Cracked Pelvis/Hip Contusion

Hi,
I fell through my grandmother's attic on March 18th. My discharge papers say I have a hip contusion, but the doctor thought she saw a crack in my pelvis on the x-rays. We declined a cat scan because we don't have insurance.
I'm now at home and walking on crutches. I still can barely move my left leg without the aid of my arms, whether it's lifting it to get in to bed or to prop it up. I am worried about muscle atrophy, but I am still in a lot of pain and I'm worried about injuring it further if I try to exercise my leg now. Is there anything I can do? How long can I expect to be in this state?

[Michael L Gross, MD]

Its only been a week, so even if itis simply a contusion (a bruise) it is allowed to still be painful.So, don't panic. If it hurts to move your leg against gravity, you can begin by doing simple isometric contractions which do not require you to move your leg. i fthe pain persists for more than another week or so, then you really should see your doctor.

[lasercats]

Thanks Dr. Gross. Another question came up today. My friend is a massage therapist, and I would really like to get a massage from her, since my muscles are quite sore from the trauma. She is worried about re-injury, so we agreed to wait a while. Is it possible for me to be hurt further from a massage?  

[Michael L Gross, MD]

I think it would be wise to wait until you see the orthopedist, and have an accurate diagnosis.