(NewsUSA) - What is your everyday routine? Now, consider what it would be like if you had an accident or health condition that changed or prevented your daily activities.

When you sustain an injury to a bone or joint in your body, the things that are inherently second nature can be temporarily disrupted and inhibit you from doing those things you truly enjoy. That is, until you restore your mobility with orthopaedic care and rehabilitation.

Many people, of all ages, in the U.S. are faced with mobility limitations that require orthopaedic intervention. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), one in four Americans suffers from an impairment that impacts their ability to move.

To inspire patients to fight for their mobility and promote the value of orthopaedic care to society, the AAOS started the "A Nation in Motion" campaign. This initiative focuses on stories of patients who have experienced a "Second First," the point in time when a patient, who had lost the ability to do something because of his or her orthopaedic condition, can do the act once again. Patients who are looking for advice to help restore their everyday lives can find a surgeon close to their location, research bone and joint health procedures and risks, read other patients' experiences and peruse pain management tips.

To help patients develop realistic goals about their recovery, Dr. Elizabeth G. Matzkin, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and chief of Women's Sports Medicine, prefers to assess her patient's surgical recovery and rehabilitation expectations with in-depth interviews.

"Sometimes I tell people: 'I'm so glad you're not in any pain or that you're not uncomfortable, but you need to take it easy so this heals.' A lot of procedures take at least three months to heal," said Dr. Matzkin.

According to the AAOS, "all surgeries have a minimum recovery time during which the patient will not be able to participate in all of the activities he or she did before the surgery, injury or onset of their orthopaedic condition."

"I have patients who say, 'I will work really hard; I'm a fast healer.' And I say, 'The recovery is still recovery,'" said Dr. Matzkin.

Visit ANationInMotion.org to learn more about how you can fight for your mobility or reach your Second First.