Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long do I have to use my crutches/walker/cane?
When can I put more weight on my leg?
How long do I have to use the brace/splint?
Can I shower?
When can I go back to work/school?
When can I drive?
What happens to the metal pins, screws, and plates? Will they set off a metal detector? Will they stay in my body permanently or will they be removed?
Should I put ice or heat on any of my swollen areas? If so, for how long?
How long until I can go back to the gym or play sports again?
When may I resume sexual activity?
How long will I be in the hospital?
When should I see my doctor again?
Do I need x-rays for my next office visit?
When do my sutures/staples come out? Should I take them out myself, see my local doctor or return to my surgeon?
How often do I need to change my dressing?
What do I do with all of my insurance and disability forms?
Can I apply for a handicap placard or license plate?
How long will I need to take medication?
How will the staff of the rehabilitation hospital or home care agency know what my injuries are and what my orthopaedic surgeon’s plan is?
Will my surgeon still manage my care during my rehabilitation?
How long do I have to use my crutches/walker/cane?
Your doctor will determine when it is safe for you to bear weight on your injured leg and stop using your crutches. Many fractures require no weight bearing until they are fully healed. Using the crutches/walker/cane for a shorter period of time than your doctor tells you may cause complications.
When can I put more weight on my leg?
Your weight bearing status will be explained to you before you are discharged from the hospital. If you are able to bear weight as tolerated, you can put more weight on your leg as it feels comfortable to do so. If you are considered non- or partial-weight bearing, your surgeon will evaluate you at your next appointment to determine whether it has become safe for you to bear more weight.
How long do I have to use the brace/splint?
Your doctor and therapist will instruct you on when and for how long you will need to use your brace or splint.
Can I shower?
It depends on your injury. You should not shower if you have any open wound or drainage coming from your incision (surgery) site. If your wound is closed, there is no drainage and you feel that it is safe for you to shower, you can cover the incision with a plastic wrap (i.e., Saran Wrap) and shower safely. If the incision gets wet, pat it dry. If you have a cast, it must be covered with a shower bag or plastic bag to keep it dry. If the cast gets wet, it must be changed.
When can I go back to work/school?
We recommend that you wait until your first outpatient appointment with your surgeon to see how you are healing. During this first follow-up appointment, you should discuss the nature of your work and/or school with your surgeon.
When can I drive?
This is not an easy question to answer because it involves more than your doctor’s medical clearance, which is based on your safety and healing progress. You should also consider the policies of the Registry of Motor Vehicles and your insurance company. For example, if you are involved in an accident and you are wearing a leg brace or have crutches in the car, it may appear that you have limited abilities and could be blamed for what happened. Once your doctor gives you medical clearance, you will need to decide if you feel able and well enough to drive.
What happens to the metal pins, screws, and plates? Will they set off a metal detector? Will they stay in my body permanently or will they be removed?
Depending on your fracture, the metal may stay in your body until you have healed or until it is no longer necessary. Some fractures require that the metal remain permanently. Your surgeon will let you know. As for the metal detectors, they should not be sensitive enough to detect the metal. If they are, you should explain to the security personnel that you have had surgery requiring metal fixation.
Should I put ice or heat on any of my swollen areas? If so, for how long?
You may apply ice to the area to decrease swelling and relieve pain for 10 to 15 minutes per hour as needed. You should not apply heat, as it will increase your swelling.
How long until I can go back to the gym or play sports again?
The answer to this question is almost the same as returning to work or school. You can discuss this question with your surgeon during your first office visit.
When may I resume sexual activity?
The answer to this question varies according to the injuries you have sustained. Your doctor or occupational therapist can give you information to help you decide when and how you can safely resume sexual activity.
How long will I be in the hospital?
Trauma patients, on average, stay in the hospital for four to five days. You may be discharged before or after this time depending on the nature of your injuries and/or your health insurance coverage.
When should I see my doctor again?
Before you are discharged from the hospital, you will be given specific instructions about where and when you should see your doctor.
Do I need x-rays for my next office visit?
If you had surgery to repair a fractured bone, each of your regularly scheduled follow-up appointments will require an x-ray of the bone.
When do my sutures/staples come out?Should I take them out myself, see my local doctor or return to my surgeon?
Sutures and staples are removed by a doctor or nurse within two to three weeks of surgery. If the staples/sutures have not been removed while you were in the hospital or rehabilitation hospital, you should call your doctor for an appointment. You should not attempt to remove these yourself.
How often do I need to change my dressing?
The answer to this question depends on the type of wound or incision that you have. The team will discuss this issue with you before you leave the hospital, and your nurse will show you how to do dressing changes at home. Sometimes, the visiting nurse can assist with dressing changes at home or provide instructions to you and/or your family.
What do I do with all of my insurance and disability forms?
We will complete any insurance, disability or transportation forms for you. Please send these forms to your surgeon’s office with the patient sections completed and signed.
Can I apply for a handicap placard or license plate?
Yes, you may contact the Registry of Motor Vehicles in your state to request a disabled placard/plate form. Complete the patient information section of this form and send it to your surgeon so that he/she may complete the appropriate section. The registry may require you to retake a driver’s test or outfit your car with appropriate modifying equipment before they grant such a placard or plate.
How long will I need to take medication?
The answer to this question depends on the type of medication(s) you have been prescribed. If you are on blood thinning medicine like aspirin, coumadin or Lovenox , or antibiotics for infection, you will need to take it as long as the doctor feels it is necessary. Pain medications should be taken only when needed, as it is expected that the pain will steadily lessen as the fracture heals. [Please see previous section on pain — in Common Issues after Trauma.]
How will the staff of the rehabilitation hospital or home care agency know what my injuries are and what my orthopaedic surgeon’s plan is?
Before you leave the hospital, the team will write a referral to the next “team” from the rehabilitation hospital or agency who will help you continue your recovery. The referral is a document that includes your relevant medical history, your medications, your therapy plan and any restrictions you may have to keep you safe — such as reduced weight-bearing on a leg.
Will my surgeon still manage my care during my rehabilitation?
If you go to a rehabilitation hospital, you will have a new physician from the rehabilitation hospital who will oversee the plan your BWH surgeon has set up. The staff of the rehabilitation hospital will contact your BWH surgeon should any issues arise. Patients who go to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital are visited by an attending physician from our team once a week to monitor their progress and healing in conjunction with the Spaulding team.
Send Feedback to: 
