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Talk about breaking news. It turns out that in the rough and tumble of politics, it’s possible to take a rough tumble. Just ask Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who recently broke her
elbow when she fell in the State Department’s basement garage, and Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, who fractured her ankle in a fall at the airport. To get a sense of how they’re
enduring, how long before they heal, and what kind of meds are getting them through, PEOPLE consulted two orthopedic experts: Dr. Mark Ganjianpour, who practices in Beverly Hills (elbow),
and Dr. David Thordarson of USC (ankle). PAIN LEVEL CLINTON: ” It hurts a lot for the first day or two,” says Thordarson. “Most people are on some kind of narcotic pain medication –
something like Vicodin intermittently throughout the day for the first couple of days, then maybe at bedtime for a week or so beyond that.” SOTOMAYOR: “The first 48-hours is pretty painful,”
says Ganjianpour. “Then subsequently they start feeling better and moving their elbow after seven to 10 days. The first 48-hours is painful and you would usually take a narcotic medication
for about seven to ten days and then most people take other [over the counter] medications after that.” TYPICAL TREATMENT CLINTON: “Most typically, people break the bone called the
olecranon, and that’s where your triceps muscles connect to your elbow,” says Ganjianpour. “The treatment for that fracture is typically to surgically treat it by putting the bones together
and putting some sort of device onto the bone. Surgery is typical.” SOTOMAYOR: “Presumably she has a non-displaced fracture; therefore she is just being immobilized,” says Thordarson. “So
you put them in a cast for generally six weeks, they’ll often times start bearing weight three to four weeks after.” PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS CLINTON: “The first week or 10 days you are unable
to bend your elbow, you’re in a sling and it’s on your side. After about 10 days or so you try to move your elbow so it doesn’t get stiff,” Ganjianpour says. SOTOMAYOR: The non-weight
bearing period typically lasts two-to-six weeks. Once they get pass that period then they start walking in a short-leg cast or a removable walking boot. As they feel better with that they
can transition to something like a walking shoe,” says Thordarson. HEALING CLINTON: ” It takes about three to four months for it to completely heal,” says Ganjianpour.” That is with the
surgery. SOTOMAYOR: “Depends on [how you] define heal. Walk without cast or boot: six-to-10 weeks. Long walks/walking exercise: three-to-four months. Jogging/running: six-to-nine months,”
says Thordarson. _from_ HUFFINGTON POST FATHERS DAY SPECIAL: Celeb Dads And Famous Kids PHOTOS: Thong-Wearing Bruno In Amsterdam