Bone & recovery
Fracture Rehabilitation — North Vancouver
Once the cast comes off, the hard part is getting the stiff, weak limb working again. We pick up where the bone-healing leaves off — guided by your physician's clearance, never ahead of it.
What it is
Understanding your fracture rehab.
A fracture is a break, crack, or disruption in a bone — anything from a hairline stress fracture to a complete, displaced break. It usually announces itself with immediate pain, swelling, bruising, and trouble moving or putting weight through the area. Some fractures are obvious from a visible deformity or a limb sitting in an abnormal position; others are far less apparent. Bones can break anywhere, and healing depends on the fragments lining up and being protected long enough to knit back to full strength.
Most fractures come from trauma: a fall, a sports collision, a car crash, or a direct blow. Others build up over time — stress fractures from repetitive loading are common in runners and athletes. Bone health is part of the story too, with osteoporosis, poor nutrition, or previous fractures leaving bone more vulnerable to breaking in the first place.
Where physiotherapy fits is the recovery, not the break itself. The fracture is managed first by your physician — set, immobilized, and sometimes surgically fixed. While the bone heals under a cast or brace, the surrounding muscles weaken, nearby joints stiffen, and movement patterns change. Rehab restores all of that, on a timeline set by how the bone is healing.
What to expect
Bone healing runs on its own clock — commonly six to twelve weeks before a fracture is solid enough for real loading, longer for some bones and for surgically repaired breaks. Rehab tracks that timeline closely: early on we protect and gently mobilize within whatever your physician permits, then build range, strength, and function once you're cleared. We coordinate with your surgeon or family doctor throughout and never advance load ahead of medical clearance. Recovery of full strength and confidence often continues for weeks beyond the point the bone is technically healed, and that's normal.
Get a plan
Not sure if we're the right fit?
Send us a quick note about what's going on. A physiotherapist — not a receptionist — will read it and reply with what they'd recommend. No commitment to book.
Common questions
About fracture rehab.
When can I start physiotherapy after a fracture?+
Physio begins once your treating physician confirms the fracture is healing well and clears the area for movement. For some fractures that means gentle work on surrounding joints even while you're still in a cast; for others it's only after the cast comes off. We always work to your doctor's or surgeon's instructions and weight-bearing status — we don't get ahead of the bone.
My cast is off but the limb feels weak and stiff. Is that normal?+
Completely normal. Weeks of immobilization predictably leave the muscles wasted, the nearby joints stiff, and the limb feeling foreign to use. That's exactly what rehab is for — restoring range first, then rebuilding strength and confidence in a graded way so the limb returns to doing what you need it to.
I broke a bone in a car accident — is rehab covered by ICBC?+
Yes. Physiotherapy after a fracture sustained in a motor vehicle accident is covered under ICBC's Enhanced Care model. Bring your claim number to your first visit once your physician has cleared you to begin rehab, and we'll handle the billing directly.
What about a fracture from a workplace fall?+
If the fracture happened at work, your rehabilitation is typically covered through WorkSafeBC. We can treat under an accepted claim and coordinate the reporting — bring your claim details, and as with any fracture we start once your treating physician has given the go-ahead.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual presentations vary — assessment findings and treatment plans differ from person to person. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, neurological changes (numbness, weakness, bowel or bladder changes), or a significant trauma, contact your physician or emergency services. Physiotherapy at Medstar Sport Physio & Health is provided by physiotherapists registered with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia (CPTBC).