Snapped Tib and Fib

CAFCJames1994

I had a nasty break 8 weeks ago. I snapped my Tibia and Fibia and i had surgery with two metal plates and nine screws put into my right leg. My cast just got taken off today and im due to walk on my two feet again in 2-4 weeks just in time for the opener against Ballmouth then i have to go through physio. Has anyone done the same damage before? what was the physio like and walking on two feet again like? Sorry this has nothing to do with football or Charlton just be nice to get some advise :)

RedZed333

How long was the cast...?

I broke my leg as a teenager, had a full toe to thigh cast for six months...

Healing went well but the physio to get my knee bending again was excruciating...

aliwibble

Sorry I can't be any help, but the combination of the username and message subject made me laugh. And now I feel guilty, cos man that sounds painful. Best of luck.

CAFCJames1994

The cast was on for 8 weeks but they kept changing it because they kept trying to get my foot back into the 90 degree angle but it didn't happen until the third try was a painful moment. I have no problems bending my leg at all the break was at the bottom of my leg. It's my first night without the cast and it feels good but aches a bit. I also had 14 stitches on each side of the leg.

RedZed333

My son fell off a climbing wall earlier this year, smashed his leg to bits, had all the plates and screw etc...

Once he got the cast off he sailed throught the physio, these plates really do aid healing...

The biggest problem was building the leg muscles back up but if you perservere it don't take that long...

Leroy Ambrose

I tore my ACL playing ice hockey when I was 16. Unimaginable pain. Had arthroscopic surgery (luckily - I played football a few years later with a Kiwi who had done the same - he had 'regular' surgery and it looked like they'd opened his knee up with mediaeval implements of torture). I had to wear a brace for two months. subsequently found out I shouldn't have been given it as it prevented me from having full extension (fnarr fnarr) afterwards and prevented me from recovering properly. As a result I now have less than 90% full motion in my right leg, which has led to back problems in the past few years.

Sounds like your cast was on for the same length of time as my brace. I had physio afterwards to get the muscles back working again properly (though it was so long ago they didn't even call it 'physiotherapy' - I think they called it 'physical therapy' LOL). It actually wasn't that hard - I think two months is a doddle compared to those poor sods who have six months in various contraptions, I found it more frustrating than painful as, being a stupid kid, I wanted to rush everything and started playing football too quickly - breaking down twice in the first six months. Eventually I left it a whole year before playing contact sport again and since then - despite the aforementioned lack of full movement and complications from it leading to back pain, I've had no serious problems with it. I never played ice hockey again though (sniff sniff) as I can't put any real lateral stress on it or it swells up for a couple of days.

Best advice I would give you is - DON'T RUSH RECOVERY. Take it easy!

Swisdom

I snapped fib and dislocated tib - pretty similar to you. I had a cast for 10-12 weeks and played football a fortnight after removal ( deffo not advised)
When the cast comes off you'll have 1 leg like Arnie and one leg like a sparrow - it looks odd but actually washing it properly will feel nice

Physio was done at Fawkham Manor private hospital and was difficult for me as I was reluctant to put my weight on it properly - this is normal
Hardest part of physio was standing on one of those rings with an inflatable ball and trying to balance

Hopefully you'll be up and running in no time but for me there are permanent reminders with the arthritis I get in it every so often and the fact it's never quite been the same since I did it ( I was 17 and a very decent footballer at the time)

Good luck, don't rush it and trust the new bone! Also don't rush to get the plates removed - that hurt like hell

bibble

Done my fibia 6 years ago and dislocated my ankle at the same time, bad sliding challenge from the oppos keeper as we went for a 50-50. 2 plates a 7 screws inserted.
My advice, take it easy at first, listen to your leg it will tell you when to slow down, if you have sharp pains then stop, if it is a throbbing pain (oo er) then thats not too bad cos apparantly its still healing and will gradually stop. I found that loads of swimming helped get my fitness back and the movement helps the circulation.
But when your leg is fully sorted, get the pins and plates removed, I had mine taken out 2 years after the break and yes it did hurt a bit but the longer you leave the plates and pins the longer the recovery period after they are removed. I do a lot of training and the only agg I have is on cold days the day after a heavy session (oo er again)
Good luck.

ISawLeaburnScore

Ouch... my gf's father did this about a month ago, broken tib, fib and ankle and he's been in a world of trouble... all the best on the recovery

_MrDick

I had a hip replacement a few months ago and I've got myself a personal trainer. He's working on building up specific muscles to get rid of my limp. It's hard work but well worth the £30 a week.

Oggy Red

[cite]Posted By: Swisdom[/cite]Physio was done at Fawkham Manor private hospital

I used to work at Fawkham Hall, just along the road from there.


Some real war stories on here. I've had my catalogue of football related hospital visits .... you know - usual concussion, knee ripped open by studs, torn ligaments and endless physio type of thing.

But nothing to the same degree as some of you lads, so I'll count my blessings.

Anyway, good luck with the physio, Cory ........!

RedZed333

Swimming is a great exercise as is walking on a soft surface like a beach...

Exercise bike is good too, not on a real bike, too dangerous....

Marco

I had a similar injury in my teenage years. I was pretty much trouble free for about 15 years afterwards but I've had jip more recently.
I've still managed to do lots of snowboarding, golf, 5 a side football etc but cold days and sudden changes of direction can be difficult.
My advice is take it slowly.
REALLY slowly.
Do all the exercises but don't even begin to think that doing more than advised will be a help. It won't.
It took me nearly a year to get back to 'normal'.
Good luck.

ken from bexley

Sorry to hear your bad luck..... my son had this happen when he was playing for Kent, and was at Gravesend........
Horrible injury he was almost 16. Physically he made a full recovery within 7 months, Young, fit and an excellent surgeon (NHS).......

I got him to see Fred Streeter, ex England phsio, and Arsenal, top man. at a private London clinic. An hour's worth of consultation about £75.....best advice, and honesty.

He did some exercises, and told him what to expect.

However the next 18 months, he gradually lost confidence and stopped playing centre back. He was 'riding' the tackles..... and did not feel things were right. Always kept fit in the gym and played competive football again last year, and again this year!. He is over it now, and the leg is fine, screwed up his football career ( had 2 trials lined up) .

As others have said, gradual recovery, lot's of gym, and swimming...... best of luck mate, like all serious injuries with time and proper advice it can be overcome, but up to you!

Bexley Dan

Broke my ankle playing football just over 4 months ago (bad tackle from behind). Broke the smaller outside bone just above the ankle and sheared my foot over. had a plate and 6 screws and in plaster for 7 weeks) Been doing physio for the last 6 weeks. was able to walk reasonably normally after a couple of weeks out of plaster but swells up after and takes 5/10 minutes of walking again after stopping for it to 'warm up' so i can walk without a limp again. Football seems a long way off at the moment although when i did it the consultants said i should be back in time for pre season. physio is NHS once a week where you go and use the eqpt the physio advised you to on your first visit. I've reached a point where further progress is taking longer than i'd like and i can't bend my leg anywhere near the other one at the moment. I do wonder sometimes whether they left it too long to change casts and this is why it was so difficult getting my foot to the required 90 degree angle and whether this is why it's so hard to bend now. This was done after 3 weeks rather than 2 as they ballsed up my appointment to change the temporary cast to the permanent cast. Anybody know ?

uncle

I done my tib and fib low down on my shin. Had the same plate and pins, Do as much exercise as you can and move your ankle as much as you can when your just sitting about.Dont skip any of the physio it really does help. Walking didn't take to long to achieve but you will find the blood rushing to your feet at first. I was playing again after about 8 weeks after coming out of plaster, I wouldn't suggest doing that, I snapped them both again a few weeks after playing and fractured the plate. Very ugly scar now and leg creaks like an old door.

Leroy Ambrose

SHIThouse - snapped them BOTH again a few weeks later? I'd have topped myself if I f***ed my ACL that soon after the first time and had to go through that pain again.

RedZed333

He tried to sue the physiotherapist but he didn't have leg to stand on...

uncle

[cite]Posted By: Leroy Ambrose[/cite]SHIThouse - snapped them BOTH again a few weeks later? I'd have topped myself if I f***ed my ACL that soon after the first time and had to go through that pain again.

Yeah it did hurt a bit and my bosses weren't best pleased either

Sparrows Lane Lion

Had ACL reconstruction surgery, total recovery time was about a year, although 5 years later the knee can still ache from the effects of the op.

I wasn't as disciplined with my exercise routines as I could've been, whether it's made any difference I can't tell, but that's what I would say, make sure you do do your recommended exercises and be patient. It certainly makes you appreciate your body a lot more!

Also recovering from a much more serious injury with more extensive long term damage and I'm definitely taken a more discipline approach after getting 3 pages of exercises from the physio today. And after this one it has certainly rammed home the point that your body is important, look after it and do as much as possible with it! Ie, don't sit on your arse all day, get out and be active!

Harry Gregory

Broke my right ankle playing football, I was out for six months then first game back broke my left ankle going in for a stupid tackle and caught my studs on frozen ground. Never played organised football again after that

CAFCJames1994

Well i've been moving and exercising my ankle since the cast has come off and it's going well but it aches and my achilies tendon is acheing aswell but its supposed to. I start physio in 2-4 weeks and they've said they may give me hydro-therapy too, thats even better. I will definitley be swimming anyway as im a Lifeguard and swimming is very good for the leg. I also play Tennis and im gutted i've missed my Tennis season, i won't be rushing back to playing games again but as soon as the physio's say i can start training then i'll get staright on to it. I did play some club football but i have felt where the plates are and im not confident to play again just incase it gets knocked and i can imagine it already being a painful moment if i get tackled. Anyway i've had a great surgeon and he has done a brilliant job!

better red than dead

The boss broke her leg in 4 places three years ago and needed an external fixator. For those who don't know what this looks like, imagine a couple of large horse shoes joined together with rods and wrapped around the leg with more rods attached to these screwed into the leg to keep the various floating bits of bone in place while they knit together - it is not a pretty sight so I won't post a picture. She started physio but this came to a grinding halt when the physiotherapist went abroad for a holiday and wasn't allowed back into the country so had to manage on her own. The leg will never be right but we're just grateful she has the leg at all and can walk again normally after a year in a wheelchair and on crutches.

Good luck with your recovery and count your blessings.

ps she broke her leg doing one of those dangerous sports - tending her rose garden - she turned but her foot didn't thus got really horrible spiral fractures.

pps the roses look lovely

Ormiston_Addick

Blimey, there's some right horror stories on this thread, makes me feel very lucky to have never gone through anything similar in my 20 years of playing.

However, in all fairness, I did mitigate the risk of injury by; a] Making about one tackle per season, b] Never moving at more than cart-horse pace.

Let the other cloggers do all the hard work!