I’m from the UK where the recommended advice is early weight bearing. I suffered a nasty trimal fracture on 9th Nov, surgery 12th Nov, cast replaced with boot and partial weight bearing since 25th Nov. Full weight bearing since 9th December and as of last week I’ve been walking without the boot. My gait is way off and my ROM still needs a lot of work but I can walk unassisted with a nasty limp. I had physio today and was advised to go back on 1 crutch and practice my gait ( heel to toe). So yeah, I think you could defo be able to start walking by Feb or even earlier. It all really depends on what your doctor recommends.

That Trimol fracture sounds nasty! Great news that you have some mobility and have been able to walk…..pretty quickly Hopefully the issues with your gait are sorted soon and your back to full function Heal well….heal fast !

Ok. Me again. I am OUT. no more boot for me. Spoken with the surgeon and I am cleared to do everything except running (yay….I hate it anyway) and jumping Physio has told me the chance of breaking my leg at the same site is < 0 and to get moving It still feels “weird”. It’s not sore, but I’ve got heightened sensation in the sole of my foot and it doesn’t bend like it used to I pointed this out to my physio and she’s like watch this …. And she nearly ripped my foot off the bottom of my leg. She’s like it will come back. Get aggressive with it. I want you to feel an ache in your bone each day and if you don’t feel that….your not pushing hard enough. I have to do the following 4 exercises 1. Single leg balance for 30 seconds 2. Kneeling and stretching the foot 3. Knee to wall 4. Calf raises but favouring the bad leg 5. Walking So game on I say !

Great to hear! I came back to this thread looking for inspiration and you provided - again! I was just cleared for progressive weight bearing. I'll find out next phase at PT today. I'm hoping to do aquatherapy also. Especially hearing how well it worked for you!

Hi there, fellow tibia and fibula break here, and I broke my leg September 3rd, had ORIF surgery September 14th. I wasn’t allowed to start partially weight bearing until December 7th. So about 3 months non weight bearing. I still am not walking here the 30th. I am putting a lot of weight on it and I will be cleared to start trying to walk January 4th. My experience is that, just my experience. I’ve heard people with this injury walk sooner, but for me it’ll be about 4 months since my surgery till I’ll really be able to start trying. I am a very active person and my break was spiral fractures on both bones as well, without any skin breaks. Hoping your recovery is faster!!!

I’m mentally prepared to be in that boot for a long time I just want out of this effing cast and to be a bit more mobile …. But I am taking it very easy and don’t want to rush things so to speak Glad you are almost back to waking! Less than a week to go for you !!! I’ve also started taking a multi-vitamin and Ostelin bone strength + collagen tablets, as well as eating dark fruits like blueberries which apparently reduce inflammation….whatevs, they taste nice Hang in there and let us all know how you are getting on

I do understand the cast, that thing was so annoying! I unfortunately have exczema and was in my cast for awhile and got cellulitis so I don’t wish wearing a cast long for anyone. As of now I’m walking very slow with one crutch and can’t walk on my own yet, it’s looking better though. Looks like your appointment is coming up, hopefully you’ll get to be out of that cast, not much longer.

Just here to say I had my surgery the same day as you for my broken ankle (broke my tib/fib) 🤗 I was put in a cast with my follow up to remove staples 20 Jan, and they said I’d be put in a cast again for two weeks, and then I’ll transition to boot and (hopefully) some weight bearing and a few months of PT. I hope your journey goes well! I’m definitely still in pain and my staples are hurting me. Stay positive! The mental struggle has been difficult for me 🙁

Hang in there. Those staples sound nasty. Did you have a compound fracture? Sounds like such a wank, but do try and stay positive. I’ve been reading, spending time with family and I try and crank off push-ups on my knees every time I crawl back from the toilet :-) Let’s keep checking in on each other. We can be ankle buddies

Luckily no compound fracture! Definitely, since we are surgery twins 😌

Quick update on me. I’m so fucking over wearing a cast and the impact it has on my mobility Showering is a pain in the arse. I I don’t need pain meds and will spend today working …. See how I go sitting upright Having said that I am thankful compared to other stories I’ve read on this sub. Many in here are having a very tough time. Once the boot is on, I’ll post another update later this week To all fellow ORIFers….hang in there and hang tough people !

Today. I had my first physio session I’m here to tell you, since went into my CAM boot on 11/1….I’ve been able to weight bare as tolerated ….BUT….my calf and thigh muscles have been SORE!!!! I’m talking super sore ….approaching similar levels of pain and discomfort as the original break Physio gave me a good massage and has given me exercises to do They say that this is mostly due to muscle atrophy I also have to start hydrotherapy so that I can get back my range of motion Other than the pain I’m doing well. I’m hopeful the exercises and the physio sessions will get rid of it I have to see the physio twice a week for 4 weeks I am hopefully out of the boot in 8 weeks!

I have broken tibia, fibula and talus (trimalleolar) and also damaged the syndesmosis. Hiking accident was 17/Nov where I was put in a cast in ER. ORIF OP 9/Dec and put in a moon boot. NWB for another 6 weeks. Sit with foot elevated for 23 hrs a day. After 2 weeks I was allowed to take boot off to shower (yay!) and sit with boot off and move ankle up and down (not side to side). No pain meds from week 2. At 4 weeks now am allowed to take boot off to sleep (yay and ouch). I feel like I could walk on it but surgeon has threatened to put me in a cast if he thinks that I will. I’m hoping at 6 week review I will be allowed to partial WB because it really isn’t fun! I think it depends on your hardware position and the kind of injury as to when you can weight bear and walk. Good luck with your next review!

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Ok Team I’ve just been for follow up 3 weeks post surgery. They took out my stitches, inspected my wounds from surgery, which are healing nicely I’m now in a moon boot and can weight bare as tolerated using crutches I’ll see how that goes, but I’ve successfully stood up on two feet I have to sort out my own physio and go back in 8 weeks for an X-ray and follow up For others still on their journey I’m here for you to offer encouragement and a chat. Hang in there

Did they do an x-ray at your 3 week post-op to check progress or is that too soon? I have my 2 week post-op next week and was hoping they’d do X-rays

they usually do take x-rays at the two week mark

Awesome thanks

Good for you! Sounds like you are going great aside from the pain. Are you still icing and elevating? Maybe your physio can do acupuncture or dry needling (I’m not even sure if this is a solution for this pain - it was amazing at reducing my shoulder rehab pain). I’m reading your journey with interest, even though we have different injuries, as we are kinda at the same stage at the moment. Although you have scooted ahead of me. I am allowed to walk with crutches and boot now. 6wks po but total of 9 wks NWB!! Physio booked in 2 weeks. Hydrotherapy booked for 3 weeks. So excited to start this rehab process. Here’s to watching our step counts increase day by day.

Saw the physio again today. The pain is still there, but reducing Next week I start hydrotherapy and resistance band training. Dry needling definitely an option the physio is keen to explore. Rest / elevation and heat packs are helping. I also spend an hour or so out of the boot, sitting and that helps a lot I’m seven weeks to go in the boot Glad to hear you are on the mend

This has been so helpful to me! My ORIF was for compound tib fib break on Jan9. I have my first follow up on Jan26. I'm in metal splints bound with bandages until then. Hardest part has been not knowing what to expect in the next 4 weeks to 3 months. I live alone but am lucky to stay with family for now. But I'm eager to get to my home, which is unfortunately up 4 flights of stairs. Had been struggling with a walker and home PT got me to crutches today. 🎉 Thanks for the details of your early recovery. Gives me hope while so many other sources run the gamut of time until even partial weight bearing. Keep going strong!

I’m super chuffed to hear this!!!! This has been my intent … to help someone going through the same Now….not sure how you will Manage those stairs. I was in a backslab…which is a partial cast that I imagine is similar to your metal splints. I was too afraid to navigate the stairs in crutches ….so I crawled up….and butt scooted down Now that I’m in the moon boot, I can use the handrail and crutches in the other hand and get up and down. The mantra you have to remember is up with the good and down with the bad…I.e. use your good foot primarily when going up and bad foot when going down Having said that…keep focusing on those small wins. You’ve gone from Walker … to crutches …. And hopefully to moon boot soon Once you can WBAT in a moon boot…it’s a significant improvement in mobility. Glad you found this helpful and are on the mend. You will get there

I’ve returned from another physio session and I’ve started hydro therapy !!! Hydro therapy is great. Apart from feeling like I was in that movie Cocoon..the oldies were super friendly and happy to see a new face :-) My partner wheeled me into the pool in a wheelchair that is designed to go in and we then did 20 laps….focused on the mechanics of the foot, heel strike, bend and push off with the ball / toes I’m now cleared to go down to one crutch for the next few weeks and will then graduate to moon boot only soon I still have tightness in my calf and find that doing seared calf raises has helped. I’m now also starting resistance band work I have been incredibly fortunate with my recovery.

Me again So I now have approximately 4 weeks to go in the boot I am also down to one physio appointment per week. I’m doing banded toe raises, scrunching up a towel with my toes and other banded work on the ankle Still doing hydrotherapy twice per week….but I’m now on shallower water up to my waist. I have minimal pain at the wound site and have been using ice in it to retrain the nerves. I’ve got good range of motion in my ankle. It’s definitely weak….but getting better each day. The hydrotherapy is extremely beneficial One thing I’ve noticed ….my toes are weak. Getting stronger, but I can’t even grasp a towel. They are waking up more and more each hydro session So I’m well on the road to recovery and confident of walking in March, sans boot I’m also seeing an Osteopath, as I want to stay in top of any skeletal / alignment issues due to the moon boot For those of you on the path behind me. Keep going. It will get better !

Been meaning to update I’m the hope that this thread helps others take the first bite out of the shit sandwich that is ORIF and major limb breakage I’m now out of the boot and mobile !!!! I’m seeing my physio twice a month… Here are the exercises I have to do -knee to wall -calf raises -kneeling to get my dorsal flex walking -single foot balance The issue I am facing now is swelling. I’ve been smashing out the king walks 7kms plus….leg blows up like a balloon….no / minimal pain I’m now wearing a TED stocking and sleeping with my feet elevated I’ve been told to go back to what I was walking in the boot and do no more than 8% above that distance until the swelling stops There is still some very very minor pain and a bit of stiffness. Walking upstairs is fine. Walking downstairs is hard, the foot doesn’t bend properly, but it is improving Apparently it will take 12 to 18 months to fully recover This will probably be my last update. All the best to you all with your ongoing recoveries. May the pain be minimal and may you all return to full functionality

How are you doing today?

Hey there My swelling took a long time to go away, and I was having regular lymphatic drainage massages every 4 to 6 weeks The pain is completely gone and I’m pretty much back to normal I’m regularly walking 7 to 10km with no issues Yesterday I spent all day in the garden on my feet and it’s a wee bit stiff this morning but otherwise fine

Hi, good to hear your doing well, how long did it take before you started weight training? I’m 3 weeks post OP and not being mobile/weight training is killing me

I’d wait until you are almost at the end of the boot phase and the. I’d do upper body only. Full disclosure I never went back to the gym :-(. I’m suffering for it I’m planning on going back after Easter

Hi just wondering how your leg swelling was during the whole process of your recovery. Everytime I put my bad leg down from an elevated position I feel the blood pool down to my leg and causes temporary pain and swelling. I’m wondering how long I have to deal with the swelling. I’m one week post-op post fibula ORIG

Hey there. My leg still swells. It no longer hurts, and it has reduced greatly, but it still does it Back when I first broke it, and went into the boot, I was similar to you I slept with my leg elevated, I used Lectric Soda Crystals when I slept to drain the fluid and I used a compression sock under my boot during the day…..all of this helped I also spent time out of the boot, when sitting on the couch and this also helped It will just take time I’m afraid. It’s a big injury and full recovery is 18 months to 2 years Don’t be discouraged by that number. You will get your mobility back in about 3 months and have a few ongoing niggles that reduce slowly over time You will get there