Broken Fibula

[Too Old 1]

Gotta love the hardware, lol. I decided this morning to dump the boot and wear just the brace inside my Oakley hiking boot. Figured it was time before I prematurely wore out just the right one. Went to the hometown USHL game tonight as well after work. Ankle felt pretty good. The boot pressed on my shin as I walked and actually made it worse than just using the brace. It was a nice change of pace to be back into a shoe at the exactly 6 week post-surgery point. Seems like many are just now coming out of a cast at this time so I'm pleased with how things are coming along thus far. Oh... and Belfour's kid is a sieve, lol. Thankfully they traded him away at the beginning of the season. They put 8 past him tonight, wow. Genetics sure didn't help any.

[DavidT 11]

I broke my Fibula 1/4 way down below the knee and spiral fractured/broke my Tibia about middle to about a 1/4 above the ankle during a game on January 27. I had immediate surgery and received a rod down my Tibia and an assortment of screws. Was in a splint for 2 weeks until stitches and staples could be removed and now in a hard cast until March 8. Still under no load bearing rules. They're saying I should be able to be back to light skating by the end of May. I'll take their word at it as they work with professional athletes daily.

All I know is this blows and is absolutely boring.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

I went out last night and had my leg propped up for awhile and took a nap today the results: It feels like I could feel the staples poking into my skin.

Is this a normal feeling since my follow up is Wednesday to take them out or did I do something while being propped up sleeping?

[Too Old 1]

Normal deal most likely. As an update... after my visit back at 5 1/2 wks I did ditch the boot as mentioned... and ditched the ankle brace a couple days after that as well. It was too uncomfortable inside my shoe. So far at roughly 7wks out things are going well. Slowly regaining range of motion and strength. Goal is still to be on skates hopefully late April. Hang in there, it just takes time!

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Wow you guys with all that stuff in your legs, man thats crazy. I'm glad to see both of you are recovering well, even though your still in the early going Machinehead.

Heres my hand from when I broke it awhile ago

this is what it looked liek after they pulled the pins out several weeks later

THAT wasn't fun! She just yanked those suckers out of there! :) Nothing compared to you guys though! Best of luck, I'll keep an eye on this thread..

[Machinehead2k5 32]

I get my staples taken out tomorrow...should be fun to say the least. I also either get fitted for a hard cast or a walking cast. Hopefully it's the walker cast.

[DavidT 11]

I get my staples taken out tomorrow...should be fun to say the least. I also either get fitted for a hard cast or a walking cast. Hopefully it's the walker cast.

Definitely base your decision on the amount of activity in your daily life. I went with the hard cast for extra protection mainly against myself. Got put in a walking boot yesterday to start my physical therapy.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Definitely base your decision on the amount of activity in your daily life. I went with the hard cast for extra protection mainly against myself. Got put in a walking boot yesterday to start my physical therapy.

I might have to do the walker cast since I have to crutch around downtown ATL for school.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Went to the doc's yesterday. They ended up putting me in a cast. So I'm gonna be semi-mobile for the next 3 weeks then I'll get my walker boot. I thought I only had 5 screws in my leg from my surgery x-ray, but they took some more x-rays to see how everything is healing and everything is fine, but I have 3 more screws up my fibula. :)

[gxc999 7]

I wish you a speedy recovery, please keep us posted.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Got my boot today. Another 1.5 weeks til I can walk without crutches. YAY!!!

[DavidT 11]

I hopefully lose my boot on Monday. I hate the thing.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

So I took a bath/shower the other the day after I got my boot off. All I can say is wow your body sheds a lot of skin cells over a 1.5month period and the joys of having running water over my leg is a weird feeling.

And it's kinda fun feeling the plate/screws in my ankle. :)

[Too Old 1]

Hang in there guys! I walked on it at 5 wks and it was all good after that! Skated at 9 wks. Have been out on the mountain bike for some light rides of a bit less than 5 miles so far. All was good but at first I was worried about the clipless pedals. Had no problem twisting enough to get out of them. Still working on full range of motion and strength. Plus even at nearly 3 months out there is still some slight bruising on the top of my foot, wow. And it's still sore. I go back for a last checkup on the 20th. Can't wait for hockey again in the fall! Until then it's biking/inline/a bit of ice time here and there.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Haven't tried walking on it, but I've started the PT. I don't think I could walk on it even if my bone was fully healed. The ligaments and tendons are uber tight. My foot is a "normal" size instead of the EE size I usually wear.

[DavidT 11]

Haven't tried walking on it, but I've started the PT. I don't think I could walk on it even if my bone was fully healed. The ligaments and tendons are uber tight. My foot is a "normal" size instead of the EE size I usually wear.

It took a couple of weeks before I started to really gain any motion in my ankle to where it wasnt painful. Even 6 weeks into PT, my ankle and calf is still tight to where It hurts to walk down stair or "take a knee".

[dayroc 0]

back when i was in gr 7. I was playing roller hockey and fell in a weird way, i fractured my Tib and Fib in my left leg. I cannot not tell you the amount of pain that went through me.

I was in a cast from almost the waist down to my toe for 3 or so months then got switched to a cast from knee to toe for another 1.5 months.

I can tell you know that it was the after math that was painful. Needless to say that leg is stronger than my other leg.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

I've been given the green light to start walking now with my boot. But for those of you who have broken leg/ankle, how the hell did you start walking again? It's like I'm 1 again, learning how to walk. Every time I try to take a step it feels like I'm going to fall over. Is there anything I can do to get over this feeling, or just suck it up and try walking around? I have wonderful atrophy in the quads/hams and calves though.

Right now I do some squats while holding on to the counter just to try to build up some leg muscle again.

[Drewhunz 3]

Your stride will have to adapt to what is the most comfortable for you. Make sure you address these issues in physical therapy however. I severely broke my ankle back in high school and found the only way to comfortably walk in the cast was to rotate my ankle outward and stride with my foot at around a 45 degree angle. Never addressed it in physical therapy, so when I was totally healed, continued to stride awkwardly. Took many months at a chiropractor to manipulate the bones and muscles to restore my stride to how it once was.

[JR Boucicaut 3789]

He should've restored you to that Sherman Hemsley stride.

[metalwinger13 1]

i slowly weened myself off of crutches when i walked.. had a pretty sweet pimp limp lol. i had a break a few inches above the ankle and had 12 screws and a plate put in. id just focus to make sure you move your foot heel to toe.. kind of a rocking motion it seems. and walk with straight not cocked to the side. and just work hard in rehab man.. nest of luck!! was feeling myself skating wise (strength and speed) about a year after it happened. you might not have it as bad since it seems its a smaller not as crazy of a break as mine.

[DavidT 11]

I've been given the green light to start walking now with my boot. But for those of you who have broken leg/ankle, how the hell did you start walking again? It's like I'm 1 again, learning how to walk. Every time I try to take a step it feels like I'm going to fall over. Is there anything I can do to get over this feeling, or just suck it up and try walking around? I have wonderful atrophy in the quads/hams and calves though.

Right now I do some squats while holding on to the counter just to try to build up some leg muscle again.

They should have had you partial weight bearing on the crutches and using them to walk as "normal". That way when you go to full weight bearing the transfer isnt a huge difficult issue. You still have to compensate for the difference in boot height and normal, but shouldnt have been that difficult.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Well I'm walking around in the boot, sans crutches. :) Stairs are a bitch though. My gait is completely goofy looking when I first get up from a sitting position.

[mattzilla 0]

i pretty much did the same thing. breakaway, lost the puck, CRASH. different result.

good luck with your recovery dude, took me almost 2 whole years to get back in the game.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

I got cleared to skate last week but probably won't attempt it til next week. No hockey for 1.5months, but I'm pretty sure I'll be content with skating again. :)