Anyone ever break their tibia/fibula?

[Hopscotch]

I fell about week and a half ago and broke my tibia and fibula. Bones were splintered so they had to insert a metal rod and it was also a compound fracture so the bone came out of my skin. Can't weight bear yet and will get my staples out on Monday. Just wondering if anyone has had a similar injury and has any idea when I will be able to start walking? I think the plan is to give me a walking boot, hopefully at that same appt. We have April break plans- non Disney- and our break is April 15th. Just trying to determine if I should cancel. That will be about 5 weeks from the date of the injury. So far the Dr has been very vague on any sort of timeline for crutches, walking boot, walking, etc. Also trying to determine my mobility by summer as trying to make some plans for that as well.

 

[jo-jo]

I "only" broke my ankle, but I would think with that extent of damage, I'd be staying close to home.

Hope you heal quickly.

 

[bobgobblin15]

I fell a week ago and have a severe sprain. Dislocated my ankle and tore everything on both sides of my ankles. I am in a walking boot for another two weeks at least. My daughters spring break is the 22 to the 26 of April. My doctors even said I won't be walking good by then. Hopefully next week I will find out if I have to have surgery. And then start physical therapy. We went ahead and canceled our Disney trip yesterday, it was our 30 day mark, just in case. I can always rebook last minute if I don't end up having surgery and I have no problem renting an EVC while I am there.

 

[ImDMous]

I had a tib/fib fracture and have a rod. However, I also broke about 5 bones in my foot and my ankle on the other leg so I was completely non weight-bearing for about 2 months. I was in the hospital for a week and a wheelchair for 6 weeks and then crutches for another few months with physical therapy.

The object of the rod instead of just setting and casting is to get you back on your feet much quicker, so 3-6 weeks instead of 3-6 months. It probably also depends on how healthy you are to begin with. I would say, if your vacation plans consist of relaxing by a pool and sightseeing by car, you should be fine. I'm guessing you will not want to be walking long (or maybe even short) distances for several months.

 

[Floridaman999]

I fell about week and a half ago and broke my tibia and fibula. Bones were splintered so they had to insert a metal rod and it was also a compound fracture so the bone came out of my skin. Can't weight bear yet and will get my staples out on Monday. Just wondering if anyone has had a similar injury and has any idea when I will be able to start walking? I think the plan is to give me a walking boot, hopefully at that same appt. We have April break plans- non Disney- and our break is April 15th. Just trying to determine if I should cancel. That will be about 5 weeks from the date of the injury. So far the Dr has been very vague on any sort of timeline for crutches, walking boot, walking, etc. Also trying to determine my mobility by summer as trying to make some plans for that as well.

I was gonna make a bad dad joke about playing hopscotch too hard, but thought better of it. I hope you recover well and you find a way to still enjoy your break. Maybe look into alternative forms of personal transportation that might be available to you there?

 

[Aimeedyan]

I am so sorry. I've been there, done that, and it became a dark period for me (and my DH). Same injury as you - down to the splintered bone out of my skin.

I was non weight bearing (ie - crutches or wheelchair) for 8 weeks after my surgery. Once I started putting weight on it, it hurt. A lot. Working up my endurance took a couple months and I still struggled standing for long periods and walking down stairs (up was fine!) for the next year.

For me, it was a very long, painful recovery. I had to scale way back on work, extra curricular activities, etc. Fingers crossed you heal quickly!

 

[ImDMous]

I am so sorry. I've been there, done that, and it became a dark period for me (and my DH). Same injury as you - down to the splintered bone out of my skin.

I was non weight bearing (ie - crutches or wheelchair) for 8 weeks after my surgery. Once I started putting weight on it, it hurt. A lot. Working up my endurance took a couple months and I still struggled standing for long periods and walking down stairs (up was fine!) for the next year.

For me, it was a very long, painful recovery. I had to scale way back on work, extra curricular activities, etc. Fingers crossed you heal quickly!

Ditto! It still limits how long I can stand and how I feel at the end of a DLand day. And that was almost 20 years ago. But I'm excellent at telling the weather

 

[mjkacmom]

Ds16 broke both at a soccer game when he was 12. Didn’t need a rod, just pins, and he was in a non weight bearing cast for 6 weeks, then a boot, and then literally months of PT to learn to walk again. And he could hop up and down stairs on his good leg - because he was 12! My SIL (late 50’s) had a similar break, and it was months (she had to sleep in her living room and use a commode).

 

[Hopscotch]

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like this is going to be much worse than I imagined. Right now I'm using mostly a walker, sometimes crutches. I'm able to get up and down the stairs in the house by scooching on my butt. I haven't left the house since I got home a week ago although I do have a wheelchair if I need to go out. I have no cast, just bandages over the stitches so I am nervous about being bumped. Pain seems to be getting a little better each day so I am optimistic but looks like canceling my April plans would make sense.

My surgeon made it sound like I could weight bear immediately but then found a hairline fracture in my ankle which he seems to think will heal in a couple weeks. Said once that was healed, I could start weight bearing but it seems like other people's experiences have been much longer.

 

[jdb in AZ]

How far are you planning to travel? If you're going by car, can you elevate your leg when it gets swollen? If you're flying a long distance, or stuck in a car for hours (and hours) there's a risk of getting a blood clot. DH had minor knee surgery and his dr didn't want him to fly. We had to postpone a cruise (aacckkk!) but we're glad we waited.