Embarrassed about her weight, a woman tried to self-treat a running injury — and ended up losing her leg
Minor accidents are often brushed aside because many people assume the pain will reduce with rest and medication. One woman recently shared a shocking medical experience after tripping on a tree root during a running session and later relying on painkillers while trying to recover at home. What followed left her hospitalized and in need of major surgery. Unfortunately, it was too late, and the woman had to have her leg amputated. The story gained attention online after being posted by Reddit user (u/vqzku) on May 5, 2026.
The woman explained that she was jogging on a trail near her home when her foot caught on a tree root, causing her body to twist awkwardly before she fell hard onto the ground. Although she felt something shift painfully in her hip, she believed the injury had settled back into place once she moved again. She went home, took ibuprofen, and rested, assuming she had only strained something badly due to the fall. Later, her foot started to feel numb, and when things got worse, putting all her embarrassment aside, she visited the hospital. Doctors later discovered that blood flow to her leg was completely blocked after an artery in her groin was damaged during the fall. The woman eventually underwent a major amputation after serious complications developed in her leg.
As the hours passed, her condition slowly worsened in a way she never expected. She later explained, “I was able to stand, so I assumed it was a strain or a bad fall.” Even at home, she noticed troubling signs, such as coldness and numbness spreading in her foot, but still hesitated to seek emergency care. She admitted she waited longer than she should have because she felt embarrassed, saying she did not want to go to the hospital “for what I thought might just be me being out of shape and overreacting.” This delay became critical, as doctors later found no pulse in her foot when she finally arrived for treatment.
Doctors performed emergency procedures to try to restore circulation. However, the condition had already caused severe tissue damage and required additional surgical steps. Ultimately, surgeons had no choice but to perform a hip disarticulation, removing the entire leg from the hip joint due to the extent of the damage. Paying attention to symptoms early on is important to prevent major medical problems. In another incident, a man developed fever-like symptoms after a casual dental visit but assumed it was a minor issue and delayed seeking medical help. His condition quickly worsened within 45 hours as he began shaking and vomiting.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I’m so cold, and I can’t stop shaking," he informed his partner. By the time he reached emergency care, doctors found the infection had progressed to septic shock, a dangerous condition where the body starts to shut down. His partner later said how they were “literally forced to allow the amputation to save his life.” The body might try to warn us before things turn critical. The lesson is to never ignore these signs and symptoms and have them checked out by a medical professional.
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