Nina Dobrev Says She's 'Doing Pretty Well' With Her Recovery After Dirt Bike Accident

Nina Dobrev has made tremendous progress in her rehabilitation journey after suffering a dirt bike crash in May that left her in a neck brace.

The actress shared that doctors are surprised at how much progress she has made in her recovery but admitted that there's still a long way to go before she returns to full capacity.

Nina Dobrev, who can now walk with a cane, acknowledged the help of her boyfriend, Shaun White, who she said has been supportive throughout her recovery.

The "The Vampire Diaries" star was involved in a dirt bike accident in May that saw her tear her ACL and meniscus and fractured her tibial plateau, leaving her bedridden for months as she focused on recovering.

Fortunately, she has shown remarkable resilience, as she is now progressing in her recovery journey.

During an appearance at the Shiseido Blue Project 4th Annual Beach Clean-Up in Huntington Beach, California, on Wednesday, August 7, Dobrev told People Magazine that her recovery is going well and has, in fact, astounded her doctors. Still, she noted that it might just be too early to rejoice.

"I think I'm doing pretty well," she said, adding that doctors "were pretty surprised" at the speed of her recovery.

"I'm a little ahead of schedule in terms of healing, but it is still a very long process," she continued. "I didn't realize it meant nine months to a year of recovery. So I'm only on month, maybe three and a half now."

Dobrev added, "So there's still a ways to go. And a lot of times at this point in the healing process, people get re-injured because they feel fine. And so they start doing normal things. So I have to kind of remind myself that I'm still healing and there's still a little bit of time to go."

Dobrev has taken it upon herself to share updates about her recovery journey with her fans.

In a video post she shared on her Instagram account in July, Dobrev recounted how her recovery was "a brutal" one and also saw her share a timeline of events from when the accident first happened to when she started taking "baby steps."

Narrating how gruesome the ordeal was for her and how much of an "excruciating" pain she had to endure as doctors drained blood from her knee because of the massive swelling, she went on to reveal that she was open about her journey to inspire someone out there.

"A lot of people have been asking how I'm doing, so the reason I made this video is to share my progress and my experience," Dobrev noted. "But I also wanted to show other people that are either going through the same thing or about to go through the same thing that there's a light at the end of the tunnel if you stick to it."

"And try to laugh a little in the process," she continued, as she can be seen giggling with White, who was a major fixture all through the clip. "It's nature's best medicine."

In her IG post, Dobrev revealed she was surprised by how draining the surgery and recovery was on mental health.

"There's obviously the physical pain that comes with surgery and recovery, but what I wasn't necessarily prepared for was the mental toll that it would take," the actress said.

Dobrev noted that her immobility and inability to access the bathroom herself or hold a drink was "really challenging," as she's a "very independent" person, and having to rely on others was "really hard" for her.

"This whole experience has tested me physically and mentally but with time, I started making progress. Each day, one step in front of the other, one exercise after the other, one piece of bacon after the other, I got stronger and stronger but it was exhausting at times," Dobrev recalled, adding, "It's crazy how we take very basic things for granted."

The "The Originals" alum and her athlete boyfriend, White, recently visited Paris for the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games. Dobrev couldn't help but heap praises on the former professional snowboarder and skateboarder for his support on her recovery journey.

Dobrev told People that White was "especially" helpful during their Olympic trip as she was unaware of the amount of walking that was involved in moving around the city.

"All those streets are closed, so you have to walk from venue to venue and do all these things," Dobrev explained. "And so he prearranged to have a wheelchair there so that I wouldn't have to walk as much. We had my canes and he was there by my side taking care of me the whole time."

Dobrev didn't let her crutches and bandages stop her from enjoying a nice time with her boyfriend when they were in the city of love.

The pair, who went Instagram official in April 2020, were seen stepping out of the Ritz Hotel in July for a romantic dinner date.

According to the Daily Mail, she looked chic in a Stella McCartney caped mini dress, which retails for £1,465 [$1,862]. She accessorized with silver hoop earrings, a dash of red lipstick, and retro shades.

Dobrev carried a silver bag in one hand and clutched a black walking cane in the other, as White was by her side helping her walk gently down an entrance stairs. She styled her raven locks in a high ponytail and completed the look with flat, pointed slingbacks from Charles & Keith.

For his part, White, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, wore blue trousers and white short-sleeved shirts for the evening, opting to carry his blazers in one hand.