Brooke Shields reveals extensive injuries after ‘excruciating’ fall in January

Actress Brooke Shields has undergone several painful surgeries after shattering her leg in an “excruciating” freak accident.

Brooke Shields says she’s “come a long way” in her recovery after an “excruciating” accident at a gym in January which shattered her right femur.

The Blue Lagoon star, 55, spent three weeks in hospital undergoing multiple leg surgeries after “snapping” her femur while using a balance board at a New York City gym, she revealed on Instagram, and now requires physical therapy to relearn how to walk.

“I’ve come a long way since this, but the journey is just beginning,” she captioned her latest post along with a series of photos from her hospital room depicting the star with a heavily bandaged arm and right leg.

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Speaking to People, she recalled the accident that led to the extensive injuries, revealing she had fallen off the balance board and landed heavily on her femur.

“It felt like it was all in slow motion. And then I just started screaming,” she said.

“Sounds came out that I’ve never heard before. The pain was so excruciating.”

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Shields described “flying” from the balance board and landing hard on her leg. Picture: Getty Images.

Shields, who said she was “so afraid I was paralysed,” was taken by ambulance to hospital where she underwent surgery to place two metal rods near her hip.

The Suddenly Susan actress required further surgery on her femur from the impact of the fall, with five more rods and a metal plate put in to hold it in place.

But it wasn’t the end of surgery for Shields, who landed back in hospital after developing a severe staph infection from her stay, requiring an emergency operation.

The star is back home now and in the process of receiving physical therapy to relearn how to walk, she told People.

“The feeling of helplessness is shocking,” the actress told the publication of the gruelling therapy, adding that she’s doing her best to stay positive and sharing words of encouragement.

“This is my journey, and if it took me breaking the largest bone in my body, then recovery is something I want to share,” she said.

“We have to believe in ourselves and encourage one another. There’s no other way to get through life, period.”