Driving after ankle fracture

I think I started driving at about 9 weeks. When the therapist taught me how to put the walker in the car , that's when I started. I'm not sure I was supposed to actually start driving but I did. I thought it was going to be scary but it wasn't .It was my left ankle that was broken. I wouldn't have tried it if I didn't feel comfortable or confident .My first time I did a chore at the bank. I then felt okay to go to walmart and was able to transfer myself into their electric car and do some shopping. It felt so good to feel somewhat independent and free again!!!!!

I think I did it at about 4 weeks, I was dying for Starbucks, but it hurt so much not elevating, and it was such a pain getting in the car...all for coffee. After that I laid off until about 12 weeks when I got my boot, wasn’t scary, I just did it, and I didn’t ask the doc. I broke my left ankle and I wouldn’t have tried it with a broken right ankle so early.

i broke my left ankle so at 7 weeks I was able to drive i would bring my crutches getting out to the car i didnt go far, just bank and grocery store It felt great to get out and be on my own!

Im 12 weeks post op now and down to one day of PT I go back to my ortho in about 10 days

Im very happy with my progress

Im walking with no boot, no crutches and doing just about everything I was doing before my injury

Ive even hosted a dinner party last week

Still have some numbness and where the screws are sometimes feels weird but my PT said that could last 6 months

I have been walking for 10 days now. The problem is I am having pain in my knee because I wasnt walking correctly. My Phys. ther. said I wasn't bending my knee enough. Trying to practice but its difficult because Im watching my small grandkids due to family emergency.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard to do something you have been doing all your life. lol

if anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

Hi, at 13 weeks I flew home from the UK to California, in my boot. The day after I drive my automatic rather large 4x4 3 .5 hrs to my home, with out the boot on. I fractured my left ankle , so it was quite easy. I was a little hesitant at first, but just went for it. I had swelling by the time I was home, but no pain or anything. x

I broke my right ankle so i kind of need to hear from people who broke the right! But thanks for the responses so far.

Hi Toria,

I broke my right ankle in April and had ORIF surgery. It was only the fibula in one place, however I also tore all of the ligaments in both ankles, level two and three (partial and complete tears). I have a plate and 8 screws to stabilise.

I was non-weight bearing for 6 weeks and then started to learn how walk again. The process to full weight bearing without crutches or boot took me around 3 weeks. It was my physio, not my surgeon who cleared me for driving, and he said it was okay once I could push down on the foot in the same way you would need to on the brake in an emergency.

I drove about 1.5 weeks after starting to weight bear, and it was super scary. I only drove around the block. I found that my ankle did not have enough flexion in it, but even the next day it was much better and I drove to physio (about 3 blocks away). I was still in the boot and on crutches at that time for walking outside (no boot in the house), so I would take the boot off to drive - there is less pressure going through your foot while driving then full weight bearing, and then put the boot on to walk around. I just kept a slide in the car to wear while driving.

The physio limited me to maximum of 20 minutes of driving time without resting, which meant I had to plan trips where I stopped half way to some where and put my foot up for a bit for a while to rest. I live in sydney and there is a lot of traffic. I could easily get stuck in traffic and find the 20minutes of driving go by and I was only a few kilometers from my house.

I am now 6mths post surgery, and I had my last physio appointment today!! hooray and i have been able to drive without any restrictions for quite a while now.