Bound in Stillness
Copyright© 2025 by Heel
Chapter 5: The Unexpected Restriction
The clinic smelled of antiseptic and faint coffee. She shifted uneasily in the waiting chair, the crutches leaning against her side.
The nurse called her name. She rose slowly, gripping the crutches, feeling the strain along her hip as she lifted the leg forward. Every movement demanded careful calculation; the leg felt like a lever she barely controlled.
The doctor appeared, clipboard in hand, his expression calm. “The fracture itself is healing well,” he said, “but your hip shows signs of strain from keeping the leg elevated. To prevent further injury, we need to immobilize your hip with a brace. It will restrict movement more than before, but it will also help you hold the leg off the floor with less direct effort from your muscles.”
Her stomach sank. “A brace ... more restrictive?”
“Yes,” he said. “It will limit your hip motion significantly, which may feel confining. But it supports the leg, so you can maintain extension without overworking your muscles.”
The words hit her. The leg already demanded constant effort to stay straight; now the brace would lock her hip in place. Yet paradoxically, the brace offered something she hadn’t had before—a mechanical assist that allowed the leg to stay elevated with less tremor, less fear of it sagging. She gripped the crutches tighter, testing the new support, and felt the tension shift: some weight moved off her muscles and into the brace itself.
The nurse helped her stand on a small platform. Keeping the leg fully extended, she lifted it slightly off the floor. The brace locked her hip, forcing a rigid line from pelvis to toes. The thigh quivered at first, shoulders burned, but the brace held her in alignment. Passersby in the hallway slowed to watch the careful, trembling motion, and she felt a flicker of pride amid the exhaustion.
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