Healing a broken bone after a crash: casts and weight limits
Advice from an orthopedic trauma surgeon and a physical therapist on protecting the bone while it heals
A broken bone can start to feel better before it is ready for full use. Pain on its own is a poor signal of how much weight or force the injured area can handle. Your orthopedic surgeon builds a plan to protect the bone, based on the break and how it was treated. A physical therapist then helps you move safely inside that plan. Start by learning exactly what you are allowed to do today. [1, 2]
Turn the weight rule into everyday moves
Your care team may tell you “no weight,” “partial weight” or “weight as tolerated.” Ask them to show what that means for your own stairs, bathroom, job and car. Find out whether the rule still holds with a boot or brace on. Can you take it off to sleep or bathe? Learn when the limit will be checked again. Don’t push past it on your own because a few steps felt easy. [1, 3]
If you were given crutches, a walker or a wheelchair, practice using the device before you leave. Ask a therapist to watch you turn around, get through a doorway and handle any stairs. Hopping around without the device you were prescribed can lead to another fall. [1]
Plan your day around the limits. A kitchen trip, a shower, a school day or a work shift may mean more standing than you expect. Tell the therapist where the plan breaks down. They may suggest a safer path, a different device or short term help. A written work restriction comes in handy if your employer needs to change your duties. [1, 3]
Caring for your cast or splint
Keep a standard cast dry unless your team tells you it is waterproof. Never push objects, powder or lotion into the cast to scratch an itch. Don’t cut the padding or damage the cast. Call the office that put the cast on if it gets wet, cracks, loosens or feels painfully tight. Stay off it unless someone on your team says it can hold your weight. [1]
Some swelling is normal at first. Ask how to position the arm or leg and which fingers or toes to keep moving. Watch the skin you can see for swelling that grows or a change in color. Get urgent medical care if pain suddenly gets much worse. The same goes for fingers or toes that go numb or cold, or that you can’t move like before. [1]
Call the office treating you if the cast rubs in one spot or feels loose as the swelling goes down. Also call if it makes your mobility device hard to use safely. You may need an exam or an adjustment. Don’t stuff padding of your own into the cast. Leave a splint on unless your clinician has explained how to remove it. [1]
Keep your surgeon and therapist in sync
Ask when your next exam or imaging test is set and who will look at the results. A splint may need changes as the swelling shifts. Healing time depends on the bone and the injury. Building strength too soon can do harm. Waiting too long may leave the area stiff and weak. Let your surgeon and therapist agree on when each new movement starts. [1, 2, 3]
- What can I do now to keep the rest of my body moving?
- Which activities could disturb the break or the repair?
- What has to happen before I can put more weight on it or move it more?
Watch for trouble beyond the bone
A leg cast and moving less can raise your risk of a blood clot. Get new swelling or pain in one leg checked promptly. If you suddenly become short of breath or have chest pain, get emergency care. Ask whether you have a plan to prevent clots, then follow it as directed. [4]
Post your weight rule where you will see it
Sources and further reading
- 1MedlinePlus fracture reduction aftercare
- 2MedlinePlus fractures
- 3MedlinePlus ankle fracture aftercare
- 4CDC blood clot risk after hospital care
This is general education for U.S. readers from orthopedic trauma and physical therapy experts. Where the bone broke and how stable it is will decide your own weight and movement limits.
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