r/InjuryRecovery

I’m now 6 weeks into recovery after partial amputation of my middle, ring and little finger and honestly, it’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced — physically and emotionally.

I’ve always been an extremely active person, and one of the toughest parts has been slowing down and accepting that even simple, everyday tasks suddenly feel difficult. Things you never think twice about become challenges overnight.

Some days I feel positive and motivated. Other days it hits hard. The mental side of this recovery has been just as real as the physical side.

I decided to start documenting my recovery journey — the wins, setbacks, rehab, frustrations, and progress — partly for myself, but hopefully also to help anyone else going through something similar feel a little less alone.

If anyone here has gone through hand injuries, amputations, or long recoveries, I’d genuinely appreciate hearing your experiences, advice, or even just how you got through the difficult days.
Thanks for reading.

Just got my MRI results back & they reflect “chronic tendinosis.” I’m in treatment (PT, soon to be dry needling) but wanted to see if anyone has any experience with this / experience during training? I think it’s taking a bigger mental toll on me than physical

I just recently got diagnosed with multiple tendinopathies in the glutes and hips areas after four years of chronic pain that progressively got worse. I was obese and lost an extreme amount of weight due to an eating disorder so my tendons didn't get nutrients.

Four days ago, I spent a day sitting on the floor while sewing and I was in a bit of pain, but sitting never caused major flare ups. This time both my hips started to burn and it doesn't seem to stop whatsoever, I can't sleep without waking up with pain. I sleep on my back because of my other tendinopathy problems, otherwise I get pain in other areas.

I'm currently taking Ibuprofen 600mg x2 a day, Calcium and stretching, but have no idea of what exercises can help and I'm waiting on my physiotherapy appointment on Tuesday. Anyone can give some tips?

I’m five weeks into recovery from a distal radius fracture of my right (dominant) wrist. No joint involvement, and minor displacement only. They gave me a choice of surgery or not, and I chose to treat it non-surgically.

I will be in a cast for another week, then a brace for 3-4 weeks. I’ve chosen not to drive so far because my right hand still doesn’t function well (poor ROM), and I don’t feel comfortable driving with just my left hand. It would be fine if all goes smoothly, but I worry that if I need to swerve or otherwise make an abrupt motion, I could get in an accident. And I don’t want any more broken bones, thank you!

I’m wondering when others started driving, and what it was like for you.

Ive had my fair share of injuries since 2021, done my knee 4 times, broke my leg, sprained an ankle so bad its been swollen 5 years, but those are nothing compared to the amount of concussions ive copped, My first one was Feb 2021, Second in Feb 2021, by end of 2021 i probably had copped 5, by end of 2023 when i was retired from sports at just 15yo, i had probably copped 15 diagnosed concussions (and who knows how many undiagnosed), then in 2024 I was in a severe car accident in which I sustained a proper TBI, but now, two years later, the symptoms have not improved at all, Headaches so bad i cant sleep some nights, Cant watch TV or look at a computer for a long time, Memory loss, Fatigue, Loss of appetite and severe mental health issues leading to multiple psychiatric admissions,

Im worried I will never get better, That how ive felt for basically 5 years is permanent, Anyone else in my position have any advice for me

I (26 f) had two kneecap dislocations in my late teens. The first dislocation happened when I was 17. I was going down a ladder and my left foot was twisted when I stepped on the floor and it suddenly dislocated. The pain was excruciating and they had to take me to the ER to move it back in place. I got lucky during the first dislocation and I didn’t get any cartridge damage from it.

The second dislocation happened when I was 18 and I wasn’t as fortunate . I was at a Zumba class when it happened. We were moving side to side very fast and my legs were moving laterally. My left knee suddenly dislocated and the pain was so excruciating that I screamed and cried the whole time I was being transported to the ER. The second dislocation was more severe.

The ER doctor told me that part of my kneecap was ripped off but it’s not serious and I can recover. He said that it would become a problem if I get more dislocations over the years and that’s when it turns into a problem. They did an X-ray. I don’t know the full extent of the damage.

My left leg was swollen for a few weeks and it took me a month to recover. I was considering surgery to strengthen my ligaments. I seen a specialist and he told me that I have mild knock knees and he doesn’t recommend surgery because my ligaments would go back to baseline because of my anatomy.

I’m now 26 and I haven’t had a third dislocation but I’m noticing weird feelings in my knees all of these years later. I was on a 10 hour flight recently and my left knee was aching and sore the whole time but my right knee was fine. It made a clicking noise after the flight whenever I walked. Both of my knees, even the dislocation free knee makes a clicking noise when i walk up a flight of stairs.

My left knee can’t handle weight loading very well and tires out easily compared to my right knee. I go to yoga regularly and my left knee is less tolerant than my right. Is this normal after my past? Am I developing arthritis? Could I be at risk of a third dislocation? I love yoga and I really don’t want to quit it.

5 years ago, I was shot by accident with a shotgun from a very small distance in my right leg, I lost a huge chunk of my leg (Fat and muscle) and a lot of arteries were destroyed, they had to take an artery from my other leg and stitch it in the wounded leg to replace a main artery. They took half of the bullets out, but i still have the other half of the bullets inside my leg.

i spent 3 days in the ICU, the doctors said me surviving was close to a miracle.

there was a 50% chance of amputation, but luckily i still have half of my leg, and a small limp that i think people don’t really notice.

AMA!

I had a terrible accident 8-9 days ago. Thankfully there were no fractures, but i got a couple stitches on my right knee. My stitches have healed so far but my knee joint has gone stiff by keeping it straight all this time, it wont fold or has any mobility.
Recommend me some ways/exercises i can do to help my knee move.

Everything’s in the title. I’ve been forced to quit Effexor, prescribed benzos, and drugs, all that without medical help (my psychiatrist literally forgot me, that’s not a joke, luckily not everything at the same time)
I have a PTSD from my harassment during my previous job, not treated. I’m think I’m bipolar since.
Lost all my friends during that time, living completely alone, like a good slave. Fell into drugs, of course, and the ptsd made me bipolar (it was surely already here but was never a thing before the trauma).
New job, this time bore-out, no tasks at all in one month.
Tonight (in Europe) it was too much, I cut myself again, legs completely covered.
I’m only alive right now for my cat, she’s 10 and when she’ll be gone I’ll kms too.
I’m 28, I’ll live max until 32 I think, already way too much.
I except nothing but a read, and thank you for that.

I have had this happen twice in two years both at the same time right before the summer. I had one pop in my knee, and then have from then on had a weird tingling feeling in the lower part of my knee just below where my knee cap ends. My knee feels off and sort of numb or like not fully there. I do think some of it is mental but I am trying to figure out first off what this type of problem is, as well as how I can actually fix it becuase it really does mess with my sports and my confidence and how I feel running. Please anyone that can help me and knows what might have happened comment anything and everything you know it would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, im a shift lead at a DQ in a pretty busy area. Im pretty sure my ankle is sprained, its been about two weeks since the incident and walking has not improved, if anything its gotten worse. Im heavily limping and its hard to keep up with the pace. We are very short handed on staff as of late and I just have so much anxiety about needing time off especially when the schedule is already out. Im also afraid it might be something worse. Should I skip asking for time off and just go straight to the doctors and get a note or should I try to ask for a couple of days off?

I should mention, ive tried ace bandages and when that didn't help I dropped 30 dollars on an ankle brace that has only seemed to make it hurt more to walk.

plz help me i m suffering from back injury more then 1 year last year i joined gym where i got injury disc bulges
si joint inflammation even cervical disc bulges and right now my age is 25 only i live in pain even my life stuck at one place m in so much depression went to many doctors but nothing works took injections sometimes i just start thinking to end my life
plz anyone there help me

I got flexor tendon repair surgery 2 years ago (aged 23) on my right pinky and ring fingers.

Injury / surgery / recovery details:

Injury: FDS and FDP tendons severed in pinky and ring fingers at PIP joint on right (dominant) hand

Surgery: plastic surgery, FDS and FDP repaired in ring finger, FDP only repaired in pinky, a2 and a4 pulleys vented

Recovery:

• cast for 3 days

• physio from day 3 to 12 weeks post op (exercises and massages, I was very diligent with my routine)

• splint from day 3 and phased out by week 8

• week 5: additional splint for just the fingers to wear overnight to help extension

My recovery went really well according to my PT, thankfully I had a really good surgeon (UK, NHS) and I had age on my side in terms of healing. I would say, 2 years on, that my hand function is about 85% of what it was originally. The fingers are still slightly bent to this day but it's unnoticeable to anyone other than myself.

NB. please remember that no two people experience the same recovery, there are so many variables involved that determine the outcome

What 85% hand function looks like:

I can pretty much do everything in my day to day without any issues, however I would say that the slight disfunction is very noticeable.

In terms of grip, I struggle gripping things for extended periods and with repeated gripping and un-gripping. For example, if I'm holding a mug for too long those fingers tend to complain. I used to work in a cafe and had to avoid holding mugs in my right hand when washing up because gripping the handles on and off made the fingers fatigued almost. Another example is if I'm plaiting my hair the repeated gripping and ungripping causes the same issue.

I don't have much fine grip anymore which causes me to drop things that I wouldn't have previously; I do a lot of embroidery and I drop the needle frequently or struggle pulling the thread through since my fine grip isn't there.

When it comes to extension of those fingers, I've only experienced discomfort / pain when holding a stack of heavy plates that really puts stress on the tendons. Another noticeable difference is when using the mouse pad on my laptop, the pinky and ring finger aren't really used to scroll so they kinda stay in an extended position and I have to make a fist and wiggle them to get them to wake up almost.

There have been a couple of occasions where I have felt a pop in my ring finger and have put that down to scar tissue pulling away / tearing since the movement of my finger had not been affected. I stopped with physio and massages at 12 weeks post op, I'm sure if I continued with those that it'd be beneficial.

Lastly, I have yet to return to the gym, I'm not sure whether it's because I don't trust my grip or the thought of possibly rupturing it makes me sick to the stomach. But I have seen many accounts of people returning to weights and to climbing so it shouldn't be an issue, it's just my own worries.

I hope that this helps people with recovery expectations; my PT said that I've experienced what would be the best case scenario for me based on all factors involved for me. Again, I'd like to stress that there are many variables that determine outcome. Make sure to stay on top of your physio routines! Always communicate with your PT what's working and what's not. But most of all, BE KIND TO YOURSELF! Progress can plateau and it will but that's great it means you're maintaining that level of function.

Just got the mri results and it sounds like a worst case outcome to me

Complete ACL tear
Grade 2 MCL sprain with small avulsion fracture
Medial meniscus tear
Medial meniscocapsular injury
Lateral meniscocapsular separation/injury
Possible loose body/chondral shear injury
Bone bruising (contrecoup osseous injury)
Large joint effusion (swelling)
Mild patellar tendinosis
Mild quadriceps tendinosis

hi, yesterday i rolled my left ankle about 90 degrees inwards. didnt think much of it and continued walking on it, during the day it started hurting more and more and last night i couldnt stand on it at all. today was a tiny bit better but pretty much the same except i could move my toes and the foot up and down. its not bruised at all, the swelling is not directly on the ankle itself, its about half an inch from it, on the foot. How do i heal it fast? how long will it take to heal? what did i even hurt?
UPDATE: still no bruising, can walk on it now but it hurts to bend it up, and i crouched down to get something and someting cracked and it actually helped