Things You Cannot Do With A Broken Arm

Until you’ve had a broken bone in your body, you don’t realize how easy life was when all of them were intact.

So when you break a bone in your arm, you realize how easy your day-to-day tasks were when you had both hands and arms to do them for you. 

As you spend weeks in a sling, you discover something new that you cannot manage with one arm each day. As easy as a task may be to someone with functioning arms, they’re no walk in the park for someone with a broken one.

We have a related article for you, you can read Things That Can Help You With A Broken Arm.

Things You Can’t Do With The Broken Arm 

Here are some things that you cannot do with a broken arm.

Gardening 

If you’re a fan of gardening and enjoy it as one of your favorite pastimes, a broken arm is a bad news for you. Not only will your doctor strictly restrict you from strenuous activities like gardening, but it is also not entirely possible. 

You can’t pot your plants, plant new ones, or get rid of the weeds as they flourish in the temporary absence of one of your arms. Pretty much all you can manage single-handedly is watering your plants, so they don’t die of dehydration by the time you’re out of your sling.

Writing

Slings are unlucky, but they can be even unluckier if you’ve been unfortunate enough to break your dominant arm/hand. If that’s the case, then writing is one of the first things you will not be able to manage with a broken arm. But if you’re up for the challenge, you can try writing with your non-dominant one.

Typing 

With writing, you can try your luck with your non-dominant hand. You may even get to the point where your handwriting is readable by the time you get rid of your cast and sling. But that’s not the case if part of your work activities includes typing daily.

Unlike the case with handwriting, typing involves both hands, which automatically makes it a two-arm job. It takes both arms unless you have all the time in the world and can take your time as you type, pressing one key at a time with your available hand and arm.

Cooking

For someone living on their own, cooking can be one of the first changes you must adjust to and one of the biggest challenges you face because of a broken arm. Your broken arm will give you the advantage of having only one arm at your disposal to manage all that goes into cooking a meal. 

You will be unable to cook, open cans for frozen and canned items, lift heavy pots and pans, cut fruits and vegetables, and so much more. As dramatic as it seems, you can only do all those things without thinking of them as a task if you have both arms at your disposal, which is not the case when you have a broken arm.

Taking Care of your Hygiene

This is another one of the most significant yet irritating challenges you will face as you try to navigate your way around life with a broken arm. Apart from the unavailability of an arm, another factor will put you at a disadvantage as you try to stay hygienic.

The notorious factor is the strict orders from your doctor to keep your broken arm away from all sources of water to keep it from getting wet. 

To make sure the bone heals appropriately without the involvement of any bodily fluids or external factors, you have to make sure it stays dry at all times, making it difficult to shower or shave or shampoo your hair.

Getting Dressed

You don’t think much of it as you get dressed for work or a date on a typical day. Well, you are in for another irritating challenge as doing something as simple as slipping into your jeans or getting out of a shirt becomes a test of your patience when you have a broken arm.

Sometimes, you won’t have enough hands on board to button up your shirt, and at other times, you won’t be able to figure out how to get out of said shirt without bending or twisting your broken arm. Unless you have help or clothes that cooperate with you in this time of need, it will be a tough few weeks as your bone heals.

Enjoy Outdoor Activities

If you’re outdoorsy, life may be colorless and dull with a broken arm. You may not be able to travel much, given that you may not be as comfortable in unknown environments with a broken arm as you previously were.

Living alone with a broken arm is challenging because it restricts your outdoor activities.

Besides, you may not be able to enjoy physical activities like rock climbing, mountain climbing, swimming, surfing, and much more as you have one less hand at your disposal to enjoy them safely and comfortably.

Sleep Comfortably

For most people, a good night’s sleep involves tossing and turning through the night and sleeping in different positions. You get in trouble with a broken arm because you may turn on the wrong side and wake up in pain.

It can continue to get troublesome as you find it hard to sleep on one side; try not to toss and turn in your sleep, and figure out a comfortable sleeping position for both you and your broken arm. 

Note 

Life can be different and complex as you learn to live it anew with a broken arm and after it. You will have to figure out new ways to do basic tasks as you go through the uncomfortable process of healing a bone.

However, as you go and grow through that experience in the weeks it takes, the value of health and functioning limbs will dawn on you. Till then, stick to the silver lining because this too shall pass.