|   Seeking recovery tips for tibia/fibia fracture | Scott F
Feb 25, 2003 8:16 PM | | (Hope you will excuse the cross post. I'm posting on this forum because I spend 90% of my time here and feel like I know folks, but I've also posted this to the riding/training techniques forum because trainer type guys hang out there.)
Ten days ago I broke my tibia and fibia on the Behind the Rocks Trail (Moab, UT). The first thing I could think of was "how long is this going to keep me off the bike?"
The surgeon put a rod down the length of the tibia and put in some screws to hold things together - no cast needed.
Does anyone have cycling specific recovery experience they can share? Seems like I should be able to do some easy biking even before I could put my full walking weight on it. I want to make sure I get the range of motion back that is needed for cycling. |
| don't know about the tibia, but the... | norcalrider
Feb 25, 2003 10:51 PM | | fibula isn't such a bad injury esp if it was a clean break.
about a month before I had to move to start grad school i snapped
my fibula in two playing hoops. i had ridden to the game on my
bike and i tried to ride home but it quickly became clear that wasn't
happening ;)
the fibula is not a weight bearing bone and i had broken it clean
and it hadn't been displaced so there was no need for a cast.
basically the doc said i could put weight on it as pain permitted...
so, i had a friend help me move about 3.5 weeks later and i moved
in...there was no parking at the university for students so i had to
bike everywhere. so glad i had a bike...it wasn't *that* painful to
ride by the time school started and it was pretty sore/gimpy for maybe
4 months after the accident.
the tibia is a weight bearing bone and seems like it could take longer
to heal and you could have more problems with it. what did the doc say??
sorry to hear about your injury--rehab it as agressively as
you can. |
| What type? | Standing Bear
Feb 25, 2003 11:26 PM | | I did a tibia plateau fracture last June. With direct contact (bone to bone) joint issues that are non-weight bearing, they usually keep you off of the bike until you are WELL into PT and rehab. Range of motion and extension can be worked on while in bed. Motion on a machine or ball and extension with a stack of books. This was the only thing I did for the first month after surgery. However, if you are non-joint then I am sure none of this is applicable. |
| re: Seeking recovery tips for tibia/fibia fracture...bad break! | guido_96
Feb 26, 2003 4:38 AM | | I had the same thing happen to me but mine were broken while hopping off the bike...if I were you I'd forget about riding until FULLY healed...not that you COULDN'T but what if you have to bail?...mine didn't require any rods or screws but I did employ the help of a GREAT physical therapist who told me, after the cast came off, at least twice daily act as if your big toe is a pen and draw the alphabet (capital letters!)...this makes use of every angle and movement that your ankle/leg needs to get better...AND expect a
big 'crack' soon thereafter...I thought the damn leg broke again but I guess it was just the bones 'settling' and man it felt SOOO good!!
hope it helps! |
| 3 months for me | litespeedchick
Feb 26, 2003 5:45 AM | | I also broke tib and fib just above the ankle. Have two pins (ti, of course) in tibia and a plate/screws in fibula.
I was plaster casted 10 days, Frankenstein booted 3 weeks, neoprene braced 4 weeks. I was back to walking in 7 weeks, for the last four weeks the Dr. had me put 25 lbs of weight on the broken leg the first week, 50 lbs the second, and so on. I assume it would have taken longer if I had weighed more.
I borrowed a stationary bike with the arm thing-ys from the guy who owns my LBS (thanks Mike at Sunshine in Greenville) and started using that somewhere in the 3rd or 4th week , trying to use the arms and good leg and not use the broken one. This was super easy spinning, just to keep a tiny bit of aerobics going. Once I was allowed to put more weight on the leg I ramped up the indoor training. The elliptical trainer (no impact)at the gym was a life-saver during the rehab.
My Dr. (who did an ankle-specialty residency at Duke...did I get lucky he was on call that Sat. or what?) did not recommend PT...said if I was diligent about stretching the ankle at home I didn't need one. He told me to put a towel around the ball of foot and pull it toward me. I was not supposed to do any side to side or circular movements until it was closer to healed.
My Dr. did not even want me to drive until I was fully walking (7 weeks remember...although I cheated at 5) He said in a collision or even near-collision you would instinctively brace yourself with the bad (left) foot and that would be BAD. So I definately wouldn't risk having to put a foot down on the bike suddenly until your Dr. gives you the OK.
At exactly 3 months from the break I went out on the mtn bike and just did gravel roads. I didn't try single track until the 4th month. Some time in the 4th month I also started jogging a little (now that hurt). I really had more trouble getting back in the game psychologically than I did physically. It was 6 months before I remember really having fun on a fast/techinal downhill. And now, 3 1/2 years later, I'm still wearing high top bike shoes which of course look STUPID, but I still remember hearing that leg snap!
OK, I've written a book, but if you encourage me by telling me more about where your break is, etc. I'll bore you some more! Good Luck. |
| 3 months for me | guido_96
Feb 26, 2003 9:10 AM | | that IS a nasty sound...*SNAP*...ditto on the driving restriction...the only good thing about it was having family/friends waiting on me hand/foot (no pun intended)...the WORST was having to get around campus on crutches in snow w/books! |
| 3 months for me | litespeedchick
Feb 26, 2003 10:49 AM | | Wow! I would have had a breakdown if i'd had to use cruthes in snow. The BEST thing for me was the abs I built up from using those crutches...the worst thing was I had to sell my Nissan 300 ZX (stick) which I loved and get a nasty old automatic Explorer so I could start driving sooner. OH, and the handicapped parking was another good thing...I hated giving that tag back! |
| location of break | Scott F
Feb 26, 2003 12:22 PM | | This is all very helpful. I went into the doc today. He says that I can start light therapy right away, and that I can put the majority of my weight on it in six weeks.
The tibia is broken about three inches above the ankle. It was broken in several places, but looks like the screws are holding it together well.
The fibula is broken about three inches below the knee. Today's xray shows that the two pieces are some distance apart, but doc says it will still heal. |
| location of break | litespeedchick
Feb 26, 2003 1:17 PM | | Glad you're doing well. What does your Dr. say about keeping the hardware? I'm planning to leave mine in there unless it starts to act up. My ankles are so skinny you can see each of the 7 screws. If I wear really shiny pantyhose you can even see the outline of the plate. I assume you guys won't have that problem.
What do you guys who have healed a similar break think about me and my high tops? Any of you stuck on high tops? Anybody tried those Ankle Biters? Thanks. |
| the hardware | Scott F
Feb 27, 2003 3:31 PM | | He won't give me a yes/no recommendation on removing the hardware. Doc says I can't have it removed for 18 months anyway. I'm certainly not excited about another operation (to remove the hardware), but I understand that if I re-break this leg with the hardware in it is really nasty.
Right now I'm leaning toward removing the screws, but leaving in the rod. As I understand the situation this is a pretty simple process, but will also give me some benefit if I re-break this leg.
If you have any insights please share. |
| re: Seeking recovery tips for tibia/fibia fracture | ozone
Feb 26, 2003 11:42 AM | | Cycling is rehab. It was a month after the brace came off for me before I rode outside and another month after that before I was mountain biking. I broke the tibia plateau which created more of a joint issue. The only cool part is my bike sponsor sent me a ti cane to speed the recovery. |
| I did mine last year, 3 LONG months | thoughtulpirate
Feb 26, 2003 1:21 PM | | i did mine last year 2 days before christmas and did my first mountain ride at tsali in early april i think. 1month in full leg cast, 1 1/2 months in half leg cast, 1 month in boot. rode in the half cast a few times. |
| re: Seeking recovery tips for tibia/fibia fracture | norcalrider
Feb 26, 2003 9:56 PM | | One more thing--just common sense, but if you haven't already,
start taking calcium supplements now. Also if you have access to
a gym you could exercise the non-broken parts of your body a couple
times a week assuming you can get there too...
good luck with your rehab! |
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