How long will recovery take after a limb amputation?
A limb amputation after an accident is an unexpected and major change to your life, so it is no surprise that recovery can take a very long time. Post Acute Medical explains that the physical recovery will usually take far less time than the emotional recovery.
So, when assessing how long recovery will take, you need to consider physical and emotional separately.
Physical recovery
The physical recovery will begin the moment after your surgery. You will probably stay in the hospital for about 14 days or less. Your recovery process will involve physical therapy and learning how to live with your missing limb.
Your body will need to heal significantly before you can get a prosthesis, so you probably will not get it for a few months. You also need to strengthen the surrounding muscles to support the prosthesis. Once you get the prosthesis, you will have some continuing healing time as you get used to it and learn how to use it.
Emotional recovery
The emotional recovery can take years. You have to learn to accept that your new way of living and relearn how to do things with your new body. You may have to work through the process of accepting your new reality. Often with an accident, an amputation will occur quickly. You may have no time to prepare for it or even know about it until after it happens.
Emotional recovery often depends on your ability to accept the loss of the limb and your willingness to commit to moving forward with the understanding that your body has changed. You have to be able to adjust to your new body image as well.
