Dear daisy349I have had patients who perform light office work return to work the next day. But those individuals were unfazed by being seen with a split on their nose and having swelling and perhaps bruising. And were also extremely motivated.Most patients want to have the splint off, swelling subsided to a reasonably inconspicuous amount and any bruising concealed by makeup before returning to work. That's usually about a week. For those engaged in work that requires a lot of heavy lifting and/or bending, such an agricultural nursery I recommend 2 to 3 weeks. Occasionally a patient may work in an environment where they have a real risk of being struck in the face, such as nursing care for combative, mentally impaired patients. In those instances I recommend 6 to 8 weeks before returning.Best wishes and good luck Curtis Perry MDAgoura Hills, CA
If you have a desk job, there should be no limitation as to when you could return to work if you are not concerned about people asking about your splint. For a job involving more physical activity I would check with your surgeon.Dr. Corbin
