Tib and Fib fracture orif surgery....others experience

Hi peter.

I shattered my ankle. I have 2 plates and screws in both tibia and fibula and 2 screws inner ankle bone. I was not walking unaided until 5 months post surgery. I was in a camboot/ airboat for months. I was in agony when first weight bearing and using crutches. I had a very hard time both physically and mentally. I have poor quality bones and my injuries where very severe. My inner ankle bone is more or less round as fragments broke off and it still hasn't healed. I'm gathering but could be wrong that you're young/ youngish so you may get there quicker than me. Don't let the doctors push you before you are ready. You will know your capability and your body will say yes or no. Listen to it. I really feel for you as I can tell you have suffered extremely. Be careful and I do hope you quickly improve. 🙂

After non weight bearing, I found firstly whilst sitting just to put foot to the floor for a couple of minutes then build up from there. After a while started whilst still sitting to tap the foot gentle up and down. 

Remember first time I put foot to floor brought it  straight back up as pins and needles felt like electric shock. Just build up gradually as advice given by msCamboot. 

I'm so sorry to hear of your injury Peter. I'm not walking yet but able to fully weight bear and I'm at 5 mos today. I broke in two places as you and dislocation. I've gone thru the full spectrum of pain. From most posts here there are a few of us with high impact injuries and they seem to take longer. Keep doing what you can your body will let you know what is too much or just enough. I wish you well....

ps. not all PT know what is right for us as they follow a plan for most with normal breaks.....sometimes there are injuries that do not follow the norm. Keep trying, your doing great! 

thanks for reply nice to know others experience so dont feel so alone.as normal people dont understand the physical and mental (especily so) torment that occours whilst nwt..im 34 and physio said its a bad injury so recovery i guess takes longer.im happy that i putting 10-20 percent weight on though an ankle feels happier for it i think..keep going mscamboot and push any negativity away.and thanks gill have foot on floor now feels good to have foot free lol.and jannie how can u full weight bear and not walk.wish i could

 

You have been in a cast and NWB for some time, much longer than most, so your muscles have probably atrophied quite a bit, which is totally normal. I lost 1/3 of the muscle in the leg after 7 weeks to give you an idea. Things may take a bit longer for you, since you have been a cast so long, so don't go by averages. Giving you my experience, I was told to go 25% WB, or whatever I could handle up to 25%, for the first week and to up it by 25% each week, but I concur with everyone else to just let pain be your best guide, and to know that everyone has different injuries, pain levels, muscle mass, and abilities.  I have been working very hard and pushing on WB for 3-1/2 weeks and can walk with one crutch, and a few steps without any crutches, but it is very exhausting on days I push hard, and the more I push the more pain, so I have had to learn to balance it all. It's hard not to get impatient. You learn what works best by trial and error.  I thought of 25% WB as a tap on the floor, while walking on crutches. I like the idea that has been recommended here of sitting and pressing your foot down to gain strength too (basically do anything you can do to gain strength). I remember feeling a lot of pain in my heel at first, just like you have, and thought it was kind of strange. I think that may be normal, just from not using it, and having it casted for so long. It took about a week or two for my heel pain to go away completely. I had pins and needles and a ton of pain on the top of my foot and big toe, which I have almost managed to massage out, after a lot of massage work at it. 

yes can stay static eh.use it or lose it the hard work starts now.done 2.5 miles on exercise bike today.done my exercises although not been anywhere today i walked up and down putting weight on best i could for ten minutes

 

i went on exercise bike whilst still non weight bearing .hardly any pressure though i took this step myself lol.keep positive people its the only way. the other way is head demanding mind games can nearly brought me to tears lol.positiveness

I also found using exercise bike very beneficial, helped to strengthen leg muscles, so when it came to weight bearing made it a lot easier.

Today returned to work for first time in five months. I have stood for over five hours, ankle swollen so now elevating, but what a feeling, yea I did it.