Broken Fibula

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Well I had a breakway in my last game, deke the goalie out of his pads, lost the puck in my skates, kicked it but lost an edge and crashed into the boards with my left foot/ankle under me. Tuns out my talus is shifted a bit and I broke my fibula. How long would it be before I can lightly skate on it? The ER doc said 4-6wks of bone healing and another 2 for rehab.

[shooter27 116]

I'm gonna say follow the doc's recommendation on this one, so it sounds like you're talking 6-8 weeks, including the rehab. They may let you try some light skating during rehab, but I wouldn't expect it. Better safe than sorry in a case like this, we tend to forget how fragile the human body really is at times.

Speedy Recovery.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Thanks shooter. I was going to follow directions from doc, i'm young, I don't need to have a messed up ankle/foot for the rest of my life b/c I came back too early. This is the first major injury I have sustained playing hockey. Who would have thought a guy wearing no shoulders/no cup/no elbows would break his ankle..

[AIREAYE 248]

Thanks shooter. I was going to follow directions from doc, i'm young, I don't need to have a messed up ankle/foot for the rest of my life b/c I came back too early. This is the first major injury I have sustained playing hockey. Who would have thought a guy wearing no shoulders/no cup/no elbows would break his ankle..

exactly, be careful next time :P, hope you recover soon :)

[Bucky25 0]

Have a speedy recover man. No cup though...Maybe they should give you a psych eval while they're at it! :)

[Vishi05 0]

Did it break completely or just crack?

I broke my fibula in april of '08 and then a year and a week later I "fractured" it, the doctor said my ligament sheered my bone a little bit but called it a fracture. The first time I was out a long time (more due to the sprain than the break) and the second time I was out about 5 weeks but it wasn't that bad at all and I could walk with no pain, just couldn't put on a skate.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Vishi, I fracture the fibula. The ER doc said that the broken fibula was a common fracture, same with the Atlanta Hawks doctor I'm seeing. The Hawks doctor said that the real problem is with my shifted talus/anklebone, no cast can realign it properly. So this Friday I get to go into surgery and have one plate a few screws put into my fibula and talus to realign my wonderful jacked up ankle.

[Vishi05 0]

Vishi, I fracture the fibula. The ER doc said that the broken fibula was a common fracture, same with the Atlanta Hawks doctor I'm seeing. The Hawks doctor said that the real problem is with my shifted talus/anklebone, no cast can realign it properly. So this Friday I get to go into surgery and have one plate a few screws put into my fibula and talus to realign my wonderful jacked up ankle.

I think I get what you are saying now, fractured right where it connects to the ankle. Look at the bright side, I know a guy who had a tib/fib fracture and still has a plate in his leg.

The worst part of my injury was the ligament damage, it took a year and a half for my ankle to go back to it's regular size and the ligaments still pop when I take my foot and do circles with it.

You have the right idea in not rushing back, one other piece of advice I would give you is do all the physical therapy you can, I didn't (busy work schedule) and I think it set me back considerably.

[kredmore 2]

Look at the bright side, I know a guy who had a tib/fib fracture and still has a plate in his leg.

That would be me.....:)

[shoeshine boy 241]

I heard about this the day it happened. see what speed gets you???? ;)

seriously though, I'd go with what the doc says. the ice isn't going anywhere and who wants to play in pain for the rest of their life because they didn't heal correctly.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Follow the doctors orders and listen to what your BODY tells you. Modsquad is great to share stories and hear about what other members have dealt with and experienced during injury but since you mentioned your relatively young and this is your first bad injury make sure your aware that what your Doctors/Surgeons/Therapists tell you is what you need to do. Definately dont push it and risk being hurt your whole life because you wanna get back on the ice too fast. With that being said, I hope your surgery goes well and your PT as well (do as much as you can when they say you can without hurting yourself). Lastly, see if you can get your xrays on disc and post up some pictures of your new hardware :) (could make for a cool thread :))

[Machinehead2k5 32]

ShoeshineBoy: Haha, me have speed, you must have seen/heard about the wrong Indian guy. Now if we're talking about snap/wrist shots then yes.

Vishi/Fire: Yeah, I'm definitely not going to come back early, there's not point in rushing back either. Yeah I broke the fibula at the base where it connects to the talus/anklebone.

I should be able to get my xrays in a couple of days from the ER and then post-OPeration, which I'll post the before and afters of. :)

[KingPest19 0]

Follow the doctors orders and listen to what your BODY tells you. Modsquad is great to share stories and hear about what other members have dealt with and experienced during injury but since you mentioned your relatively young and this is your first bad injury make sure your aware that what your Doctors/Surgeons/Therapists tell you is what you need to do. Definately dont push it and risk being hurt your whole life because you wanna get back on the ice too fast. With that being said, I hope your surgery goes well and your PT as well (do as much as you can when they say you can without hurting yourself). Lastly, see if you can get your xrays on disc and post up some pictures of your new hardware :) (could make for a cool thread :))

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I had a doctor take me out of a cast after 3 wks for a broken fibula and gave me the ok to play after another 4 weeks. Needless to say 8 months, and 3 MRI's later it still wasnt healed correctly. Saying that and reading who is doctors are, listen to every word they say about when and what and what not to do.

[big_bt 0]

This was my exact injury. I get tripped going by a guy and crash into the boards with my left ankle up and boom. Snap.

Dislocated my ankle, and broke my fibula above the ankle. Went into emergency and took a bunch of painful x-rays, and then they decided that they needed my ankle properly back into the socket so they morphine me up and start bending my broken ankle back into place, didn't feel a thing, and was as high as a kite. Then got surgery, 1 plate, 5 screws.

Jan 1st - Break

Late March / Early April - Easy Skating

The biggest problem is that you need to strengthen the ankle when you're just sitting on the couch. I would suggest getting a rubber band/tube and getting your range of motion back as soon as you can without any pain.

But you'll be back in no time. Just take it easy. The first thing I did as soon as I could was put my foot back into my skate to see if they screws and stuff would irritate it.

Good luck on the recovery!

[shoeshine boy 241]

ShoeshineBoy: Haha, me have speed, you must have seen/heard about the wrong Indian guy. Now if we're talking about snap/wrist shots then yes.

well, consider who told me about it: the "other" Indian guy. :lol:

[Machinehead2k5 32]

well, consider who told me about it: the "other" Indian guy. :lol:

Well in the division we play in, there's 4 "other" Indian guys.

But you'll be back in no time. Just take it easy. The first thing I did as soon as I could was put my foot back into my skate to see if they screws and stuff would irritate it.

Good luck on the recovery!

Glad to hear that you're doing good. Great now I get to be THAT brown guy at the airport who gets scanned 7879times because 1)I'm Brown 2) I have plates in my foot. :lol:

[shoeshine boy 241]

Well in the division we play in, there's 4 "other" Indian guys.

only one (that I know of) that was there to give me a eyewitness account. :)

[big_bt 0]

Metal detectors won't pick it up.

I've been through a ton so far for Olympic events and in August went to Mexico, unless the plate goes up to your knee I doubt it'll be a problem.

[wcerin 0]

I shattered my fib (5 point break) on Aug 10 last year playing over the summer and was back on the ice playing competetive hockey on Nov.1, take into

consideration I was still rehabbing at that time (I got the OK from my Doc). and I am just now (last few of games) really feeling

like I'm getting back to old form and close to 100%. I wish you the best I know it is extreamly hard to want to play and have to sit out

and support from the bench. Get back soon, good luck!

[Dr. Funk 6]

Machinehead, first post from a long-time lurker. As someone who's an ER doc, take it easy and listen to what your medical professionals are telling you. Sounds like you have a good "plan of attack," with the sports medicine/orthopaedics team down there. Talar fractures/dislocations can be very difficult injuries - if you're having an operative repair, it's best to do it only once. You'll obviously want to pay close attention during your post-op period, so your chances for optimal healing are maximized. While it's not the exact same injury, you don't want to end up in a Peter Forsberg-type situation.

Best wishes and Godspeed. You'll be back on the ice in no time if you take the advice of the good people to which you've entrusted your health.

[Too Old 1]

Hang in there! I got cheap-shotted with a crosscheck in a game on Jan 13th. All my weight was on my left leg as I began to circle the other team's net with the puck. I felt AND heard my left fibula break, lol. My surgery was Jan 15th. I took pain meds for only 4 days as I didn't care for their side effects. Then I took Ibuprofen for about 5 more days and quit that too as some say it can interfere with bone growth/healing. About 10 days after surgery the 14 staples came out. I slowly began to put a tiny bit of weight on the leg and began walking on it Feb 19th. I just went back yesterday to the orthopedic surgeon. I didn't lie to him and told him I'd already begun to walk on it, lol. He said that was fine. He told me to continue to wear the boot for another week, and then wear a lace-up ankle brace inside my normal shoes if it would fit. My foot still has some bruising on the sole and it's swollen a bit yet too. I go back again on April 20th for a final checkup. My goal is to get back on my mountain and road bikes quickly this spring once the snow is gone. Then I want to get on the ice and skate again by mid-summer. Then I plan to return to hockey in the fall. I'd rather let it heal up well than to push things too hard. I'm no youngster as I'll turn 50 in May. For your viewing pleasure here are yesterday's pics, lol:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/2057...3%20pic%201.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/2057...3%20pic%203.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/2057...3%20pic%202.jpg

[Dr. Funk 6]

Too Old, that's a great-looking repair, at least radiographically. Not to give you medical advice, but it looks as if you've found yourself a quality orthopaedist! Best wishes for a safe and speedy recovery, so you can use all of that pro-stock Red Wings gear you've posted up!

[Too Old 1]

Yep, it did look good. I did a TON of reading on the 'net about the fracture (Weber B I believe, lol) and how the spacing in the joint is critical for proper range of motion and hopeful lack of arthritic issues later on. The ironic thing is my wife teaches and has or had kids in her class from my GP, the orthopedic surgeon, and the anesthesiologist. How bizarre! I told the anesthesiologist that the next time I accessed the 'net and searched YouTube after my surgery I din't want to search under my name and find a video of me with banjo music playing in the background!

[SHARK_city_WIZEGUY 0]

I broke my radius (arm) while playing in a game in september.. I had surgery and was back stickhandling and taking shots 3 weeks later.. But, I HIGHLY regret it. I didn't listen to my doc and thought duct tape could fix everything. (no not literally, but at the time the pain wasnt as bad as watching my team lose). So, listen to you doc and don't rush it. No matter how hard the urge is to fight.. You'll be thankful in the end.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Here's the after pic, I'll post the pre-op pic after my follow up next week.