Exhaustion following bone fracture

[pinkegg11]

I fractured my shoulder 2 weeks ago and have been in a sling since. I have been feeling absolutely wiped out, especially over the last few days and quite sore and stiff all over from wearing the sling. The fatigue feels quite extreme - I can handle light activity for a few hours and then I just hit a wall and can hardly keep my eyes open. I’m going to bed and sleeping like a log which is great but this is all so unlike me! I was just wondering if this was a common symptom after fracturing or breaking a bone? Weirdly I felt much better in the first week, and worse in the last week.

You have my sympathies.
I broke my arm a few weeks again and like you have been completely wiped out since. I suppose it's just the body working overtime to repair itself and it's difficult to get a good nights sleep even though I was not in plaster for long.
Hopefully you will start to feel better soon x

Yes!!!! I broke my ankle and I couldn't believe how wiped out I was. I needed a midday nap every day. Apparently this is really common. I guess bone repair takes up a lot of energy!!

I had hand surgery and needed a cast and sling for 2 weeks. I couldn't believe how tired I was, and yes, I needed an afternoon nap every day too. Maybe painkillers play a part but the body healing is exhausting I think. I hope you feel better soon.

Bodies heal and cells renew during sleep. Children grow during sleep. It is very important. After illness, injury or surgery adequate sleep and a good diet is essential. That is why we used to have a period of convalescence after illness, particularly before there were all the different medicines available now.

Thanks so much for your replies - good to know it’s so common. Hope you all recover fully from your various injuries too.

It definitely feels like a restorative type of sleep- I think I was just surprised at how extreme it was as it’s quite a minor fracture which didn’t give me much pain at the outset. However, now I am definitely feeling sore and stiff from being in the sling. I was warned that the sling might end up creating its own set of problems! On my way to the fractures clinic now so will see what they say!