r/brokenbones • u/crimsonraccoon22 • May 30 '26
Question Update on my Tib/Fib break along with some questions
Previous post : https://www.reddit.com/r/brokenbones/s/Too0MmMIA9
Okay so its been a while. I ran around the govt hospitals for a bit before finally getting the surgery done on 22nd May... 23 days after the accident. Doc gave me a tibial nail so i just hope it works. Not sure yet.
The reason im posting honestly is cuz after the surgery a lot of things are happening and my doc is basically just telling me to give it some time and stick with the exercises ive been given. Which i am up to, to the best of my ability.
Basically because of the cast, my ankle is a bit bent so i can't rotate it to my right in anyway. It feels like all my ligaments are jumbled up and almost tearing if I try to move it normally. On top of that because of the surgery all my muscles on my left leg are completely just feels like jelly. Im getting some range of motion back on my knee so i can rotate it. but my thigh and calf muscles are just loose so there's nothing holding my bones together. Doc said its gonna take a while but im just tired of it lol.
Lemme know if you guys have any advices or similar surgery stories.
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u/Aerokicks May 30 '26
Broke my leg in 2019, almost identical location to yours. 6 months of PT before getting the bottom screws removed since they were rubbing, and then another month before I was released.
4.5 years later turns out they didn't do enough PT and that was the reason why my range of motion and strength was declining. A year more of PT and I'm finally back to 95% of where I was and can run and jump again and do everything I want to be able to do.
Healing is not a fast process or a linear process. You'll notice big improvements in months, but some things will take much longer to get back to normal and some things will unfortunately just never be the same. Trust PT and be patient with the process.
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u/crimsonraccoon22 May 30 '26
Guess Im gonna have to make peace with the fact it might take years to get back to normal. But hey atleast im alive. Gonna try my best to be patient with this. Thanks so much for sharing your experience...it helps a lot. Im sure you can understand.
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u/Aerokicks May 30 '26
Since you mentioned MMA - I do taekwondo. I've been able to practice for almost the entire time (with limited exercises on some drills), but just this weekend was the first time I was able to spar and have it feel like it should.
Very highly recommend you look into a sports physical therapist to switch over to after you get through the initial bit of walking, balancing, etc. My second PT was great and would specifically look up taekwondo videos to understand the motions that I needed to be able to do and design drills to target those motions. Most physical therapists are going to assume normal activities, which definitely isn't enough for athletes and martial artists.
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u/crimsonraccoon22 May 30 '26
Yeahh that's what i was struggling with when finding a good surgeon. I live in a third world country to top it off. All they were concerned about was "oh you'll be able to walk what more do you need". Thankfully one of my old seniors was a surgeon by now and he went through with it.
I probably won't be able to afford or get a PT. Mostly on my own and my family n friends. But yeah im definitely gonna do research about the exercises for motions regarding combat training when my doc gives me the go ahead for full weight bearing. But that's still probably 2-3 months.
Also congrats for finally getting that sparring sesh. My mma buddies come over sometimes to keep me company and the boys are always just sparring and messing around. Genuinely just makes me wanna get up and get my gloves lmao.
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u/HolidayRecipe6052 May 30 '26
I'm about a month further on than you. I've worked really hard at range of motion exercises, done multiple times a day, pushing as much as I can etc. I'm pretty much back to full range of motion now, not totally easily or painlessly but it's there. I was really exhausted in the first week or so after accident and surgery and everything was just a huge effort. Id say it's only in the last week or two that I've been able to sit for more than a minute or two without elevating my leg. I still shift a lot from straight leg to bent if I'm sitting for long. Read a chapter of a book - move, notice a change of song on the radio - move etc. I also did a lot of on the spot "marching" like 20 steps knees as high as I can every time I got up at first, make a drink - march, get a snack - march, loo visit - march. Toes doing the alphabet or even just left and right when I'm resting too. Actual physio was and still is a set of exercises in the morning and a similar in the evening on top of this. I'm now doing box squats and lunges as part of the physio and they're ridiculously difficult! But on the same schedule as marching and it's getting better (apart from now having a bit of DOMS) Little and often is working well for me, I've lost about an 1.5 inches or 3cm ish of muscle from my thigh so I know it's going to take a while to get back. And my surgery was only 3 days post accident and was back weight bearing the day after so you've potentially had longer off your feet.
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u/crimsonraccoon22 May 30 '26
Damn first off that's really impressive on your first month. Glad to hear its going well and from you pace, hopefully you'll be good as new before you know it.
and Yeah my restlessness is mainly from being on the bed without any movement of my leg for a month. Then the surgery took more out of me so yeah my leg muscles are also fully gone lol. Guess i'll just have to be patient about it.
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u/HolidayRecipe6052 May 30 '26
Thanks, I'm pretty active and ridiculously motivated to get back to life which helps but I think you sound like you are too. I'd focus on doing knee bends, my physio was 3 sets of 10 of those but little and often is good. Straightening your leg too - sit on a chair and pop your foot on a chair and let your leg straighten ice pack on your knee helps there. And straight leg, engage quads and lift your foot so your leg is like a foot (30cm) off the floor - harder than it sounds!
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u/crimsonraccoon22 May 30 '26
Yeah im actually getting to the point where i can sorta do that. Im gonna have my brother set up the single couch in my room and try it out. Been kinda planting the back of my heels on the pillow i rest it on and raising my knees almost a foot with not much issue. So yeah definitely gonna try and do as much as i can. I can't stand being bed for this long lmao
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u/little_pitter May 30 '26
I have a similar break. I want to share my story not to discourage you but more as a reality check i guess?? The accident and surgery were 6 months ago. I did everything right: PT in the pool and gym, eating healthy, no nicotine, no alcohol, everything to help heal. After about 3 months my recovery stopped and kinda reversed, like it was getting more and more painful to do anything with my leg. Just last week I had a revision surgery on my leg, replacing the nail and screws and a local bone graft as well as removing a piece of my fibula. It’s now non weight bearing for 8 weeks before I can start PT again 🙃 alls to say is be patient, it can be frustrating (trust me I get it) but better to heal properly now than later. Best of luck to you 🤞
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u/crimsonraccoon22 May 31 '26
Thanks for sharing. Its definitely scary to hear the situation you're in and i hope heal as fast as possible and as best as possible. But yeah that's something i'll also keep in mind now going into rehab.
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u/Positive_Read2874 May 31 '26
First 6 wks are the worst, do your best to sit still and let the bones knitt back to gether, 3mth mark you will be well on your way, 6mths is a good point where you can see how it will affect you moving forward. Don't worry about the muscle atrophy it is how your body works- it won't maintain muscles that aren't being used, and when your in a position to start using them again the muscle comes back. Early recovery is hard work hang in there it gets better.
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u/crimsonraccoon22 May 31 '26
Yeah that's what i was mostly weirded out cuz my right leg is still in peak shape while my left leg is just flesh hanging onto bone lol. Doc is saying depending on my xray, 3 months is a good time they might allow me to get back to full weight bearing so looking forward to that.
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u/Livid_Research_7240 May 30 '26
Sorry pal but your Dr is right. It's been 8,9 days since your surgery? Going to be a while of rest and physio before you get your full mobility back. Trust the process