Posts: 646
Joined: 2/7/2013
Location: Knoxville, IL USA
I broke my tib/fib two Saturdays ago. Just had surgery yesterday and am non weight bearing for 6 weeks. Just wondering what all of my fellow leg breakers have done for recovery. Also I am still planning on going to MXDN on crutches so it should be a treat.
Vital news is 100% true 30% of the time.
Posts: 6939
Joined: 11/16/2011
Location: Menifee, CA USA
Eat well and get lots of sleep. Let that injury heal up really well before you jump back into anything.
I like RC's approach when he sat out a whole Supercross series; he said something like, "This is a 4-month injury, so I'm going to let it be a 4-month injury." (Paraphrasing. I don't remember how long he was actually out.)
Braaapin' aint easy.
Posts: 2379
Joined: 6/9/2009
Location: Aliso Viejo, CA USA
Depends on a few things. Do you have a rod or plates? If plates how many? The short version. Rods heal quicker and quicker overall recovery. Plates depends on how many and where. Its a long road. Get mentally prepared. I was 8 weeks non weight bearing in a cast after 2 weeks in a splint post surgery. Got a knee scooter and a iwalkfree leg crutch and both were life savers over crutches. I am approaching 11 months post accident/surgery and am just starting to do things other than walk. Hope to try and get back on the bike before the years up but I am not getting on until its ready. Good luck man!
Posts: 6473
Joined: 4/27/2007
Location: Corona, CA USA
Ankle injuries suck. I broke my left tib, fib and talus.....had surgery.....healed for 2 months and then re-broke the tib and fib my first time back out on the bike. That was 20 years ago and that ankle has been nothing but problems since and gets worse and worse over time. Just take it easy and let it heal.
Posts: 5798
Joined: 1/31/2018
Location: Mansfield, OH USA
I just broke my tibia 1.5 weeks ago. Best thing for me is staying on top of the pain and being up and mobile as much as i can be. Ive been trying to keep my leg iced and elevated as much as possible too.
Posts: 909
Joined: 9/25/2006
Location: Lakewood, CO USA
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do yourself a favor and get a scooter. So much better than crutches. I found one on craigslist for $30 or see if your insurance will cover it.
Eat healthy, ice and elevate as much as possible. If you don't have a Physical Therapist already, get one! Go in for massages and whatever else they recommend at this early stage.
The plate\screws in my fibula were really bothering me after moto and mountain biking. I had them removed at 7 months. No issues after that.
Last thing, get off the painkillers ASAP.
Posts: 7545
Joined: 4/1/2008
Location: USA
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As soon as you can get range of motion back, stationary bikes are great for this. Strength will come later...
Lastly whenever you break any large bone drink straight water to the point that you're pissing every hour or so... yes it's an inconvenience but it helps flush the fatty tissue before it clogs in your lungs. Compartment syndrome is a result, look it up you don't want it.
KB228 I'd still be drinking water like a fish. A friend's problem didn't set in till he was home a few days.
Best wishes for a complete recovery all...
Posts: 704
Joined: 1/3/2009
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Did Tib/Fib, ankle/foot dislocation and tore a bunch of ligaments off back in 1997. Plate and nine screws fixed up the bones but the ligament repair was the hardest part of the process. Was back on the bike in 7-8 months but realized it was too soon and took another month off. Was sore every time I rode for at least another year after that. Hardware is still in there and ankle is ok now except for a slight loss of motion which really is no issue. Give it time.......you'll know when you are ready. Avoid the pain meds as much as you can......
Posts: 731
Joined: 4/9/2013
Location: Fairmont, MN USA
Stationary bike, windjammer bike, light free weights for other body parts till you have a system than you can go heavy. I used a hands free knee crutch that straps to your knee so you can walk. Can’t remember the nam for sure ( walk free)?
Posts: 3673
Joined: 3/26/2011
Location: KS, USA
Edited Date/Time:
Tib/Fib on March 30. I was in a splint for two days and had surgery with 1 plate and 10 screws total. Non weight bearing for 8 weeks but I did a lot of toe and ankle ROM exercises after the first two weeks. Was never in a cast but had to wear that goddamn boot which seemed a curse at first but became a blessing when I first started trying to walk. The doc told me no jumping or running for 9mos but I can run now with little to no pain until a few hours afterwards. I've ridden around the yard but have yet to load up and get after it, mostly out of fear of a re-break with the hardware, which won't be good. At first the screws in the medial maleolous were a bear to deal with but I rarely feel them now and it's the fib plate that bothers me.
Get a knee scooter ASAP as it will help you mentally to be off of the crutches and able to do things on your own. Lower your med dosage as much as you can stand, keep it elevated when not scooting and eat healthy.
Good Luck!
Posts: 821
Joined: 2/10/2012
Location: Seattlish, WA USA
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I have broken my left and right tib/fibs at different times. The right, which was most recent, was surgery with a rod, plate and screws, and no cast. At the surgeon's suggestion, I was back on a stationary bike as soon as I could move sufficiently to pedal. As the doc describes it, more blood flow helps the bone heal faster. I broke the bones on Dec 12, was pedaling indoors mid Feb, and mountain biking outdoors the first week of April. Aside from the pedaling, the biggest takeaway I got was to do everything possible to keep moving and maintain flexibility.
Going on 10 years later now, and no probs with that leg other than that foot goes numb at times, which was predicted by the doc. Apparently adding hardware to the ankle area constricts blood flow in an area where it is already poor.
That break was what got me to finally use a computrainer, which is game changing if you're into cycling.
Posts: 2379
Joined: 6/9/2009
Location: Aliso Viejo, CA USA
Forgot to mention. I went as hard as I could at therapy. 3 times a week then backed down to two times. Where I feel I lacked the most was dorsi flex I think its called. Where resistance band is over your foot and away from you and you pull your foot towards you against the resistance. Activates the muscle that rides alongside your tibia (shin bone). I also did circles with my foot everytime I thought about it. Big circles, big as you can. Got more for you once you are further along. Paid for the HEM ankle rehab. Google it, it works. Also did compression wraps. As tight as I could 20 mins on 20 mins off. 2 sets. Blood/swelling will be your worst enemy and mostly the cause of pain. I was going crazy so I was trying it all.
Posts: 2443
Joined: 5/25/2014
Location: San Diego, CA USA
I swam using pull buoys so there was no load/strain on the tib.
Felt really, really good just to be able to do something
physical and low impact.
When it got along a little further, stationary bike on VERY light
load; just trying to get the range of motion back. Then the rubber
bands and all the usual things to get the strength back.
Posts: 14
Joined: 9/14/2018
Location: Heilwood, PA USA
I had a spiral fracture of the tib/fib and re fractured it after being impatient and jmpng back on the bike way to soon.
I'd do calf raises every chance i get and worked out those muscles any way i could. Definitely ensure you're 100% before getting back on the bike.. Its been 4 years since then and i can still fill it at times but i can feel a lot of my previous injures every morning at 35yrs old lol.
Posts: 35
Joined: 1/23/2017
Location: West Milford, NJ USA
I have no advice for Tib/Fib but I have been non-weight bearing for the past 7 weeks due to a Talus fracture.
iWalk hands-free crutch was a godsend, I was able to be a lot closer to living a normal life. Just rest up, try to do what exercise you can to keep in shape and watch what you eat.
Posts: 792
Joined: 7/27/2015
Location: CA, USA
I broke my tib/fib and should have had surgery but had a cast instead. 8 weeks turned into 12 weeks turned into 16 weeks. I got mad and cut it off myself before my last appointment and went to the track. It probably swelled up for another 6 months. This was a long time ago, I was young and stupid.
Posts: 393
Joined: 9/3/2015
Location: China Grove, NC USA
Posts: 147
Joined: 2/6/2018
Location: Mission Viejo, CA USA
I've done both right and left Tib / Fib. Did the left one surfing. The foot was 180* backwards so I reset it in the water LOL. That one got a 10" plate with 10 screws on the Fib and 2-3" screws on the ball of the Tib. The right one I did...surfing. That one got the same plate and screws, now they match.
As others have said elevate, ice, physical therapy and get off the pain meds. I was walking on both at 8 weeks and back to whatever at 12 weeks.
Be aware, the rubber boot on the bottom of the crutch will blow out within 2 hours of crutching in the dirt.
Posts: 646
Joined: 2/7/2013
Location: Knoxville, IL USA
Thanks guys I only got two screws. So my situation doesn’t seem as extreme as some others in here. Ive learned from mistakes in the past and I don’t plan on getting on the bike until next spring.
Vital news is 100% true 30% of the time.
Posts: 466
Joined: 3/13/2013
Location: Denver, CO USA
Just did this on Saturday night, just walked/crutched in from surgery. Going to bookmark this post
Posts: 3
Joined: 7/23/2019
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Posts: 3399
Joined: 8/1/2013
Location: Avondale, PA USA
Posts: 4107
Joined: 4/22/2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA USA
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Do everything your doctor says and don't do anything without his OK. Find a good sports rehab therapist and be thorough. The time and effort you put in now will pay off later. I broke my foot an had it fused,3 months non-weight bearing. That was a bitch getting back to just walking. I took Tums extra strength twice a day. I didn't think a calcium boost would hurt.
The older I get, the faster I was.
Posts: 3
Joined: 7/23/2019
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Posts: 3
Joined: 7/23/2019
Location: Chicago, IL USA
You can also take the advice from The Health Exchange Agency who will suggest you medicare plans like aetna medigap plan F which will provide you the best and skilled facility to treat you at very minimum budget.
Posts: 646
Joined: 2/7/2013
Location: Knoxville, IL USA
Got my suspension done to help with impacts. Been back on the bike since April . Had 1 over jump that kept me out of a 2nd moto one day but other than that it has been great.
Vital news is 100% true 30% of the time.
Posts: 55
Joined: 5/25/2016
Location: Evanston, WY USA
I broke my tib/fib and dislocated my ankle in 2011. The dr splinted my leg with my toes pointed like a ballerina, and I think that is why I lost probably 30% range of motion. I’ve had 2 separate surgeries after the initial fixation to remove hardware. I just had it x rayed 2 months ago and I have a huge bone spur preventing my ankle from going passed 90 degrees. It’s been such a pain in the ass, I wish I would have went to a different hospital when I broke it.
Posts: 310
Joined: 12/28/2018
Location: Huntington Beach, CA USA
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REHAB, REHAB, REHAB.....and MORE REHAB!
“Men, we are surrounded by the enemy. We have the greatest opportunity ever presented an army. We can attack in any direction.”
― General Anthony McAuliffe, 101st Airborne, while addressing troops at Bastogne during the Battle
of the Bulge.
Posts: 731
Joined: 4/9/2013
Location: Fairmont, MN USA
Edited Date/Time:
stevemartin wrote:I broke my tib/fib and dislocated my ankle in 2011. The dr splinted my leg with my toes pointed like a ballerina, and I think ...more
I had a similar deal with my tibia. When it healed it put a ledge at the front that prevented much movement past 8 degrees movement. There was some talk of going back in and trying to remove some. Seven years later I cased a jump and broke 4 metatarsals, 4 toes and broke some of this ledge of my tibia. I have a slight more movement but it is still very limited. I can run just need to be in athletic shoes to do it. Not happening wearing flat DC or Etnies.
Steve, are you the ex snocross Steve Martin?
Posts: 55
Joined: 5/25/2016
Location: Evanston, WY USA
stevemartin wrote:I broke my tib/fib and dislocated my ankle in 2011. The dr splinted my leg with my toes pointed like a ballerina, and I think ...more
Gnarly man! Have you considered getting it scoped? I’m going to get my bone spur removed, and they are removing the rest of my hardware while they are in there, I hope to regain some movement, it really limits me in the gym. Haha yeah that’s me! I actually got a ride to race pro vet in the nationals this winter, I’m pretty excited.
