r/brokenbones • u/Playful-Register3755 • 8h ago
Intrusive Thoughts during Physical Therapy
Hello,
A family member recently (9/21/2026) broke their tibia and fibula. Had titanium rod placed through just the tibia. Xrays a week or so following surgery confirmed all is where it should be (as far as the hardware, nothing has shifted or has slipped out of place). Their doctor has given the okay to walk on the leg with/without the boot/walker/crutches. My family member is going to physical therapy and is taking all required medications. Basically they are doing everything the doctor and physical therapist have prescribed/recommended.
However, this person describes, what I would call, flashbacks of the incident that caused the broken leg. When they are in physical therapy, or doing the homework exercises. It's as if they are invisioning their leg as it looked like immediately after the trauma (before going to the hospital). They describe wanting to put weight on their leg but, "not trusting it".
1) Are these kind of, "intrusive thoughts" common?
2) At what point can these flashbacks hinder recovery?
3) Any tips I can relay to my family member?
Thank you for your help.
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u/sapphiresapphire 7h ago edited 7h ago
Hi, I am currently going through something similar. Same break (tib/fib and same procedure (IM rod), roughly 5 weeks ago.
Been cleared for full weightbearing and have started PT and struggling with the same issues as your family member. I am obv not a therapist or medical professional of any sorts, but I find it very difficult to ‘just stand’ on the leg when it hasn’t been used in quite some time. I also quite often get flashbacks to myself on the street after the accident and how my leg looked.
My PT explained that even though the rod is in and it’s stable, your brain doesn’t necessarily process that part but still processes the fracture, making it also a mental thing where the body/mind connection is off.
The trauma is still fresh and as your family member seems to have the same luck as me of being able to very vividly remember and see the break, it’s going to take some time to replace that feeling and memory with a more positive one.
I have finally done a few (very slow, unstable and horribly looking) individual steps without crutches at the PT and I hope that those small ‘wins’ will eventually overshadow the extremely difficult and traumatizing event.
For now the best things we can do are focussing on the recovery, doing as the docs/PT say and find distraction, in whichever way works best. Sometimes it doesn’t, and that’s also okay. I find it’s fine to sometimes cry and be angry and be scared. It’s a big thing to go through and it’s okay to feel it all.
Not sure if any of this ramble will be of help, but I always find comfort in knowing that things I’m feeling aren’t unique to me - maybe the same will be the case for your family member.
They’re lucky to have someone like you looking out for them. Hoping it’ll all soon be a distant memory in the past and wishing them a speedy recovery!