Schwarzenegger breaks leg in skiing accident

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is recuperating at his holiday home in Sun Valley, Idaho after breaking his right leg while skiing.

A spokeswoman for the governor said he planned to stay in the upmarket ski resort town where he often takes holidays at least until the end of the Christmas holiday and was “continuing to do well today and looking forward to spending time with his family”.

Doctors at the Sun Valley hospital who examined Schwarzenegger told him he needed surgery to repair his fractured femur. The operation will not take place until he returns to Los Angeles, according to spokeswoman Julie Soderlund.

But the governor has no intention of delaying his inauguration for a second term as governor, Soderlund said. He is planning two days of events to mark the occasion, starting on January 4. He is scheduled to be sworn in on January 5.

The governor’s staff would not release any details about the events surrounding Schwarzenegger’s injury or how it has affected his holiday plans. Soderlund said he was not fitted with a cast and that she did not have information on whether he was using a wheelchair or crutches to get around.

“He is doing well,” she said.

Though one of the strongest bones in the human body, the femur is commonly broken in skiing accidents, said Dr Marc Safran, director of sports medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Centre.

Depending on the location and extent of the break, the governor’s surgery could include inserting a rod into his leg, securing the injured section with a plate and screws, or even a partial hip replacement if the injury was up near the hip, Safran said.

Recovery can take six weeks or longer, but the governor could be walking, on crutches, in time for the inauguration.

Sun Valley, a favourite skiing destination for celebrities, includes a short ski trail named “Arnold’s Run” after Schwarzenegger. The trail is categorised as a black diamond, or most difficult, for its challenging terrain.

The name and level of difficulty of the trail the governor was skiing when his accident occurred were not released.