Madonna’s fitness will aid recovery, surgeon says
Madonna‘s horse-riding injuries mean she will have to stop dancing for several months and lay off her beloved yoga, an expert said today. But the singer can use skills from the relaxation technique to help her recovery, because deep breathing is key to avoiding chest infections after suffering cracked ribs and a broken collar bone.
Leela Biant, an orthopaedic surgeon at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, said the star was unlikely to need surgery and would be fully mobile. But she will currently be in some discomfort and will need to take painkillers for about a fortnight. Singing will be painful during that time.
She will also be likely to be wearing a sling and will take about three months to recover fully from the accident, after which she can resume normal activities – including dancing.
“You don’t treat broken ribs, they heal by themselves,” Ms Biant said. “But people are encouraged to take deep breaths because the lung underneath can be bruised and it can leave you a bit more susceptible to chest infections if you don’t breathe deeply. The fact that Madonna is very fit and healthy will help her recovery and because she does a lot of yoga she will be used to deep breathing.”
“It will be more painful than taking small, shallow breaths, because it moves the ribs more but it is important. Broken collar bones usually heal by themselves as well – only a few per cent of people need an operation. They will probably let it try to heal and if it doesn’t then it might require surgery.”
“She will need painkillers and it’s going to be uncomfortable, especially trying to sleep. Sleeping on one side will be hard, particularly for the first two weeks. She will be completely mobile, but the yoga is going to have to wait for a while. She’s not going to want to put her arm above the level of her shoulder so she won’t be able to reach up. And she won’t be on her horse again for three months.”
“But people with an upper limb injury are encouraged to get up and walk around so she won’t be confined to bed by any means.”
Ms Biant said without knowing what part of Madonna’s hand was broken, it was hard to say how that injury would affect the star. While her broken ribs should heal in about six weeks, and be more comfortable after two or three weeks, the broken collar bone will take eight to 12 weeks to get better.
It should cause less discomfort after four to six weeks.
From the Irish Examiner