Broken Back-Leg Numbness

  My friend broke his back in May in a Motorcycle accident, recovered and is walking.  He has 2 pins in his back.  He says he's still in alot of pain, and experiences leg numbness after standing for periods at a time, and also can't sit for long periods.  The Dr.s at University have pretty much told him to simply deal with it.  My question, to help lift his spirits alittle, is what is the normal time frame as far as pain goes for recovery of a broken back, and will the numbness he experiences eventually go away, and in what time frame.  He wants to someday return to work, but sees no hope there.
  Thank-you for your time.
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Thanks for your question.  The symptoms described in your message are suggestive of spinal canal stenosis, namely pain/numbness after prolonged periods in upright position, not necessarily related to movement.  Because the surgical intervention occurred over 6 months ago, one should expect the soft tissue healing/recovery to be completed by now.  One should also
consider the possibility that the surgical hardware is causing nerve root irritation.  He should discuss with his physicians the necessity of re-imaging the spine.
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.