# Broken Leg....How long til you were back on the bike?



## skylark76 (May 14, 2007)

Hey all,

I did something completely idiotic this weekend and broke my leg in two places (and my thumb). It may take surgery to fix my leg. I'm extremely athletic (ride, kayak, run, horseback ride etc.). I was wondering if any of you out there have experienced this...and how long did it take to get back on the bike(etc.)?

Thanks,

Sky


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## osmarandsara (Jun 26, 2006)

Depends where you broke your leg (lower, upper) did you also have ligament damage? Just be patient, your body will heal itself, don't think in weeks but in months. Based on my experience you will probably ride the bike, ride the horse and kayak faster than you will be able to run.


April 28, 2007 - I fractured my ankle bones (tibia and fibula) while mountain biking. I had surgery the same day to have four screws to put everything back together (two on the left and two on the right side of my ankle). I also had major ligament damage to the ankle area. I also had a smaller fracture to the tibia just below the knee.

May 07 - After the surgery I was in a splint for two weeks and when the swelling went down they put me in a below-the-knee cast. Was in a cast basically all of May and pretty much all of June.

July 07 - Had a second surgery to remove two of the screws. The other two screws stayed in the leg and are now permanet. Spent July in a Darth Vader walking boot and still in crutches. 

August 07 - I started Physical Therapy on the ankle (stretching, moving it around, using a big elastic band) and could walk a little but with a limp.

Sept 07 - started learning how to walk again, more PT, still had swelling, finally got on my bike for very short spins on the street. Riding was easier on the ankle than walking!

Oct-Nov 07 - Lots of self- PT (stretching, strenghthening, etc) I could walk OK, ankle still very stiff, finally hit some easy fire-roads with nothing technical.

Dec 07 - Jan 08, back to riding 2-3 times a week and hit single-tracks finally, but always walked the technical sections....confidence slowly coming back.

Feb 08 - Bike riding back to 100% prior to accident. Hitting technical single-tracks, riding the hard technical section....no more walking the iffy sections. Still painful to run but walking was OK.


The next time i break something I hope its and arm because not being able to walk sucks.


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## 2WD (Mar 11, 2007)

I'm experiencing it now - I broke my leg in 3 places, distal tibia and fibula and proximal fibula, back in April -the 24th. I had an i.m. pin placed in the tibia with 4 screws, 2 distally, 2 proximally - all hardware is staying. I got the ok on June 19th to be partial weight bearing and so I started to ride my trainer. My next appointment is on the 17th and I hope to get the full weight bear ok and then I'm going for a bike ride- so that will be 3 months. As for what kind of a bike ride it will be..... I also plan on riding in a 10hr relay race and do a 24 hour race in August. Whether I will in fact be able to do so is another story, but that's my outlook at the moment.
I'm hoping I'll be able start physio therapy at after my next appointment as well- all my Dr. wanted me to do until I start physio therapy was to flex my ankle and knee, which I pretty much had back my full range of motion by 4 weeks - yoga is a good thing, and swimming too (bonus of not having a cast).
Did you have surgery?
I wish you good luck, stay positive, and to get back on your feet in no time!


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## Bawitdaba (Sep 9, 2005)

Welcome to the club! I got hurt in May (see avatar) and didn't ride again til the next spring. I broke my thumb this past May 25th and just found out 2 weeks ago I'll need to have the UCL re-attached, I see the hand surgeon tomorrow...


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## Dad Man Walking (Sep 7, 2004)

Hey, I'm in too. I broke my heelbone (calcaneus, or something like that) just screwing around with my kids at the beach. That was two weeks ago...I'm still in a splint while they are treating a blood clot and waiting for the swelling to subside, but we plan to put me in a cast in a couple of days. The surgeons decided against surgury b/c of the clot...it was a borderline call anyway.

I will be in a cast or boot for at least three months (no weight bearing allowed), and then on to some PT but the orthos have not begun to discuss what that entails...flexibilty and load-bearing work is my guess.

My similar-aged, more injury-prone friends are telling me to figure on six months to semi-normal. And that the road bikes will see action before the MTB will.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Geez, lots of broken legs. 

I broke my tibia, fibula and ankle. My doctor is telling me 9-12 months before I'm back on the mtb, and 12 months for 100% recovery (generally). I'm probably going to upgrade my mountain bike (while replacing stuff I broke/bent in the crash that caused this) but I'm thinking about building up something new too, just to pass the time.

/me signing in


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## Dad Man Walking (Sep 7, 2004)

nachomc said:


> Geez, lots of broken legs.
> 
> I'm probably going to upgrade my mountain bike (while replacing stuff I broke/bent in the crash that caused this) but I'm thinking about building up something new too, just to pass the time.


I'm down with that...I will send my fork and shock in to PUSH now and not have to sweat the turnaround time. And if I tell them to tune them to my current weight, I've got some extra motivation to not blimp up.


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## skylark76 (May 14, 2007)

What a summer huh? I am seriously becoming a very grumpy person that bites everyone's head off! I need some activities before I get any worse. My ex-boyfriend is coming up from Australia to visit me and I'm seriously thinking that being stuck in the house with him for hours is going to put me in an even worse mood. Maybe I'll put a sign on the door that says I moved to Antartica to study ice! Meanwhile...the knitting lessons are going really well! :thumbsup:


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## santacruzer (Nov 30, 2004)

I broke my tibia and fibula on June 16 2007; I had surgery on the 20th and got the okay for weight bearing with crutches last Friday (7/13/07). My doctor said that it looked perfect except for the swelling so I’m now wearing a compression stocking and it has gone down quite a bit in the past few days. I made the mistake of wearing some long baseball type socks that were probably too tight right below the knee that exasperated the swelling.

But more importantly, I went on a 20 mile road ride on my mountain bike this past Sunday and the leg never felt better:thumbsup: . I’m wearing a boot now and just tried to keep it on a platform pedal as best I could. Hopefully the boot will come off next Friday.
Read "Misery" by Steven King, it will make your leg not hurt anymore.:madmax: 
Good Luck


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*Congrats on the speedy recovery*



santacruzer said:


> I broke my tibia and fibula on June 16 2007; I had surgery on the 20th and got the okay for weight bearing with crutches last Friday (7/13/07). My doctor said that it looked perfect except for the swelling so I'm now wearing a compression stocking and it has gone down quite a bit in the past few days. I made the mistake of wearing some long baseball type socks that were probably too tight right below the knee that exasperated the swelling.
> 
> But more importantly, I went on a 20 mile road ride on my mountain bike this past Sunday and the leg never felt better:thumbsup: . I'm wearing a boot now and just tried to keep it on a platform pedal as best I could. Hopefully the boot will come off next Friday.
> Read "Misery" by Steven King, it will make your leg not hurt anymore.:madmax:
> Good Luck


but you are back riding after only a month? Don't you mean you broke your leg in 2006? If it's true you are healing so fast there's no freakin' way your injury is anything like the guy above with the pictures (nachomc). I'm just saying this to give everyone reading this thread a reality check--don't expect to be back as fast as a month. If it happens, well good on you. When I broke my wrist I was casted for 7 weeks total and after maybe two months without a cast I could finally shift my Honda Element. A neighbor says, "yeah, I broke my wrist--in three weeks I was good to go!" Really, I replied, arm in cast. If your particular breakage is allowing you to actually get on your bike in a month after surgery I guess miracles do happen! :thumbsup:


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

shattered my femar last year. 1 week in the hospital, one ti rod through the lengh of the bone and 3 screws. 3 weeks wheel chair/walker. 3 months in crutches before i learned how to walk again. 7 months later before i could ride or do anything really physical. I still have the rod and screws in my leg but back up to 100% now. So it all depends on the break. Generally hair line fractures will be 6-8 weeks for the bone to heal and what ever time after that for the mucles to get back up to speed. If its a worse break then figure more time. Your doctor and x-rays will let you know how long its going to be.


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

any pics of the break?

here are some of mine

inital break









after surgery


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## santacruzer (Nov 30, 2004)

xcguy said:


> but you are back riding after only a month? Don't you mean you broke your leg in 2006? If it's true you are healing so fast there's no freakin' way your injury is anything like the guy above with the pictures (nachomc). I'm just saying this to give everyone reading this thread a reality check--don't expect to be back as fast as a month. If it happens, well good on you. When I broke my wrist I was casted for 7 weeks total and after maybe two months without a cast I could finally shift my Honda Element. A neighbor says, "yeah, I broke my wrist--in three weeks I was good to go!" Really, I replied, arm in cast. If your particular breakage is allowing you to actually get on your bike in a month after surgery I guess miracles do happen! :thumbsup:


Jeez, I never compared my break too anyone's, everyone's injuries are different. I was talking about _my_ leg which I am very familiar with. It has been a month and a couple of days since my accident and exactly four weeks since surgery. So don't say it's not possible to ride after four weeks. By ride my bike I managed to ride 20 miles on the road in almost two hours while wearing a huge black boot, but I was at least moving.
Now let's move on to discuss when my Titus 29er will finally get here as it's already 1 ½ months' late:nono:


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## Skookum (Jan 17, 2005)

tib fib torque break on Mt. Hood.

Surgery for rod and screws. When you have the rod inserted it acts as a cast and actually helps speed up the recovery. The rod supports the leg so you can put weight on it, the broken bone has pressure which calcifies the break, helping you heal.

Anyways after a month i was on a trainer. A couple weeks later i was taking the road bike out for rides. Hit a wall in recovery finally went to see a Physical Therapist. i can't stress enough that the dough i spent was totally worth it. Stretches, exercises, and expert opinion on how to recuperate fully.

i'm a roofer by trade and i was back to work before 10 weeks. Painful first week, after a few months i was running around normal and with no pain. Probably around 5 months later i crashed, endo'd on a steep rooty section. Landed with all my weight on the steep hill onto my bum leg, as i fell forward down the hill into a sprawled out superman pose. After a quick second of assessment i was really really stoked that my leg supported all my weight after that crash. After that the mental fear you get after a major injury (favoring your injured limb) dissipated.

The rod and screws are still in there, and sometimes i get a quick short sharp pain from it, but it's still not enough to get me to schedule a surgery to get it removed...


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## skylark76 (May 14, 2007)

santacruzer said:


> Jeez, I never compared my break too anyone's, everyone's injuries are different. I was talking about _my_ leg which I am very familiar with. It has been a month and a couple of days since my accident and exactly four weeks since surgery. So don't say it's not possible to ride after four weeks. By ride my bike I managed to ride 20 miles on the road in almost two hours while wearing a huge black boot, but I was at least moving.
> Now let's move on to discuss when my Titus 29er will finally get here as it's already 1 ½ months' late:nono:


You are my hero!:thumbsup:


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

I just got home from the hospital. I had my surgery this week (Wednesday the 18th). I got an internal plate on the fibula and ended up with external fixators for the tibia. I have to pins in the tib and a bar drilled through my heel, all connected by other bars to make a frame.

Before I was discharged, the nurses removed my bandage to show me pin car. Obviously this exposed my leg - what a weird feeling that was to see my leg like that. I cracked up a bit :\. When I can stomach to look at my leg again, I'll get some pics of it.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Here are some new pics following my surgery:
Four to five weeks of this thing:



















A pretty good macro of the pins going in to my tibia:










If you click the broken leg link in my sig, you can see all of the pics.


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## santacruzer (Nov 30, 2004)

It looks like you have some nice high-tech hardware…too bad it’s not for your bike. How long do you have to have that on? Hopefully your recovery will go better than expected. 

All I have is a little 3” scar from the surgery where they put screws in, however that fat foot looks very familiar. I actually did a real road ride yesterday with the “B” group at the shop I ride for. I went a little further than I planned, 52 miles, but kept up until the last five miles when we hit a series of roller hills and I just don’t have any power to climb anything while wearing the stylish black boot. I was down to 5 mph on one hill. Hopefully in the next month I can get on the real bike and have fun. I ordered a new Titus Racer X 29er back in May and it should be in any day now:thumbsup:


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Nice, man! I'm hoping to get some goodies for my Epic when I start riding again next year. I haven't had my LBS inspect it yet, but from the few minutes I was able to look at it, I bent the rear wheel pretty nicely and flattened the rear tire and there could be some damage to the chain rings but I'm not sure. I'd really like to get a nice new wheelset, some new tires and then some other, smaller stuff to finish it off.

As for this thing, I'll be in it for 4-5 weeks. Originally, the doctor said 6-8 weeks, but he said the surgery went really well and that I'm exceptionally healthy (thanks, cycling!) so I was healing fast and he expected that to continue :thumbsup:. After I'm out of this thing, I'll be in a plaster cast for a few weeks. I think at that point I'm going to look in to a gym membership at the local Gold's so I can start lifting weights (upper-body only, and at the recommendation of my doctor) and be ready for my PT since they have a pool and swimming is another great thing to do during healing. Once the plaster cast is off, I'm in a walking brace. Once I'm in the walking brace, the real fun begins and I can start exercising on a stationary bike and trying to walk again .

Until then, I'm off work for the next week at a minimum (I think I'm going to push for one more week to just give me a little more time), then I'm working from home until I can drive again. Thank goodness I have that option. I've got to figure out a way to get clean though; Unfortunately the showers in my house aren't very big and I am (6'3) so I'm having a hard time sitting and getting clean without considerable discomfort and pain.

I don't ever, ever want to break a leg again


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*Getting around on one foot*

I had knee surgery a few years ago and I was on crutches for a few months. A friend loaned me his pair of crutches that the permanently disabled use...permanently. He wasn't but he had a pair for some reason. By that I mean, not the kind the hospital gives you, which are the ones that fit under your armpits and make going downstairs a real adventure, but the ones that cup around your forearms and you use your arms more to get around. This type of crutch uses mostly your forearms and triceps and I felt it was more balanced and worked out my arms more (I've always belonged to a gym and "enjoyed" the workout).

Anyway, if you get a chance, give them a try. Maybe you've been hurt before, maybe not, but I'm guessing no. It's a real shock, as most of the posters on Rider Down find out, the unbelievable inconvenience it all is. The paranoia, the stumbling around, it all takes a toll on your mind...but you're probably as drugged up as I was so it's easier to handle. Just keep the long view, that you will get back, but it's going to be awhile. Every point of progress you make will be an appreciated milestone and when you finally do get back on the bike for the first time...that will be a moment that will bring tears to your eyes. I've had that experience twice and I don't really cry a lot. Good luck and keep us informed as to your progress.:thumbsup:


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## santacruzer (Nov 30, 2004)

How’s that leg doing? Hasn’t it been a week and a half since your surgery? 
I went to the doc yesterday and my crutches and black boot are now for sale (today is exactly six weeks since my crash). He told me no offense but he didn’t want to see me again.:band: 

I’m down to wearing an ankle brace for the next few weeks and doing some physical therapy (on my own) to strengthen my ankle. I’m planning on stuffing the ankle brace into a mountain bike shoe and going for a road ride this morning. To add to the good news my long awaited Titus 29er is shipping Monday:thumbsup: , so I might be capable of some slow rides on it next weekend.

Hang in there, a week after my surgery; I was so stir crazy I had my wife wheeling me around the neighborhood in a borrowed wheelchair after dinner.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Nice, man, I'm glad you're doing so well 

I'm doing ok, it's been nine days since surgery. I'm finally able to walk on my crutches and walker without getting completely out of breath, the swelling has come _way_ down and I'm able to get out of the house finally. A buddy came and picked me up the other night and I went shopping for my wifes' birthday, which was awesome. So far the worst thing that's happened was when I took a nap yesterday and had a very real-feeling dream that I was riding my Epic again. Then I woke up and it sucked .

I have a doctors appt next week that is my first since surgery, so we'll see what they say. I'm probably six to seven weeks out at this point until I'm in the walking brace; three more in the fixator and then 3-4 in a cast. I'm really looking forward to walking again and to getting on my road bike on the trainer

Thanks for asking


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Here's a post-op xray of my leg:










It's weird to think that those screws will be in my leg for the rest of my life


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## osmarandsara (Jun 26, 2006)

*how to get back on the bike*

I know it's way too early for you to think about how you are gonna get back on the bike, but here's what I did:

May - Oct Concentrated on healing (start working that ankle as soon as the cast is off)

Nov - Dec Street riding on platform pedals and tennis shoes

Jan - April Trail riding with platform pedals/ straps and cage, biking shoes

May to present Trail riding with clipless again (yeah!)


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## LeiniesRed (May 24, 2006)

Broken Tibia May 1987 (hit by car turning left when I was going straight on a bike.)
4 months to get back on bike.

40 pound full length plaster cast for 1 month.

full length fiberglass cast for 1 month. (yes, I went swimming with it on a hot day.)

knee high walking cast for 2 weeks on crutches.

walked on walking cast for 2 weeks. 
no more casts! walking only for 3 weeks. (lots of pain too)

TOTAL:
back on the bike in about 4 months. full recovery= 1 year maybe?

Best part: Dr. cutting off casts to find dead bugs and leaves and stuff in them. 
"Stephen, your cast is on fire." (was drying it out over a campfire. Put it out in the sand)
Me at the carnival with the 40# cast on crutches waiting in line for a throwup ride: "Hey Mr. Can I go on this thing?" Carny: "You got 2 tickets?"


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Arg. My brain turned off earlier and I lost my balance earlier. I don't know if I put a little weight on my foot or if I just tensed but man it hurt


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## 2WD (Mar 11, 2007)

skylark76 said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I did something completely idiotic this weekend and broke my leg in two places (and my thumb). It may take surgery to fix my leg. I'm extremely athletic (ride, kayak, run, horseback ride etc.). I was wondering if any of you out there have experienced this...and how long did it take to get back on the bike(etc.)?
> 
> ...


Hope you are staying sane - it can be tough!
April 24th was the break and my first real ride was August 15th. It was sweet.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

2WD said:


> Hope you are staying sane - it can be tough!
> April 24th was the break and my first real ride was August 15th. It was sweet.


Your dr said you could ride or you just did it anyway? Mine is saying he'll put the hurt on me if I try to ride before 9-12 months


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*Remember, there's a broken leg then there's a broken leg*



nachomc said:


> Your dr said you could ride or you just did it anyway? Mine is saying he'll put the hurt on me if I try to ride before 9-12 months


The injury varies from a hairline fracture to yours. I guess people don't say "I kinda broke my leg" or, in my case, "I really broke my wrist". I bet your doc says you can get on a trainer way before 9 months. Even that should help your mental state.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Yeah I'm allowed to use a trainer when I'm allowed to start walking again. I have an appt on the 30th for xrays and to see how I'm doing. The return-to-work papers he gave me said 9/15 before I could put weight on the leg again :\. I wish I wasn't so damn good at doing everything the hardest way possible. When this kind of stuff happens to me it's never simple, it's "well, you broke it about as bad as you could have for the accident you had" not to mention that it's the right leg, which has confined me to home unless my wife is home or a friend can come get me. I hate this :\


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*When I had my right wrist in a cast*



nachomc said:


> Yeah I'm allowed to use a trainer when I'm allowed to start walking again. I have an appt on the 30th for xrays and to see how I'm doing. The return-to-work papers he gave me said 9/15 before I could put weight on the leg again :\. I wish I wasn't so damn good at doing everything the hardest way possible. When this kind of stuff happens to me it's never simple, it's "well, you broke it about as bad as you could have for the accident you had" not to mention that it's the right leg, which has confined me to home unless my wife is home or a friend can come get me. I hate this :\


I couldn't shift my Honda Element and it was just too spooky trying to reach over and shift with my left while driving with my knees. My right hand was just useless for about 8 weeks. Then I'd see peeps with a right leg or foot in a cast and figured that would suck probably worse. Maybe. Hey, if you can't drive you might just jog to the store. Wait, that won't work. I was at my Kaiser facility yesterday and saw a guy come out the door with a brand-new messed up foot, on crutches for what appeared to be the first time. He struggled and struggled then finally just hopped on his good leg over to a bench and sat down looking really pissed/surprised at how tricky crutches can be/dejected that he's in this position. Being hurt is no fun.  :madman: :cryin: :nonod:


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Yeah the first few times I used crutches were rough. I'm pretty good on them now and don't get tired after 10 seconds of using them anymore . I don't know, I am trying to just keep on keeping on but when something crappy happens, like last night when I spilled a drink while trying to adjust my leg, I get pissed.


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## 2WD (Mar 11, 2007)

Yup - my leg isnt fully healed - my next xray is in 2 months- he said for now i can go back to doing what i can usually do and he knew at the initial assessment what i did



nachomc said:


> Your dr said you could ride or you just did it anyway? Mine is saying he'll put the hurt on me if I try to ride before 9-12 months


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## 2WD (Mar 11, 2007)

I WISH I HAD MY XRAYS TO POST SO YOU COULD SEE HOW BROKEN MY LEG WAS, AND NOT HOW "KINDA BROKEN" IT WAS. THERE WERE ISSUES IN REGARDS TO THE BLOOD SUPPLY AND NERVATION OF MY FOOT AND WHETHER OR NOT I WOULD STILL HAVE A FOOT. I DID NOT HAVE A HAIR LINE FRACTURE. I HADE A COMPLETE FRACTURE OF MY DISTAL TIBIA AND FIBULA AND PROXIMAL FIBULA WITH DISPLACEMENT. 
IT CAN BE DONE.



xcguy said:


> The injury varies from a hairline fracture to yours. I guess people don't say "I kinda broke my leg" or, in my case, "I really broke my wrist". I bet your doc says you can get on a trainer way before 9 months. Even that should help your mental state.


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## santacruzer (Nov 30, 2004)

nachomc said:


> Nice, man, I'm glad you're doing so well
> 
> I'm doing ok, it's been nine days since surgery. I'm finally able to walk on my crutches and walker without getting completely out of breath, the swelling has come _way_ down and I'm able to get out of the house finally. A buddy came and picked me up the other night and I went shopping for my wifes' birthday, which was awesome. So far the worst thing that's happened was when I took a nap yesterday and had a very real-feeling dream that I was riding my Epic again. Then I woke up and it sucked .
> 
> ...


So how's it going now? 
Here is my update, I'm back to riding again even though I still have limited flexibility in my ankle, (I've learned to unclip to the inside now). I tried with no luck to get a team together for a 24-Hour race this past weekend. Foolishly, I entered it solo just to see how many laps I could do. I ended up with 150 miles and second overall while riding for 21 hours. Who would of thunk it?:thumbsup: 
Here's a link to a race report on the local message board


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## CxAgent2 (Oct 24, 2007)

2WD and santcruzer just became my heros. It took me almost a year before I could ride anything more than half hearted. Roughly 18 months before I was in shape enough and confident enough to start riding hard and pushing myself.

Here are some x-ray and CT images
In the ER after injury








and









After the rod was installed-
IMG]https://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff267/cxagent/PostFrontLower3-5-06.jpg[/IMG]

Horizontal CT scan showing where rod missed the bone fragment -









Horizontal CT scan where the rod is properly inserted thru my tibia. I think this is above (closer to the knee) that the previous slice.


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## K'Tesh (Sep 20, 2007)

Got hit by a car on 10/12/07... Went to the ER that night, was X-rayed. They said that I had only soft tissue injuries... Gimped around with crutches while I got the bike fixed the next day.

Was back on the bike 10/14... but couldn't use the left leg...
10/15 was able to get the leg on the pedal, but couldn't use it for any power. Got to my Dr. he told me that he had checked the X-rays... soft tissue damage only.

(I had been feeling an odd popping in my left calf, which hurt like HELL for a few minutes, but I was able to pull it together after a little while).

Insurance wanted to settle asap... I said no, I was still walking with a limp.

Went to the Dr's again 10/31... still limping, still with popping and pain in left calf... he ordered an MRI (done 11/3). They found a compression caused fracture (tibia) and torn ligaments... no problem with the fibula (other than a bone bruise)...(told on 11/5)

Went to the Ortho. Surgeon 11/6, complained about the calf again... he did an X-ray of my left lower leg... he found...









(might only show up as a link)

Broken fibula, and the compression fracture of the tibia... hmm, how did they miss this? If your hurt... NEVER sign off on the injury until you're no longer hurt... get a lawyer.

I'm in a brace... and I've been biking since 10/14 (hit on 10/12), the ortho. surgeon said, if it doesn't hurt, go ahead... (feels a lot better than walking).

For more on this check out these links:
Insurance Settlement... yeah right!

and

Hit on 10/12/07...3 weeks later... they find... 

Hope you healed fast! Me, I still am...
Rubberside Rolls Better than Skin!
K'Tesh


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

santacruzer said:


> So how's it going now?
> Here is my update, I'm back to riding again even though I still have limited flexibility in my ankle, (I've learned to unclip to the inside now). I tried with no luck to get a team together for a 24-Hour race this past weekend. Foolishly, I entered it solo just to see how many laps I could do. I ended up with 150 miles and second overall while riding for 21 hours. Who would of thunk it?:thumbsup:
> Here's a link to a race report on the local message board


Thanks for asking.

I'm doing pretty well. I was released to the big velcro boot (darth as they call it) on 9/28, ditched that thing on 10/13 and just started doing what I could to walk. At this point, my ankle and leg are getting a lot stronger and I'm walking almost without a limp, but still fairly slow. I have less and less pain in the ankle/foot each day. I basically set out on the 13th and just said "this will not get in the way of my life any more" and I haven't let it. For example, last weekend I flew up to Oregon with my wife and some friends to go to the Ducks vs. Devils game in Eugene. We sat at the very top of the stadium and I climbed those stairs multiple times without issue. BTW - that stadium is LOUD. I remember when the Kings were making their championship runs and Arco Arena was the loudest stadium in the NBA. I hit a few of the playoff games - that noise level was NOTHING compared to Autzen. Geez.

Anyway..

I've been doing a lot of PT. I go in for visits every two weeks or so, and every time the PT gives me new exercises and I have to start waking up earlier in the morning to get them all done and still make it to work. It's helping though, so I can only whine about it so much. I've also gotten back in to the gym and started lifting weights again (all upper body - nothing doing with the legs right now). I'm trying to get some of my strength back and drop some of the weight (bad weight) that I put on while being off my feet for so long.

I've been back on my bike a few times. I set up my road bike on a trainer in my house and have been riding that. I hit it really hard the first week, but have been busy catching up on 14 weeks of sitting on the couch and haven't had much time to ride in the past 10 days or so. My next OS visit is 11/28; I'm really hoping we see bone growth at that time (he said he expected to see it by then). Unless the OS says otherwise, I'm not going to be riding outdoors again for another 7-9 months :cryin:. I'll wait it out as long as he tells me to though. I love riding, but I love walking more and getting in an outdoor ride just isn't worth the risk at this point .


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## S-Works (Dec 30, 2003)

brent878 said:


> any pics of the break?
> 
> here are some of mine
> 
> ...


Hey Brent,

that looks familiar.

Where you at with it now??

JD


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## brent878 (Apr 17, 2007)

S-Works said:


> Hey Brent,
> 
> that looks familiar.
> 
> ...


its been a year and a half now since my break and i am doing everything i was before. I feel the screw near my hip but that's about it. Just can't sleep on that side and if i move my leg in a certain angle i can feel it but other than that i am good now. Going to start racing motocross again this year.

How far along are you?


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## S-Works (Dec 30, 2003)

brent878 said:


> its been a year and a half now since my break and i am doing everything i was before. I feel the screw near my hip but that's about it. Just can't sleep on that side and if i move my leg in a certain angle i can feel it but other than that i am good now. Going to start racing motocross again this year.
> 
> How far along are you?


Had rod put in last dec. Was riding in April. Full function for riding is pretty much back, leg strenght still a bit lacking, I still limp a bit when I walk. I too feel the pin in the hip same as you. Can't sleep on that side, it pops the illeotibial bank when I walk. My ortho does not want to think about removing the rod, I suggested we just cut the rod down to the bone level so as not to cause any of the discomfort. He's thinking about it.

Sounds like our injuries/recovery are pretty similiar.

Good Luck.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Received good news today! 20 weeks out, had xrays. Doctor says I have lots of bone growth, remodeling and as far as he is concerned have no restrictions. He said I could start riding outdoors again, but recommended I stick to the road for 2-3 more months before I get back on the mtb. I'm fine with that. Just being able to ride outdoors again is fantastic!!!  

My latest xray. You can still see the indentation in the tibia from the ex-fix, but the fracture lines are reducing significantly. I am so, so, so happy right now


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## 2WD (Mar 11, 2007)

Congrats!!!!!!


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*We all are so so happy for you!*

That latest X ray is pretty amazing, almost like it's a year from injury, compared to the ones you posted at time of surgery. Get someone to take a pic of your first ride, even if it's on pavement. You'll want to capture that initial feeling of liberation being on the bike will bring. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## CxAgent2 (Oct 24, 2007)

Congrats and welcome back!!!

If my experience is any indication, you are likely to go thru some ups and downs for a while yet. You make a real good ride/walk/whatever one day, then a few days later can't repeat it. Don't get discouraged - it is part of the healing process. Push when you can but back off when your leg says to stop. 

I bet your doctor already told you this. In "doctorese" they use the term "exercise as tolerated".


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

CxAgent2 said:


> Congrats and welcome back!!!
> 
> If my experience is any indication, you are likely to go thru some ups and downs for a while yet. You make a real good ride/walk/whatever one day, then a few days later can't repeat it. Don't get discouraged - it is part of the healing process. Push when you can but back off when your leg says to stop.
> 
> I bet your doctor already told you this. In "doctorese" they use the term "exercise as tolerated".


My doctors 'doctorese' is "let pain and swelling be your guide" :lol:


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Had my first ride back today   http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=379371


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## beez (Dec 23, 2007)

*Great thread*

congrats nachomc!

This is my first time noticing this injuries section of mtbr and it's exactly what I needed. On Dec. 22nd I finally got a new bike and was going to get back into mtn biking. On Dec. 23rd I went snowboarding and ended up like this:










as of today (2/13/08) I'm in a vader boot and not allowed to put any weight on it. My next doc appt is in on 2/29 and I'm hoping he'll tell me that I can at least take the boot off to drive and maybe ride a stationary bike, but for now all I'm allowed to do is flex it to try to get my range of motion back.

I keep hearing stories about people back on their bikes after 2 months and I started wondering if i was doing something wrong, or not doing something that I should be doing. I guess it's just good to know that I'm not alone, and that someday I can be like nachomc going for my first ride outside.


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

*Welcome to the club beez*

I'd never broken anything till I broke my wrist over a year ago. Nachomc got his first break last year. We both discovered that there are many forms of injuries that can be described as "I broke my wrist" or "I broke my leg". Recovery times run from what seems like nothing to 9 months. My pt lady kept repeating "their injury is not your injury" so take what the docs and pt peeps say about your particular injury as just what it is: your recovery is going to take as long as it takes. Good luck.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Yikes, beez  You got a man-sized plate on there :lol:


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## beez (Dec 23, 2007)

nachomc said:


> Yikes, beez  You got a man-sized plate on there :lol:


Yeah, the bottom is pretty destroyed and it's hard to see, but there's another break up near the top of the plate, so he just ran a long one all the way down.

On the bright side, I'm probably going to have some cool looking scars running down the inside of my ankle where he cut me open to put in screws.

If I push on my skin I can feel the plate, it's kind of weird.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

You'll get used to it. As the swelling comes down, you can feel even more of the plate. I can feel the screw head at the bottom of my plate. I was feeling it last night, it's ... odd. I told my wife to feel it and she's going "is that it right there?" and I couldn't feel a thing through the plate :lol:

How are you doing in terms of pain and such? Your break looks pretty bad, that major plate you have is going to give the bone a lot of support, which is good for you. Since you're in the vader boot, are you allowed weight bearing right now or still non-weight bearing?


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## beez (Dec 23, 2007)

Pain is minimal, after sitting at a desk all day, it gets a little sore, but not bad. I stopped taking the oxycodone about 2 weeks after the surgery, except for occasionally taking it before bed to make it easier to get comfortable. I keep a bottle of vicodin handy just in case, but I haven't taken any.

Still no weight allowed. Hoping I can start doing something... anything... after my next doc visit on the 29th. On advice from others, I plan on pushing him to get me into some kind of PT, even if it's just to help maintain whatever muscle I can without putting weight on the leg. 

xcguy, you're right about that. one "broken ankle" does not always equal somebody else's "broken ankle". The first thing my doctor told me was "Calling this a 'broken ankle' does not do it justice".


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

Well I hope he gives you some good news. Are you allowed to have the vader boot off at all or is it on full time? If he will let you get in to PT go for it. I was immobilized for 11 weeks (1 week cast, then six weeks external fixator, then four more weeks cast) and when I got out my leg muscle was gone and my ankle was basically locked in place. I got out of the cast on September 28 and put in to the vader boot. It took me about two months before I was strong enough to get around "well". The week before Christmas I was working in San Francisco and I walked 2-4 miles per day. I did OK with it - my leg was SWOLLEN at the end of the day and there was some pain, but I made it without much issue.

By mid-January I was starting to feel pretty decent, strength and flexibility wise. Now I have almost no pain anymore, minimal stiffness but it's still there from time to time and I'm still working on my strength. I've read that it takes about 5 days recovery time for every 1 day you're immobilized, and my Doctor told me it would be about 18 months (from November) until I got back all of what I would. Swelling will last for up to a year, and probably more. The thing that sucks about the swelling is that it is worse when you're more active (especially at first), but you're going to try and be on it as much as you can at first so you can start catching up on life. Crappy catch-22 if you ask me.

Unfortunately, breaking a leg is no joke, especially when you do such a thorough job :\. Good luck, dude, hope you get better quick. Just try to remember that not only are breaks different, but our bodies are different (ie: healing time for bone growth and such) and our doctors are different (this can affect how aggressive they are with getting you weight bearing, etc). All this will shape how long it takes for you to get going.

Keep us updated on your status, and you can PM me if you want. Also, check out www.mybrokenleg.com. It's a great resource/support group for people with broken legs and you can kill a lot of time there .


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## santacruzer (Nov 30, 2004)

beez said:


> xcguy, you're right about that. one "broken ankle" does not always equal somebody else's "broken ankle". The first thing my doctor told me was "Calling this a 'broken ankle' does not do it justice".


Good luck with your next doctor visit,:thumbsup: I broke my ankle back in June and I guess in retrospect it really wasn't that bad. I broke both the tibia and the fibula and they put a couple of screws in the tibia and told me I had to keep 100% of my weight off of it for six weeks. When I went back at four weeks he was amazed that the bones looked as good as it did. I was told I could put pressure on it&#8230;.so I went on a 20 mile slow (13mph) road ride on the mountain bike that weekend with the darth vader boot on a platform pedal. By the next weekend I was riding 50 miles on a "B" group road ride. The funny part was everyone stopped at a store and they didn't know that I could not actually walk, so I just sat around on the bike.

My recovery might have gone a little faster because I'm self employed and had to work or starve to death. I was back to work full time after two weeks. Seven months later I'm still doing rehab on it though, I tore some ligaments on the inside of my ankle (when my ankle twisted ninety degrees when I broke it.) I turned my ankle the other day for the first time on a hike-a-bike section and didn't die, it actually only hurt for a second. Today was the first day that I was walking down one of the long Hospital hallways (where I was working) and noticed that I _didn't notice _my ankle at all. (it's hard to not feel something!) I am back to racing though, I've got several long races coming up and did a 24 hour solo race in November

Hang in there, before you know it you will be thowing those crutches in the trash. Just wait till you try standing on it for the first time, it's pretty weird.


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## beez (Dec 23, 2007)

Yours was far worse than mine. I'm not gonna lie, those pics of the external immobilizer are freaky, the idea of the bolts running from the outside of your body to the inside is just creepy. 

When you started walking, were you walking in the vader boot on? How does it feel the first time you take off all protection and just walk? I was irrationally nervous the first time I took the boot off to take a shower... just felt exposed and vulnerable, I'm wondering if it'll be even worse when I finally get what I'm looking forward to, which is walking with no assistance. 

I'm pretty lucky in that I don't NEED to walk any real distances, I sit at a desk all day. We did have a fire drill today though, and I had to crutch down to the 11th floor from the 15th. 

I had 2 days between the accident and surgery (unfortunately it was christmas eve and christmas) Then a splint for 10 days, cast for 3 weeks.

I'll be in the vader boot for 4 weeks without any weight bearing before I find out if I can start doing anything. I'm allowed to take it off for showers and he suggested that I take it off 4-5 times per day to roll my foot around in circles to try to get some flexibility back. I honestly did not expect the resistance that I got when I first started trying to do this, and even after the first couple times, I thought that flexibility would come back quickly... this has not been the case. I guess all of your muscles and tendons tighten up pretty good when they're not allowed to move.

So I was only 100% immobilized for about 5 weeks, but I'll probably be non-weight-bearing for a total of 10-12 weeks.

I'll check out that website.


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## beez (Dec 23, 2007)

santacruzer said:


> By the next weekend I was riding 50 miles on a "B" group road ride. The funny part was everyone stopped at a store and they didn't know that I could not actually walk, so I just sat around on the bike.


That's funny! I still have my bike sitting in my living room so sometimes I sit on it and push it around the living room, I was wondering what it would be like to ride with the vader boot, I guess it's something you could get used to.



> Just wait till you try standing on it for the first time, it's pretty weird.


I'm kind of nervous about that, but excited too.

This is probably going to sound stupid, but did anyone else have an issue with wearing out one shoe? I had just bought 2 new awesome pairs of sneakers and chucked my old shoes when I broke it... so I'm wearing just one of my shoes now from a pair of shoes that I really liked. Sucks. I guess I just need to buy more shoes later to celebrate being able to wear 2.


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## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

When I started walking I was actually still in a cast. They put me in a walking cast for that last four weeks. The first few steps I took were interesting. It hurt. When I went to take my first step, I suddenly realized that when you take a step, you put all of your weight on whichever leg is down. My brain freaked out a little but I got over it after a few hours..maybe a day I forget.

When they took me out of the cast, that was interesting. In fact, what they did was they cut the cast, sent me to xray, then I had an hour or so before my visit with the doctor. I was _freaked_ out. That's probably the most uncomfortable I've been in my entire life. I think I nearly puked from the fear of rebreaking my leg while it was out of the cast at that time.

Thankfully everything was cool and they put me in a vader boot that day and said I could walk without it as soon as I was ready. At first, since my foot had been in a cast for so long, the padding was gone from my feet and it hurt to walk. There was no muscle in my leg, and very little flexibility in my ankle (ok none) so I didn't really walk so much as pick my foot up and move it forward. I never knew how much muscle you actually need just to push off with your foot when you take a step. After about two weeks in the boot, I decided that my progress would be faster if I just went without the boot and was careful about each step. I think I was right - my muscle started coming back, flexibility was better. I limped and was in pain for about seven weeks.

You'll be nervous those first few times, but you get used to it pretty quick.


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