Aggressively Treating Serious Bruising

[Disclaimer:  This is not meant as medical advice but rather how I dealt with serious bruising and complications.  If you suffer a serious bruise, seek medical attention.]

On February 18 I suffered a fluke injury to my leg that resulted in serious bruising that developed a rather large hematoma.  Mobility was greatly affected for a full two week period but as of Monday of this week I was off the crutches, hobbling painfully around.  I have been very aggressive treating this injury.  Here is what I have done:

• icing immediately as soon as I saw the damage - Ice should be applied as soon after the injury as possible to reduce swelling and promote clotting.
• sought medical assessment including x-rays to rule out any fractures - There was a strong possibility of a fracture given the force with which my leg was hit. 
• RICE - rest, ice (20 minutes every 2 hours), compression (omitted due to extent of hematoma), elevation;  Compression should not be used with any bruise that has developed a hematoma.
• arnica cream - Arnica cream is a natural anti-inflammatory agent with pain killing properties.  It helps the bruise to heal quicker.  I have applied arnica cream three times a day and will continue to do so until all signs of bruising are gone.
• Vitamin C - I immediately started taking 5,000 mg of Vitamin C daily.  Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that is needed for tissue repair so it supports healing.  Vitamin C is water soluble so any excess your body doesn't need will be excreted.  There is no danger of taking too much.  Now that I'm on my feet I have added an additional 2,000 mg for a total of 7,000 mg daily.
• low-impact leg stretching - One concern is clots forming at the back of my leg so it is important to keep the calf muscle moving to prevent clot formation there.
• not overdoing it - Now that I'm off the crutches and slowly hobbling about the house it is important to not overdo things.  According to my doctor the hematoma will take a good month to show good signs of improvement.  In the meantime for continued healing it will be necessary to continue what I'm doing, gradually increasing movement without over tiring my leg while watching for any negative symptoms (eg. increased swelling, pain, etc.)

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