I've done a bunch of googling on this but I still can't seem to find exactly what I need--many thanks for your input!
This is 1927, though that probably has only minor relevance. My character-- a healthy, fit 19 year old-- falls skiing and badly sprains his knee (I suppose this is the sequel to my last post in this section, on cross-country skiing, ha). It's probably on the severe end of a moderate sprain, with a definite ligament tear. Quite a lot of pain. He can walk on it, but barely, and he probably shouldn't. Immediately afterwards he walks about a mile back to the car, completely refusing the help of his brother, though maybe bracing himself a bit with ski poles. He's at home for the weekend so his mom immediately makes him sit and elevate the knee and put ice on it, despite his protests. However, the next day he goes back to school in the city. For various reasons the character feels the need to pretend it's totally fine. He doesn't ice it or elevate it. Despite a severe, very painful limp he does all the walking he usually does--about 2 miles each way to school, around school, up and down stairs (though he's forced to take those one at a time). It's clear to everyone it's a bad injury but he says it's fine, just stiff, I'm being dramatic, etc. He even tries to run in gym class (mandatory at his university at the time), which lasts about 2 paces, and gets the instructor yelling at him (he's not an athlete--he really doesn't know how serious a knee injury can be). All he really does for it is take a lot of aspirin.
So--questions.
1. All this walking around on it isn't good, is it? Is he going to make the injury worse? How? I don't really want him to end up with a permanent limp, and I don't think surgery would be an option at the time, but prolonged recovery time and/or lingering effects are fine, if probable. Is there a point where he really needs to start being more contentious to prevent permanent disability? Or can he just be lucky enough for it to eventually heal fine despite his idiocy?
2. Considering 1., how long is he likely to be in pain? (at rest? walking? stairs/kneeling?). How long is he likely to be limping?
3. If anyone around has sprained their own knee--what does it feel like (afterwards--we aren't in his POV when it happens)? Sharp, aching, stabbing, throbbing? Any other details?
Many many many thanks!
This is 1927, though that probably has only minor relevance. My character-- a healthy, fit 19 year old-- falls skiing and badly sprains his knee (I suppose this is the sequel to my last post in this section, on cross-country skiing, ha). It's probably on the severe end of a moderate sprain, with a definite ligament tear. Quite a lot of pain. He can walk on it, but barely, and he probably shouldn't. Immediately afterwards he walks about a mile back to the car, completely refusing the help of his brother, though maybe bracing himself a bit with ski poles. He's at home for the weekend so his mom immediately makes him sit and elevate the knee and put ice on it, despite his protests. However, the next day he goes back to school in the city. For various reasons the character feels the need to pretend it's totally fine. He doesn't ice it or elevate it. Despite a severe, very painful limp he does all the walking he usually does--about 2 miles each way to school, around school, up and down stairs (though he's forced to take those one at a time). It's clear to everyone it's a bad injury but he says it's fine, just stiff, I'm being dramatic, etc. He even tries to run in gym class (mandatory at his university at the time), which lasts about 2 paces, and gets the instructor yelling at him (he's not an athlete--he really doesn't know how serious a knee injury can be). All he really does for it is take a lot of aspirin.
So--questions.
1. All this walking around on it isn't good, is it? Is he going to make the injury worse? How? I don't really want him to end up with a permanent limp, and I don't think surgery would be an option at the time, but prolonged recovery time and/or lingering effects are fine, if probable. Is there a point where he really needs to start being more contentious to prevent permanent disability? Or can he just be lucky enough for it to eventually heal fine despite his idiocy?
2. Considering 1., how long is he likely to be in pain? (at rest? walking? stairs/kneeling?). How long is he likely to be limping?
3. If anyone around has sprained their own knee--what does it feel like (afterwards--we aren't in his POV when it happens)? Sharp, aching, stabbing, throbbing? Any other details?
Many many many thanks!