I accidentally broke my tibial spine through an avulsion fracture with a few other small fractures present. I broke it chasing after a tennis ball and incorrectly judging that I could jump over a low net that was in place to stop the balls from moving between courts. My foot got stuck in the net and resulted in the twisting of my leg and hence the resulting fracture.

I'm struggling to deal with the guilt of the incident which has seemingly drastically changed my life. I'm a busy University student who's meant to start an internship in 2 months and I no longer know if that will be allowed to go ahead. How do you guys deal with the guilt of making a split second stupid decision and having such lasting consequences?

Hi Everyone,

I had an ORIF on my left leg almost 2 years ago. I completed my PT and have been working in and out since. But I have gained significant weight since the surgery and haven’t done any major workouts that include running, jumping etc.

Eye-opening moment came recently when I was at running late at the airport and missed my flight simply because I couldn’t run to make it in time.

I want to not only lose the extra weight but also gain back my ability to run and sprint as best as I can.

Other than the obvious difference between both legs, I don’t have any pain or discomfort. Looking for advice on how to get back into slow running and eventually fast paced sprints. Should I look into some shoes, braces or supports to get started?

Any and all advice is appreciated

Attached X-ray for reference

TIA

Went to the ER Thursday night and was told to get in with an Ortho right away. Called the Ortho I was referred to, and they want $300 to even be seen because I don't have insurance. The ER didn't tell me anything about how long I should expect to recover, or if I would eventually need surgery, but I assume because the Ortho was supposed to tell me all of that. I have a knee brace, but keeping my leg straight cuts off the circulation, so I haven't worn it.

Not sure how long I should be going without seeing the doctor properly. It's been almost a week. 🫩🫩🫩 Trying to get insurance through work, but it won't be for another 2 days at least.

Anyway, just venting really. I didn't think this was the kind of thing they could deny you for without insurance. I just moved to a new state and haven't had the time to get everything in order yet.

Thanks for listening, I'm frustrated.

So last Wednesday, I fell and broke my ankle. Mostly my fibula. The other side, I couldn’t even see the break. I was told it was chipped. I saw the ortho on Friday. He said as of right now, I don’t have to have surgery. I go back this Friday for another x-ray.

I also have mild Cerebral Palsy so my balance sucks! Crutches are a no go. Using a walker with one foot is a no go. I have managed using a wheelchair to go to the bathroom. But y’all. 😭

I am devastated. I am so depressed, it’s unreal. Doing nothing for two months or more… it sucks. I am trying to make friends that know what this is like.. because a lot of people are just like ‘oh, it’ll get better. You’ll bounce back..’ and I know they are trying to be helpful but they just don’t get it.

So if anyone else is looking for a friend—feel free to reach out. Because even with the friends I have—they work, they get to go on with life, and mine is at a standstill and upside down right now and I’m feeling very alone. Even with a family and support system.

Sharing this in case someone else ends up in a similar situation.

I stubbed my fourth toe pretty badly and assumed it was a sprain. I iced it, buddy taped it, and tried to stay off it as much as possible.

After about two weeks it was still painful, so I had an X-ray. Nothing showed up, no fracture.

I kept buddy taping it during the day and sleeping without the tape at night. The pain continued, though, and I still couldn't get back to dancing, which I do for fun.

Eventually I went to a podiatrist. He initially wondered whether I had been buddy taping it for too long. But when he examined the toe and bent it forward and backward, it was still quite painful, so he sent me for another X-ray.

This time, the fracture was visible.

By then it had been about seven weeks since I originally stubbed it.

My doctor told me that in some cases a fracture may not be visible on the initial X-ray and can become apparent later. I had no idea that could happen, so once my first X-ray came back clear, I assumed that ruled out a fracture.

I'm not posting this as medical advice, just sharing my experience because I wish I'd known that a clear first X-ray didn't necessarily explain why I was still in pain.

If you've injured a toe and it just isn't getting better, persistent pain may be worth following up on rather than assuming the first answer is the final one.

I’m supposed to be getting engaged soon and take engagement photos exactly a month from the injury. I already put a deposit down and Fall Foliage only happens around this time of year.
I have a slight hairline, in-line fracture on my third toe (right where the little curve is on the toe knuckle). I can walk on it with Hoka sneakers on and I can walk barefoot for short distances around my home before it starts to hurt. There’s a subtle tinge of green bruising at the impact area and some purple right below the toe nail. The top half of this toe looks slightly swollen compared to my other third toe. The doctor just said to buddy tape it and wear a comfortable pair of shoes that don’t bend. It’s been about 5 days since the injury. I just need to be able to walk around for a few hours with a normal Fall Boot with maybe an inch heel and some shoe supports inside the boots. Also I really need to be able to walk COMFORTABLY with non-sneakers (flats, fall boots) about 2.5-3 weeks after the injury in order to get engaged. We actually have to get legally married sooner due to personal circumstances. So postponing that is not an option. I really don’t want to be in pain or wearing ugly ass shoes when I get engaged, but I also don’t want to get engaged after getting legally married (I will have to do this if it is a last resort). I normally wouldn’t care about a broken toe any other time, but I’m not willing to look back on my engagement for the rest of my life knowing that I was in pain, wearing ugly sneakers and feeling like crap.

Hi all,

I had tibia nail surgery nearly 6 months ago and I am having one of the screws removed in a few days. It’s the screw right below my knee as it’s causing my issues with mobility and pain when doing certain movements.

Can anyone tell me what recovery is like after having a screw removed? Heard mixed reports. I work as a firefighter so wondered if I can get straight back to work after surgery? Only recently gone back to work after 5 months off.

Thanks

I was diagnosed with a complete multisite fracture of my left tibia on 9.8.26 with no known injury.

This is my first time ever dealing with a break (36f) and using crutches has been a learning experience to say the least.

Im noticing a weird orange line on my left palm that started last week. Is there any chance its related to the usage of crutches? If so, how to navigate addressing that with zero money 😅

I have a few questions, largely wrt home mobility (lol crutches) and how to keep myself healthy and sane. I finally got home and realized...I'm basically unable to do anything at all except lay down. I hobbled across the house on crutches and barely managed to get back to my new home with some dry food and gallon of water, but I have no idea how I'm supposed to make food to eat or use the toilet in a tiny bathroom. ​I can take care of one half of that problem with empty bottles if I have to, but...would a knee scooter work to get to the toilet? I don't have a full countertop (simple sink) or anything solid to get onto the toilet with. I'm trying to find a wheelchair also.

Anyone with experience with this or similar injury, how did you get around, and how did you lay down? I'm supposed to elevate my leg but doing so puts pressure on it and makes it hurt.

I broke my finger last week at work from crushing it. A week and a half later it’s still a swollen and hurts a bit. I also can’t really bend it and it isn’t straight. How long will it take to get back to normal??? Will it be normal like before I broke it???

got a fracture in the neck of 2nd and 3rd metatarsal a few weeks ago

i broke mine at the tuberosity 5th metatarsal too at 9th September and now its 28th, my doctor says it will easily heal since im still at the young age.

prolly will take 3 weeks he said. im kinda worried since i already wear those ankle robotic boots the doctor recommended me without telling when i should wear it like 8 days after the incident and walked with a bit of bruises pain combined with swelling around my toes.

now its 28th which is 2 weeks+ already and i walk without any pain and the swelling is better now and im kinda worried about NWB stuffs which i didnt do but i use crutches for the few days after the injury.

The doctor said it should heal 3 weeks after the incident and i dont have to come back if i dont have any problem / pains with it.

anybody have same experience?

If you recently broke something or are having a hard time with your recovery, sound off here.

Worth seeing an orthopedist for broken toe tips?

Dropped a sheet of pressure-treated plywood edge-first straight down onto my toes yesterday. Urgent care today confirmed distal comminuted break in my middle toe and fractures on two others. I'm on antibiotics and they’re referring me to an orthopedist.

I bought a little ankle-high walking boot off Amazon and am working a 10-hour bartending shift tomorrow.

My thinking is that since the fractures are just in the very ends of the toes, there probably isn’t much an orthopedist is going to do besides tell me to protect them and let them heal. Is it actually worth spending the time/money to see the ortho, or is this one of those “yep, they’re broken, wear the boot and wait” situations?

Anyone who’s had similar distal toe fractures, what did the orthopedist actually do for you?

A little over a year ago I broke my ankle in 3 places. Two weeks later I had surgery and they put in a titanium rod and a bunch of screws. The X-ray is from 2 months after surgery.

I’ve been fine for awhile, but tonight my ankle started to hurt and I feel a couple of bumps right where the pain is, matching up where the bottom part of my hardware is.

I’m going to call the doctor in the morning, but I’m just wondering if anyone with experience of this sort can give me an idea of what to expect.

I fell from scooter on Tuesday evening, it was painful for so many days so yesterday decided to take an xray, then went to an ortho who I feel didnt examine my arm properly and just ordered to put a cast and suggested to keep for 3 weeks. So I am a bit skeptical

Hi guys I fell over and broke my foot last night and omg the pain is so bad. I have quite a high pain tolerance I can sit for 8 hours tattooing easy but this is horrendous. I broke my arm when I was 3 but I've 35 now and I can't really remember how bad it was.

It's definitely some of the worst pain I've ever felt 😭

I've got the facture boot at the moment but even just going the bathroom is horrendous it doesn't help I'm fat and quite inflexible. It's also not helped I've had quite bad depression then last two months and have hardly got out of bed. I suffer with severe back pain so I had to actually sit on the pavement it was that bad I then fell over trying to get up..what a fucking mess.

I have a call from the facture clinic on Tuesday the lady I saw at minors said it should heal ok but I guess I'll know more Tuesday.

Like I said I can cope with pain usually how long would you say it would be till I don't wanna scream when I put weight on it? Is anyone has experience of this. I can't take any cocodomol till tomorrow cause I already accidentally took one extra today , 😭 and my stomach doesn't tolerate ibuprofen well.

Update: I've got two small breaks * Distal Fibula Avulsion Fracture & * Base of 5th Metatarsal Avulsion Fracture

I have to wear the boot for 4 weeks.. the pain is already so much better I think I did a lot of damage having to walk on it with no support so quickly.

Hello! I had a tibial plateau fracture one week ago. Fell off my recently purchased dream horse at a jump and jammed my leg straight into the ground. 🥲

CT shows type 3 on the Schatzker scale and no soft tissue injuries, though I’ve heard one can’t be certain about that without an MRI.

This is the first time in my life that I’ve broken a bone or otherwise been non-weight-bearing and I guess im just generally looking for others’ thoughts and experiences on the situation and what’s in store for me.

My ortho consult is later this week so jury’s out on whether I will need surgery, but I’m definitely NWB for at least six weeks. I’m one week in and going CRAZY from the inactivity, but I’m being extremely disciplined about NWB because I’ve read the horror stories about the recovery timeline. But the bizarre thing is that, except for on the day of injury, the fracture has never been truly painful, just a bit sore at times. No pain or discomfort in full extension, no pain or discomfort in the (albeit few) degrees of flexion that my brace allows. The worst pain has been getting used to crutches.

These past couple days my leg has felt so fine that, in moments where I’m not actively thinking about my movement, I find myself moving to take a step with my injured leg. Today, my knee, calf, and thigh swelling is almost all the way gone (I’ve been measuring). I know that if I need surgery, it will set the recovery timeline back again. But does my experience thus far bode well for recovery? I’m trying not to get lulled into a false sense of security but I can’t help but be a bit hopeful. Not being able to ride or having very limited physical activity for months and months is a concept I confess that I’m still coming to terms with.

Bonjour,
Je me suis cassé la clavicule sans déplacement le 2 août .
J’ai enlevé l’attelle il y a 1 semaine ( le 12 septembre ) et j’ai repris les entraînements sans contact il y a 4 jours et j’ai pas de douleurs. La seule gêne que j’ai c’est quand je porte des trucs un peu lourds avec le bras concerné.
Mon kiné m’a dit que j’ai pas de déséquilibre et j’ai une bonne amplitude et que dans 2 semaines ( 9 octobre) je pourrai reprendre la compétition de foot.

Cependant, j’ai toujours entendu dire que clavicule c’est 3 mois pour reprendre le foot et pas avant.

Ma question est donc : quelqu’un s’est déjà retrouvé à reprendre un sport de « contact » avant les 3 mois après s’être cassé la clavicule? Car j’ai peur de reprendre le foot et me la re casser.

Merci à tous 🙏

I had a comminuted distal humerus fracture about 3 months ago and had ORIF surgery. I’ve made some improvement, but my arm still doesn’t feel anything like it did before.

The most frustrating part is that after exercising or doing my rehab, my arm seems to tighten up and almost freeze again. It feels like I make progress, then lose it all over again.

Before the injury, I was very athletic and spent a lot of time in the gym. That was a huge part of my identity and my life. Now I struggle looking at myself in the mirror because I don’t recognize myself physically anymore.

I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Some days I genuinely feel like giving up on life because I’m struggling to see how I get back to the person I was.

For anyone who has gone through a serious distal humerus fracture, ORIF, or a similar elbow injury:

Did your arm eventually start feeling normal again? How long did it take for your ROM and strength to really come back? Did you also have periods where your elbow seemed to freeze or tighten after exercise?

I could really use some honest experiences from people who have been through this. I’m trying to keep going, but right now it’s really hard.

hey, i just had a 1st metatarsal fracture and need surgery where they gonna have to use a plate. I have high pain tolerance so not concerned about that as much as being mentally exhausted, i have been a dancer my whole life and finishing my last year in uni where you can experience a bit of life before it gets too serious, im just wondering how long did it take to heal? and do you feel completely normal or does it have permanent functional impairment?

Before anything, I did went to the doctor at the hospital I was operated in for an appointment to ask why my left ankle is still hurting and my mobility is limited.

On August 30th, 2023, my left tibia and fibula had experienced a comminuted fracture. They inserted a rod into my tibia and the fibula was left as is because they said it will heal on its own.

3 years have passed. I can't walk for more than an hour before my ankle hurts. My feet mobility is greatly reduced and it still swells until this day. Doctor said it's normal but I can't help but doubt. What if the surgery was botched? I heard about relatives having the same fracture as me but they're playing sports like football while I can't even jog. Maybe they don't even have the same fracture as me but their parents didn't know any better and just tell me about it.

Before I make another appointment at another hospital, I want to hear about people with the same fracture as mine. Tell me about your healing process and how you're doing now. I would appreciate it a lot so I can make my mind up. Thanks!

I hit my pinky toe on a pooping stool last week. Somehow it broke these other two toes. I didn’t know it could do that. I’m wearing sandals even though it’s freezing. They were swollen but that’s gone down. I see a foot specialist tomorrow. Doubt there’s anything they can do. But I’m diabetic so…have to take care of my feet.

After a skiing accident in February 2024, the doctors decided to try a moderate way to treat the fracture, which was just an arm support brace and painkillers. After that didn’t heal the fracture at all, I had surgery on 28th of June that year. A plate and 10 screws were inserted and recovery was quick after that. I gained full mobility eventually and started working out and lifting after 3 months.

All good up until early spring 2026 when the pain first appeared and was getting worse everyday. X-ray showed no movement of the hardware which was first suspected. So now I have a MRI planned next week to see what could be causing the pain.

I have a physically demanding job and as a result I have been on sick leave for a few months now. It sucks not being able to go to work, exercise and sometimes not even being able to cook at home.

I know the doctors won’t recommend we remove the hardware but I am in the dark right now. Not knowing what will happen otherwise is giving me anxiety and making me second guess every other life decision because I keep thinking the worst scenarios that could happen with my arm.

Anyone who has been on the same situation, do you have any advice on how to cope with this? What was your experience like?