Broken Ankle - What timetable to riding again?

[gforce]

Broke my fibula and slight tear on ligaments. Had surgery one week ago - everything seemed to go well according to doc. Follow up doc visit next week so I should know more. Should be in a cast for 6 weeks according to docs original assessment.
Looking forward to getting back on my bike and at least riding indoors and doing some workouts.
Looking toward those who have experienced a similar injury and what timetable they were able to get back riding and ultimately a full recovery. Thanks all.

[azrider]

I broke tib/fib July 1 of last year. I had titanium intramedullary rod inserted into my tibia, two plates at base of my fibula where joins ankle, and about 20 screws. I was in hard cast for two weeks, then switched to the moon boot for remaining time. I was non weight bearing for first 8-10 weeks and got my first ride in on the trainer September 7.

You need to rest. I know exactly how you feel and the sooner you can come to grips with being out for a while the better. I'm 37 and felt pretty sorry for myself and it wasn't until I accepted fact I needed to rest and heal the better off i was.

I'm still not at 100% full recovery (more like 85%) but that too takes time. THere is so much scar tissue and other crap that it's just going to be a while.

SOrry to hear about your injury and rest up.

[gforce]

AZ - sorry to hear of your injury and thanks for your insights.
I know right now is a time of healing without much thought of anything else.
My injury is confined to fibula with no tibia damage. I have one plate and 5 screws.
My visit with doc next week removes stitches, more XRAY and exchange to different boot. So you were non weight bearing for 8-10 weeks? Were you able to walk after that period?
Not trying to get too far ahead of myself but looking more for others' experiences.

[sc53]

And whatever you do, DON'T try to ride a trainer or stationary bike in your cast! When your leg starts sweating and itching inside the cast you will think fire ants have made their way inside there. Don't ask me how I know.

[gforce]

Yeah - not tempted to get on the trainer until I am ready.
I have been doing some short and very light weight work on upper body just
to get my heart rate up a bit. I also can see this recovery period a time to work
on some other areas (core) in a limited way. I have heard of people coming back from injuries stronger in the long run and want to remain positive.

[jmoore]

Once the cast is off and you can walk, you can do some easy riding. Part of my rehab when I dislocated my ankle 4-5 years ago was a stationary bike. I think that once you feel you are mentally ready and you can walk fairly comfortably, it's OK to get on the bike. There is no lateral motion on a bike, so the risk is very low of reinjury.

I did a pretty hard climbing route about a week after being back on the bike. I was struggling more with fitness than any concerns I had about my ankle.

[azrider]

Once the cast is off and you can walk, you can do some easy riding. Part of my rehab when I dislocated my ankle 4-5 years ago was a stationary bike. I think that once you feel you are mentally ready and you can walk fairly comfortably, it's OK to get on the bike. There is no lateral motion on a bike, so the risk is very low of reinjury.

I did a pretty hard climbing route about a week after being back on the bike. I was struggling more with fitness than any concerns I had about my ankle.

Is a fracture requiring plate and screws an apples to apples comparison with a dislocation?

[jmoore]

Is a fracture requiring plate and screws an apples to apples comparison with a dislocation?

I don't know. But I had to be given morphine and was put under general anesthesia so my dislocation could be manually reset. I was in a cast and on crutches for 6-8 weeks and had to go through 10 weeks of rehab. So maybe I didn't have any hardware installed but it was a significant injury.


My point was not to compare the injuries. My point was to say that once he can walk safely, that he can likely get back on the bike.

[azrider]

I don't know. But I had to be given morphine and was put under sedation so my dislocation could be manually reset. I was in a cast and on crutches for 6-8 weeks and had to go through 10 weeks of rehab. So maybe I didn't have any hardware installed but it was a significant injury.


My point was not to compare the injuries. My point was to say that once he can walk safely, that he can likely get back on the bike.

wow, yeah that's quite a dislocation. Good advice though on the walking safely part.

I found it helpful that once i could put any amount of pressure (say 110 lbs) i went straight to the pool and started there

[sc53]

Yes, if you get to the removeable cast/boot thing, you can definitely start using a pool if you want. I found it quite peaceful to try to swim laps once my broken ankle was put in the removeable walking boot cast. Be careful about kicking though. Flexing the ankle too much, even in water, will hurt.

[FlashUNC]

Totally feel your pain. Mine was a totally different joint -- destroyed humerus in my elbow -- but the waiting to get back on the bike was agonizing.

My best advice would be to take it slow, follow the doctor and PT guidance like its your new personal religion but don't try to beat the recovery timetable. It ain't a race. The body's going to do what it's going to do, but work hard at what they ask. If they want exercises/stretches done at home, do 'em. Days off only prolong or short-circuit gains you otherwise would make.

I got really frustrated in the PT process because my range of motion would come back in fits and starts. Some weeks would be big gains, others we'd just get stuck at a particular angle of extension or flexion. It is extremely tough not to get frustrated in those darker periods of rehab, but it does get better with time.

Two years out, I'm probably 90-95% of where I was in range of motion. The surgery means the one joint will never be exactly like the other (three plates, sixteen screws a lot of scar tissue will do that), but I'm functionally identical in both arms.

[gforce]

Good advice Flash and happy to hear that you
have almost fully recovered. I will certainly heed
the advice of the PT.
Nice to hear some success stories while I am in
limbo as to what I can expect.

[Repack Rider]

Did about the same thing 35 years ago when I was 33, broke my ankle skating in a pool. Had the surgery and the hardware inserted, doc told me no weight on it for six weeks. Got tired of crutches after a week, and a friend rigged a wooden heel on my cast so I could put it on the floor.

Cast was due to come off after six weeks. After five, i cut it off myself and went for a bike ride. It hurt a lot but there were no setbacks. Never even kept the appointment to get the cast off.

You should not do any of this.

I am not a physician, but I felt that mine was overcautious, and I took shortcuts. I had a reputation for toughness that I felt I had to live up to, and I did. YMMV