Nina Dobrev has provided fans with an update on her recovery process following a dirt biking accident in May that resulted in a severe knee injury. On Monday, June 16, the Vampire Diaries star, 35, shared details of her daily routine since the accident through a series of slides on her Instagram Story.
She began by explaining her routine: “Eat. Sleep. CPM machine. Physical therapy. Repeat,” and added in smaller text at the bottom of her post, “If you’ve had this injury you know what a CPM is…the rest of you won’t.”
A CPM machine is a “motorized device that passively moves a joint through a pre-set range of motion” and “may be used after surgery to reduce joint stiffness and improve range of motion,” according to Healthline.
Dobrev’s update follows her first public appearance in almost two months, where she discussed the injuries and her recovery from surgery during a June 12 appearance on The Talk.
“I had knee surgery,” Dobrev shared. “I got a giant brace. I can’t really walk on my own yet. I had a fractured knee as well as ACL repair and meniscus.”
She added, “I don’t recommend it, guys. It’s OK, I learned a lesson: don’t ever get on a dirt bike,” noting it was her first time riding one.
Dobrev elaborated on the incident, saying, “I was in a wheelie, lost control, whisky throttled, bike flew, luckily it didn’t fall on me, which is what the doctor said would have been a lot worse. But when I landed, I landed on one leg, straight, and my knee just, like, snapped.”
Despite the long recovery ahead, Dobrev is supported by her longtime boyfriend, Shaun White, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and their dogs.
“Cuddle puddle is my life these days,” she said. “It’s just the puppies, and at home watching movies, physical therapy, eat, sleep or pee is kind of the schedule.”
Before Dobrev’s accident, White, 37, had shared with Us Weekly about their adventures as he worked through his post-retirement bucket list after stepping away from professional competition following the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
“It’s been really fun having time together,” he noted. “Normally, I’m off competing and she’s shooting a project or something … but now we’ve got some time together.”
He also mentioned that the couple, who have been together since 2020, have been traveling “for fun” rather than for work, including trips to Antarctica, Dubai, France, Monaco, and Indonesia.
