General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Broken Fibula Recovery Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2008-08-11 8:38 AM

User image

Extreme Veteran
930
50010010010010025
Fort Worth, TX
Subject: Broken Fibula Recovery
Anyone have any experience with this? Broke my fibula in soccer game 6 weeks ago. No plates/screws - was lined back up only 1-2 mm after break. Cast off on Thursday. What can I expect? What is best? Thanks!


2008-08-19 7:50 PM
in reply to: #1593796

User image

Extreme Veteran
909
500100100100100
Westchester, NY
Subject: RE: Broken Fibula Recovery
Hmm.. the broken fib trip .. sorry to hear about that.. but heres what I can tell you .. I broke both the fib and my tib (in 2 places) at once.. they did this newish surgery on my leg - they inserted a tibial "nail" and screwed my tib back together - was an awesome operation that not only f'ed up my knee, but my ankle too.. i was casted for 1 week. 100% back now..

here is what they told me and I'll tell you.. the fibula is a non-load bearing bone. It is a remnant of evolution. it doesnt actually do anything. if you run lightly on it and feel no pain you'll be good to go. Occaisionally, you may feel like someone punched in the back of that leg right around the break site.. dont worry, that the bone healing..

thats all.
2008-08-20 12:54 PM
in reply to: #1593796


18

Subject: RE: Broken Fibula Recovery

Man I completely messed up my fibula in soccer 2 years ago. I had to get a steel plate and 16 screws. After 6 weeks I took cast off and began recovery. Although any broken bone is bad sounds like your recovery won’t be as bad as some have had.

 

Good news is from triathlete point of view you can swim perfectly fine and also bike. My recovery first 2 weeks was all stationary bike but if yours is not serious go straight to bike. My advice is train and put stress on it when you have to, but allow enough time to heal. I was so stubborn I trained almost everyday in an effort to stress the bone and make it heal. At one point my recovery was going nowhere so I said screw it and stopped doing anything. I was so surprised when it was then that it started getting better.

 

Long story short do rehab 2 days straight and take a day off. Do swim and bike but absolutely no running for first few weeks.

2008-08-22 5:10 PM
in reply to: #1593796

User image

Extreme Veteran
930
50010010010010025
Fort Worth, TX
Subject: RE: Broken Fibula Recovery
Thanks. I started PT this week; going 2x a week. My ligaments at ankle from the severe sprain plus the totally tight achilles from the cast are the tough parts right now. Still have some pain around the bone-break area, but nothing unbearable. Did stationary bike and was nice to be moving again. Looking to begin cycling on road again in another 10 days, or less, once I can clip in and unclip without any pain. My ankle is too weak right now, but it seems to be improving every day.

Swimming right now and doing elliptical machine. I'd never done elliptical, but til I can run it will have to suffice.

Mainly glad to be off crutches and out of cast - now looking forward to racing in Fall.
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Broken Fibula Recovery Rss Feed