A lot of people think of broken bones as an inconvenience from childhood that keeps kids from playing with their friends in the summer. As an adult, a personal injury can turn a broken bone into lost income and significant medical bills. Broken bones can have long-term consequences in addition to just the first medical consequences.
In America, approximately six million people break a bone each year. Each of these bone fracture victims is mainly unaware of what consequences can come years after their fracture heals.
Denied opportunities
Even after bones have healed, a person may not have the same capabilities that they once had. A limp can deny someone from running in marathons they once frequented. A shattered wrist can end a boxing hobby or career.
Psychological consequences
Denied opportunities and bodily functions can take a severe emotional toll on a person. Anxiety and depression are two of the most common psychological consequences. Without proper treatment, these illnesses can change the way a person lives forever.
Nerve damage
While bones are relatively easy to heal, nerves are much more delicate. When nerve damage occurs in the injury or the recovery process, it may never recover entirely. This diminished healing can result in loss of function, responsiveness, and feeling.
Weakness
The time spent not moving a body part for a bone to heal can cause atrophy of the muscles. The time it takes to get back to full muscular capabilities can take months or longer to recover, and a person may never reach complete their full potential again.
Prepare for the worst
The best way to fight for recovery is by knowing what can threaten it. Looking out for early signs of these long-term consequences can better prepare you to combat them after experiencing a broken bone.