Broken fibula and tibia
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10th Mar '10, 10:35pm
Hi, I’m new this, really just wanted some guidance and any info really. Broke my Fibula and tibia playing football, somebody tackled me from behind and to the side, immediately broke and slightly shattered both my bones in my leg, about 6 inches above my ankle. I have a rod inserted in my leg with no cast, am not allowed to weight bear yet. I keep myself fit by riding my bike to work 5 miles per day and have never broken anything before. This happened a month ago, am going to hospital next week for an x-ray to see if the bones are knitting together.
Am keen to help speed the recovery whilst not incurring any set backs on the way, I am currently doing simple exercises, bringing my leg to a 45 degree angle, stretching my achilles and leg raises. Is there anything else I can do?
How long before I can walk again properly? Drive a car? Run? I am not told much, can't wait to start physio.
I appreciate any feedback,
Thanks
Rich
Hi Rich and welcome to the
11th Mar '10, 10:31am
Hi Rich and welcome to the forum.
I'm sorry but I have no experience of leg injuries - but I just wanted you to know that your post has been read and hopefully someone will be able to answer you soon.
There's a busy topic on ankle injuries here that may be useful:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/forum/talk-injury/broken-ankle-injury
and there's a whole section of the forum dealing with injuries here:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/forums/the-physio-room/injury
Hope this helps.
M.
Hi
20th Mar '10, 8:59am
Not too much experience here either. However, idk if you follow the news, but a very similar double break happened to a professional soccer player, aaron ramsey, from arsenal a few weeks ago. Pretty nasty. But you could look at what he's doing to recover as quick as possible.
Hi there
22nd Mar '10, 3:21pm
I had a break to that bone in my lower leg - only the outside one, and it was fixed by plate with seven screws. I was in full leg plaster because I had other injuries (including a dislocated ankle).
The bone was healed and proper within six weeks - and weight beraing fine, the soft tissue damage though took a lot longer to sort out.
Did you have much soft tissue damage?
Bad break
22nd Mar '10, 4:56pm
Hello there, I just wanted to comment that I had the exact same break on my right leg while roller skating about three weeks ago and have been in hard cast and crushes about 1 week and my doctor say's I must bare it for two more weeks,until I can wear a walking cast and put weight on it. If anyone has anymore information or details on what to expect please leave your comments. I am trying my best to hang in there and go day by day, it's just been very hard getting used to the situation.
well.....
23rd Mar '10, 6:28am
It was a long time ago, and as I say I had other injuries which made it different to your injuries - but I'll try.
My full leg plaster came off after about four weeks and I had a hinged one (two part) fitted - but I was non weight bearing for six weeks or so, so you are doing better than me!
When I could weight bear I was very nervous. Ridiculously so to be honest - but I was told that was normal. So be prepared for that, I thought the plaster would come off and I'd be away, but it felt terribly exposed and vulnerable.
The leg under the plaster had wasted amazingly - much more than I thought it would (and when the plaster came off it was ugly and flaky and furry - so take trousers to put on!)........ rebuilding the muscle and getting full movement and work out of it again was steady, and happened quite readily (because of other injuries I still have 2cm thigh difference even now, 15 years on!) - but it was a long slow road.
Physiotherapy was, generally speaking, hopeless (sorry NHS) - I ended up attending a private sports physio which was much more useful. I also worked with someone at the gym who had experience of similar injuries and guided my recovery.
However, as I said above, the main problem for me long term was the soft tissue damage, and joint damage (dislocated knee and ankle) - the actual breaks healed fairly quickly, and fairly soundly - with just those it should be as 'simple' as confidence, and muscle rebuilding.
Hope that helps.
Update
23rd Mar '10, 8:16pm
Last Thursday I went back to the hospital to have an x-ray and see the consultant. I saw the consultant for about 2 minutes, he said the tibia is healing well, the fibula however isn't looking too good but they are not concerned about it as it is not load bearing.
He has asked me to start walking on it with the help of crutches, 20% week 1, 40% week 2 and so on. They told me to listen to my body when doing exercises. I thought this was vague so went to see a sport physio today who helped with different exercises, how to walk without putting too much pressure on my leg. She has also got me doing lots of massages on my ankle, rotations. They worry that the lack of inactivity on the ankle will cause problems and slow the process of recovery.
As soon as you are able you should moisturise your leg and ankle, get the brain to remember what it feels like after a trauma, these are all things the physio has said.
I am frustrated and have set myself targets, I listen to my body and do exercises every time I have a spare moment.
Listen to your doctor, but like Corris said going to see a sport physio does help.