9 weeks fibula not healed

I was told I didn't need surgery. Was given a choice of cast, boot or air brace.  I was NWB for 5 1/2 weeks.  I choose the air cast bc I knew I would be careful.  Dr said people choose the cast or boot if they didn't trust themselves to be careful.  

When I first started to walk I had pain but was told it was the ligaments stiff from not moving.  After 3 weeks of PT I was walking w/o pain just stiffness.  That is why I am so confused. Will definitely go for 3 opinion.

How bad was or is the pain is it unbearable or just uncomfortable. Ask to have a CT scan and about tense unit (electrical simulation) I was told that it can be used to stimulate bone healing my doctor offered it to me instead of surgery. I choose to have surgery it was the best choice my fibula fracture hadn't even tried to heal my Dr said it looked like I had fractured an hour before.the tend unit woulndt have worked in my case.

I broke my ankle on both sides and my fibula(April 2015). I got the bone put back in place and got a cast. 2 weeks after my doctor gave me the go ahead to start walking but it was still to painful for me to try. by 1 month i was walking as normal as a person in cast can. When I came back to the US from Mexico in June I went to the doctor here and he right away sent me to have a CT scan cause he was worried about my torn ligaments. Turns out my fibula hadn't even tried to heal at all and I would need surgery. On July 29 I had surgery I had a plate and six screws put in. I was put on bedrest for 9 wks instead of the usual 5-6 it was very slowly healing. When I was allowed to start bearing weight I got my cast removed and fitted with a walking boot a week later I got a splint. I hate the splint and the doctor agreeded for me stop using after a week or so. In December I finally got sent to PT and it kicked my behind at this point I had been sedentary for 9 mnths and not to mention my lower leg had been in a cast the whole time my movement in my ankle was nonexistent. I have gotten to point where I can start living my life again I will probably never be able to run or jump again, go down and up the stair normally or feel sensation instead of pain in my foot(nerve damaging) but slowly one gets better.

Wow that is sad

Hope you come out the other side. Mentally and physically it takes its toll.

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Thanks. Healing after a trauma its not just physical but emotionally too. When I worked in a workers comp office many times recovery comes down to the will of the person. Recovery is walking up a steep hill if you give up halfway you fall back down and won't make it.

I honestly believe I'm walking because my family, faith, and pure stubbornness. The first time I stood up i feel back down an hour later I got up again and took my first steps after the surgery. I refused to use walker or a cane and that worked for me it motivated me to get better. Im proud to say even though im not 100% I'm OK. Yesterday I was feeling sorry for myself my leg was hurting and very swollen after I came back from funeral from all the walking and standing I did . I hope everyone can get to OK and beyond. Thanks have a nice weekend.

Yes, I have become a cry baby.  Trying not to feel sorry for myself but when everyone around you is going about the business of "living" and you can't even walk to the store it is depressing.  People don't get it.  They think "well she went out to dinner last night so she must be fine". But one or two "outings" a week still leaves a huge block of time of "nothing". I would definitely think I was odd if it wasn't for this site.  We know this is temporary and not life threatening BUT it is life altering and hard.  

Today is a new day.  Waiting to hear from 3 dr who agreed to review my X-rays. Will try and walk further today as suggested by another viewer. Just hard to know what is appropriate as to walking n resting.  For today will try and smile more and think positive thoughts.  Fingers crossed 

Feel exactly as you do.  Emotional day for me too as I have become worn down by the constant pain and limitations this injury has imposed for the past five months on my previously active life.  I am now going to strongly request an MRI as i do not feel i am healing well enough.

As you said, i also find it difficult to get a balance between exercise and rest and recovery.   I experience such pain and immobility post-exercise, it is very difficult to do it with confidence.   The body's natural 'alarm' system surely kicks in to prevent further damage.

Hi Roach, I think we all have cried many times and maybe it's good just tot get rid of all the emotions that build up by trying to be strong. It is good to push a bit further every day, but listen to your body, if you walked two steps today and tomorrow you can only walk one extra it is an improvement and one day it will all come together suddenly. Rest is very important as our body does most of it's healing when we rest, so even if you have only walked a few steps and done a few exercises then need to rest, even if it is for a few hours, do it, your body may be telling you to do it. Hope you feel better soon and remember not one of us heals the same we are all different. God bless.

My husband has a broken scaphoid. Didn't heal. Has a screw put in. His dominant hand. 3 weeks after I fell down the stairs.

Like the blind leading the blind here! 32 weeks for me , 29 for him . He lost his job for his work related accident that wasn't his fault.

Boy we don't even make a whole person between us. When ones up the other is down. Occasionally both up. More often both down.

He can drive now but obviously he hasn't the patients to help me get in car often. Before I got a stairlift I spent 3 months not even leaving the house. It was a total bummer. Ambulance people had to carry me down and take me to appointments. All I wanted was to go by myself and buy something I felt like. Still do. I can get outside fine now but rely on others to get past the end of the street.

I am nearly fwb for small amounts of time, for the 2nd time. First time it was a total non union and yet I was told to do same stuff I have to do now after my bone graft and plating.

I have bakers cyst behind other knee which plays up a lot, limiting me. I am not giving up. I've already learnt to walk 55 years ago. Think it was way easier. Coffee tables were right height. Just watched my grandson do it.

My husband after 7 months has 50% strength.

I WILL walk at my sons wedding in September if if kills me lol!

If I hadn't broken my bones I'd probably have something else to moan about.

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Sorry Tituscanby- It sounds like you have had it really rough at your house. The best thing for you is to hang out with your grandson and work on making it to your son's wedding. You have lots of time to make the goal...bet you will even be dancing there! Hang on, you are turning a curve now!

Hi Tituscanby, today I met a lady who broke her ankle and also had surgery, plate and screws. I am not sure why but her Dr said it was better to remove them once she was fine, which she did. Once the Dr removed them they discovered she had no union of the bones, and now after months of trying to repair her ankle with no success they are going to amputate the lower part of her leg. I am now so thankful that I am healing even if I do have discomfort and realise how much I must thank the Lord for. My heart really goes out to her.

That is so terrible! Can't they see non-unions on the X-rays? I keep reading how people find out from other doctors or accidentally that they have a non-union, when their doctor said everything was healing well. How does this happen? Do we all need a second opinion along the way? Why did she need to have her leg amputated?

My surgeon said you can only see if bones are healing on a x-ray from about 8 weeks and even longer. They are going to amputate because the bones won't fuse and her ankle just flops around, also she say it oozes all the time. I don't understand this myself and wonder if we should ask for a CT scan to make sure, especially if you can't see on the x-rays.

Now that is scary. I don't even want to go there. My bone is very soft either side of my break, they intended to take plate out on a year but Dr said gotta wait until bond strengthens . makes me nervous trying to walk on it. Have to lose weight I gained sitting around. Am sure that'll help. Cold today. Plate area aches. Winter on its way.

Thankyou all for the support and sharing.

I've had a CT scan pre plates and showed what xray said . total non union. My husband had one for his scaphoid after xray looked like break was healing. Has healed 5%. The tip of the side on the xray.

Surgeon said once plates CT Scan not great as metal reflects images and disturbs vision of site. Physio had young patient with at least 4 non unions on scaphoid even after screws, plates and bone grafts. I'm sure they won't chop off his hand. They just keep trying g new ideas. @(*+*)@

Hi Tituscanby, I live in South Africa and Winter is also starting, I feel the difference it makes when it's cold especially in the morning. Think I will get myself one of those beanbags you put in the microwave to heat up, and put it on the ankle before I get up in the morning.

Lol. Good for you! I don't own a microwave. Hottie will suffice. I'm in NZ.Snow on Mountains this morning. Brrrr. I think my unbroken leg with the Bakers Cyst feels worse. I'm off to the Specialist next week with instructions from my Physio for both legs to be fixed!

Wow sounds really cold. Hope next week goes well, but in the meantime keep warm. Lol.

Stay warm! I'll send some warm California vibes your way....feeling really guilty about our good weather right now!

Thanks Patti, I am definitely not a winter person so not looking forward to the cold. Must also say we had very hot summer and also a bad drought. One good thing about the winter if my ankle swell at night I will just stick it out from under the blankets, no ice pack. Lol. Enjoy your warm California weather.