough. I’m fortunate to not have dietary restrictions, so my favorite ways of getting protein are chicken breasts, cottage cheese, edamame, tuna salad with hard boiled eggs in it, and plant based protein shakes. I now aim to get around 70 grams of protein a day – during my earlier recovery days building back a lot of muscle, I was sure to get over 100 grams per day.
3. Say gratitude for something my body did for me today.
I have always been good about having a grateful heart. In our physical therapy practice in central and eastern Iowa, we lead each company meeting with something we are grateful for. Instead of finding external things, I’ve now turned inward to tell my body “thank you” each day. I’m grateful for this body that was able to get in and out of the car 20 times today to run my kids to their activities. I’m grateful for this body that can take me to the bathroom without help. I’m grateful for this body that might feel tight in my jeans today, but can still take my dog for a walk.
Injuries are a bummer at any point, when they occur around major milestones, it can take even longer to recover. Take time to celebrate the small wins. Take time to celebrate your body. If there’s something holding you back, please go see a physical therapist so you can live the energetic, vibrant, active lifestyle you deserve.
If you’re local, give us a call at 515-255-3932 to set-up your appointment today!
Breathe. is unique! Private, personalized care that celebrates client victories, big and small. We believe all women deserve to live energetic, vibrant and active lives and it’s our mission to be a partner in achieving that, by specializing in dry needling, DRA, pants peeing, pregnancy/postpartum pain and recovery, pelvic floor dysfunction, headaches, back pain and other orthopedic concerns.
Appointments available in Des Moines, West Des Moines and Iowa City / Cedar Rapids area. www.breatheptw.com