Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Wondering if anyone had a similar injury to me. I fractured my fibula about 3.5 weeks ago and had surgery 12 days later. Now I'm nearly 2 weeks post op.
I have a plate and 7 screws along my fibula. Did anyone have a similar injury and have a timeline of how they recovered. I understand that a break solely in the fibula is not the most serious of ankle injuries.
0 likes, 7 replies
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anniea daniel56304
Posted
Hi
I've got the exact same injury! Done mine back in November.
I had what they call a delayed union which was my first follow up xray the bone wasn't fusing as well as hoped but 5 weeks later it was looking a lot better.
For me recovery time to walk unaided and without pain was about 13 weeks.in that time
tho I have had to buy various support for knees and ankle.
Shockingly i also put on about 14lb due to 6 weeks non weight bearing and minimal movement.
I'm a nurse and have returned to work however i currently use crutches for travelling as shifts do make my ankle quite swollen and stiff. Furthermore i was recently in Australia for 3 weeks and things going really well until my son smashed into me and the ligament on inside of ankle is very swollen and painful! So that hasn't helped with my recovery and its difficult to determine if any pain and swelling is from break recovery or current ligament injury x
Also may not be the 'worse' injury but extremely painful and debilitating!
dawn98978 daniel56304
Posted
HI daniel
I broke and my fibula back in January and I had orif surgery on the same day . i had a long metal plate and 6 screws fitted and have been non weigh bearing for nearly 8 weeks now.
i am back at hospital at 10 weeks and hope to have a moon boot fitted so i can start to walk again. I started pt about 2 weeks ago and have now got some movement back in my ankle although it is very stiff and painful. Currently I am using long crutches which help me get around a bit. Everything feels so difficult and I hate relaying on others to help me. I have actually lost weigh due to my injury, i just make sure everything unhealthly is out of reach 😃
When you start pt try to go as hard as possible and stretch and work your muscles, I have and can certainly see an improvement x
anniea daniel56304
Posted
Amazing how its different! I had ORIF surgery 7 days after injury with 8 screws in total, week later had cast off and stitches removed and was in a moon boot from beginning of week 3. However i was advised that the metal can break or the bone above it snap if i did do much weight bearing - hence the not moving for 6 weeks!
dawn98978 daniel56304
Posted
so true I have read loads of responses and all have different procedures and healing times, my pt advises its due to different NHS Authorities .
I never had a cast just a wound dressing and my stitches removed after 2 weeks cant weight for my moon boot so I can be more mobile. Good Luck Daniel hope your recovery is quick x
lilliewil daniel56304
Posted
Broken fibula Oct 20, 2018, a couple inches from the bottom, ORIF surgery 5 screws and plate Oct. 30. Cast for 6 weeks, walking boot for 6 weeks (had delayed union helped by upping calcium, bone stimulation device, rest). I am 4.5 months (now March 2019) since surgery and in outpatient PT and driving short distances (right ankle, driving foot here in the US). I am able walk some unaided but mostly use a cane. I have arthritis and am older which probably delays healing/recovering some.
What I've found in lots of reading online of blogs and stories is recovery varies a lot probably because the type of injury, age, health, etc. all matter. If you're younger and an athlete, you are likely to recover fairly quickly. If you're older, it may be longer.
The best things you can do to speed up recovery is follow what your doctor says, keep the ankle elevated as much as possible, do physical therapy including exercises that don't involve the ankle yet (leg lifts/stretches, even upper body weights, chair/bed yoga - yes, it's a thing)), eat healthy, take vitamins such as calcium, glucosamine and others that help with healing, and do your best to not injure your ankle or the rest of you. It will likely leave you anti-social for a bit but it's worth it to recover faster. Don't be afraid to ask for help and use whatever mobility devices you can (crutches, knee scooter, walker/rollator, even wheelchair with leg lift is good for non-weight bearing excusions).
Airellajordan daniel56304
Posted
GOOD LUCK TO YOU . it took me about three months before i could drive again. I used a walking boot for another couple of weeks. I have a plate and 11 screws.
its been 2 years since my injury and my ankle still bothers me sometimes and my entire leg swells once in awhile.
daniel56304
Posted
Update:
2 week post op check up: x-rays looking great....got put into a removable air cast and can start rehabbing the ankle at home.
Asked doctor if I can start weight bearing soon...he said I can try if I can but he doesn't recommend it.
He said by the 5 week mark I should be cleared for everything.
Happy about this.