advice wanted for my dad!

[doraexplorer]

I am just posting here in the hope that someone can help with some advice.  My dad has broken two thoracic vertebrae (T2 and T6 I think) and came out of hospital 10 days ago.  He fell 20 ft and also broke a rib and had a punctured lung.  He lay flat for 6 weeks (as he was told the fractures were unstable) and now wears a brace.  The problem is that he is in a lot of pain and has been sent home with the only follow up in 6 weeks and has been given no advice on management of pain/prescriptions/recovery time.  He basically lies in bed all day in pain otherwise if he gets up and moves about the pain comes on, in the region of the site of the injury.  I might also mention that he had no back pain at all in hospital when lying flat and was on no painkillers.  Can anyone help here?  How long can he expect to take to recover from this?  Thanks for any advice!!!

Mairi

[Gary Anderson]

If there is no neurological problems and your Dad can walk/move/feel as normal then in my professional opinion, it can take up to 1 year to fully recover from a broken back. It takes 6 weeks for broken bones to heal but to get back to fully activity, etc. it takes at least a year. He will have to be guided by the doctors and not rush anything. Believe you me to break you back and not end up paralysed is extremely lucky - and I think you would do anything it takes to not end up like the rest of us. Patience is what is required.

[doraexplorer]

thanks very much gary for the reply, I see you work as a (surgeon?) in GRI. I also work in GRI.  Anyway, I guess I do need to get some perspective on this as yes, my dad has no nerve damage, weakness etc.  Obviously it would have been a much bigger adjustment for him if he were paralysed which could, I agree, have quite easily happened after seeing where he fell from.  I don't know the exact nature of the back injury other than two damaged vertebrae (one may have been an old injury).  Well anyway, I guess it is early days and I shouldn't panic too much, I guess it is just not nice to see someone in pain like that...but after a year I guess we will get a better picture of what life will be like in the longer term for him...

Thanks for the reply.

Mairi

[chrisarnold]

Hi Mairi,

Sounds like good professional advice. I remember knocking my right knee in a motor accident. For some time after, it would ache quite badly, after a longish drive with the control needed on the accelerator. I suddenly realised that it had stopped doing this after some time. I must have sustained a hairline break, which ultimately healed.

Your dad is fortunate not have suffered serious nerve damage. As time goes by, he may feel like gentle swimming or hydrotherapy, maybe pilates or yoga - needless to say, get your doc's opinion on this one.