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I too have a broken Tibia needing a rod or screws - Question: How long is the typical hospital stay?
Hi TgirlnVegas,
Sorry to hear your injury. I actually have a broken tibia and fibula. I needed surgery to have a rod inserted with screws at the top (by my knee) and bottom (ankle). I was in the hospital for 2 days after the surgery before I checked out but the hospital were trying to nicely push me out a day after. The thing is, if you are not comfortable leaving the way you are, then you can let them know. If you do have the surgery, you will be non-weight bearing meaning you would need crutches and the hospital physiotherapist would not clear you to leave until you are able to use them to move around.
I am going to say 1-3 days after surgery but hospitals will try to push you out nicely a day after.
Hope it helps and best wishes with your injury. Keep your head up!
I went to the Ortho today and got good news. I am allowed to weight bear as tolerated and I am increasing my PT to 2 times a week. Oh, the biggie, I am fianally allowed to drive....yea!! (my injury was Jan 15).
I am so relieved that my bones are healing and I can progress a little more. My tibia still has some healing to do so I have to wear the air boot when I am up, but I can deal with that. My pain and swelling has improved so much too and I am feeling soooo much better and more energetic. I still get the redness some of you have talked about when my foot is down, but it is soo much better than it used to be. I also have to ice and elevate my foot during the day, but I am able to be up a little longer each day.
I also got in a pool for the first time yesterday and it was great! I was pretty cautious at first, but got over that pretty quickly. My PT told me that when you get into the water at chest deep you are about 50% or less WB, so it felt great to "walk" in the water, I even was able to swim a few laps. So I would highly recommend anyone who can get access to a pool to give it a try as long as you have the OK from your Dr.
I also want to encourage everyone going through this that it does get better!! Our bones heal and we will walk again and do the things we love again!! I know I have gone through many low points and this forum has helped me get through them. So use this wonderful support to express your feelings when you feel like noone else understands what you are going through because everyone here does understand, we are all going through the same things.
Take care everyone, God Bless you all!
Hi Nanny,
I couldn't be happier for you. I really hope the healing continues for you and you keep that head up. I know it can be hard at times. I sure know how it feels. It's been since January since your injury and here I am a month in and already getting antsy. I know healing takes time and I really hope all will be well soon.
I want to first thank you for writing this post. I believe sometimes people forget about healing as they are focussed on the negative in front of them. I know I have fallen victim to praying all the time that one day I will walk again and feeling down sometimes. I think it's refreshing when we get success stories on the post as it reminds us that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
As for your driving, was it your right leg that was affected? Sorry if I didn't catch which leg it was in previous posts. I ask because, my normal daily commute is about an hour and although I am not certain how long I will still be in the aircast for (so far it has been 4 whole weeks now in my 5th), but I imagine that I will be using this cast for a bit longer. My work has offered me to work from home which I will hopefully get the note to be cleared to work soon. But will our doctors know that we are not to be driving as we have this injury and advise our work of this?
I, too do not want to rush this and most importantly do not want to take chances on the road.
Speaking of your aircast, do you still wear it 24/7? Or do you wear it only when you are up? Is there a typical time frame in which you will be living in the aircast for? When do you think the normal time frame would be to no longer need the aircast to sleep?
Finally, weight-bearing, my 6 weeks will soon be coming and I wanted to know if you encountered any complications to your weight bearing? Is it really as challenging as so many people on the thread are saying?
One last thing I wanted to ask in regards to my broken leg. I just want to know how durable is our broken leg on bumps. At times, I am in my 5th week and at times, my family takes me out on a stroll with the wheelchair I have. Then we go over bumps and grooves that hits my leg.
Does anyone know how durable my leg can take these bumps? I guess I am being over protective on my leg but I can't help at times it may get bumped. Another way it gets bumped is when I need to rest my leg down before I sit down. I don't place weight on it but I do have to place the leg down while I put weight on my other leg and hold on to a crutch.
Also, I am getting shin splints at times and I get a weird feeling at the back of my calf. Does anyone have this feeling before? Does this have to do with the bumping at times from the leg or PT exercises?
Well I am starting all over again after a year and a half of having whats called a non union of my proximal tibea. The doctor thinks this time I will heal properly in 6-8 weeks. I have learned that it is something you take day to day, every day you will be able to do more and more. It hurts like heck today but that is only because it is day two after the new surgery. Have you read some of the stories here? There are lots of great people here who are going through the same thing. I can tell by the way my leg feels that it is in better shape now than it did before the surgery. I believe this Doctor fixed my leg finally after a year and a half of walking on a broken leg!! I am exited to get better!! How do you feel?? Listen it sounds like you had a heck of a break but the good news is that you are here and have a leg to talk about right? They almost took my leg after the accident! So i am happy they did not. I have become more patient since my injury! What kind of pain meds do they have you on? Dont let them scare you. With your leg being as injured as it is you wont be running around for a while!!! How did your accident happen?
Simms,
I am so glad to see you back on here with that positive attitude of yours!! You have been through so much yet continue to encourage and inspire others! I am very happy that you feel like your leg is finally fixed!! How exciting! I know I was not in such a happy mood after my surgeries and it is refreshing to hear you being so upbeat. Keep posting and let us know how you are doing, my prayers are with you.
Nanny
I couldn't be happier for you. I really hope the healing continues for you and you keep that head up. I know it can be hard at times. I sure know how it feels. It's been since January since your injury and here I am a month in and already getting antsy. I know healing takes time and I really hope all will be well soon.
I want to first thank you for writing this post. I believe sometimes people forget about healing as they are focussed on the negative in front of them. I know I have fallen victim to praying all the time that one day I will walk again and feeling down sometimes. I think it's refreshing when we get success stories on the post as it reminds us that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
As for your driving, was it your right leg that was affected? Sorry if I didn't catch which leg it was in previous posts. I ask because, my normal daily commute is about an hour and although I am not certain how long I will still be in the aircast for (so far it has been 4 whole weeks now in my 5th), but I imagine that I will be using this cast for a bit longer. My work has offered me to work from home which I will hopefully get the note to be cleared to work soon. But will our doctors know that we are not to be driving as we have this injury and advise our work of this?
I, too do not want to rush this and most importantly do not want to take chances on the road.
Speaking of your aircast, do you still wear it 24/7? Or do you wear it only when you are up? Is there a typical time frame in which you will be living in the aircast for? When do you think the normal time frame would be to no longer need the aircast to sleep?
Finally, weight-bearing, my 6 weeks will soon be coming and I wanted to know if you encountered any complications to your weight bearing? Is it really as challenging as so many people on the thread are saying?
Anyway, thanks and we'll talk soon.
Hi UofTLaw,
Thanks for the encouraging words. My Pt this morning was a little more intense since I got the ok from the OS to FWB and more assertive with the pt, so sitting with my leg up and ice packs.
It is my right leg that has the broken (healing) tib/fib just above my ankle. The air boot is removable. I pretty much only wear it when I am up and about. It is off at night (I have never had to wear it at night) and any time I am sitting and/or resting. I am continually working on my foot and ankle mobility whenever I have the boot off as well as icing it a few times a day.
My Os said my x-rays looked good yesterday, but there is an area of the fracture in the tib that is not completely healed yet. So, I am to wear the air boot for another month and go back for more x-rays and go from there. She did say she is happy with the way my leg is healing, just needs a little more time. The time frame is different for everyone it seems, as we all heal differently.
She did tell me to wear the air boot pretty much whenever I am up. I am allowed to FWB as tolerated. She did say if I need to get up and use the bathroom during the night that it would be OK to leave the boot off for that. But, at this point I am not comfortable putting that much weight on my leg without the boot, but I know I will get there.
My OS said I could drive, but to take off the air boot and wear a regular shoe while driving and put the boot back on when I am ready to get out of the car. The boot is kind of awkward and I suppose it could get caught under or in between the pedals. Ok, the only shoe I can get on my right foot is my crocs. So I am going to give it a try, probably not today, but soon.
As far as a Dr note for work, I am sure that is possible if your work requires it. I think our Dr's want to be sure that if we had to apply the brakes in an emergency that the pressure would not re-injure the leg.
I really have not had too many problems with the weight bearing so far. I have been very cautious and taken things slowly and moving forward when I feel like my body is ready to. I think a big key is knowing your body and listening to it. It is ok to push a little to move things along, but you don't want to over do it either, you just have to find that balance. I am still early on in the FWB, and I am prepared for more challenges and will take them day by day.
I hope this helps and maybe answers some of your questions. Take care and happy healing!
One last thing I wanted to ask in regards to my broken leg. I just want to know how durable is our broken leg on bumps. At times, I am in my 5th week and at times, my family takes me out on a stroll with the wheelchair I have. Then we go over bumps and grooves that hits my leg.
Does anyone know how durable my leg can take these bumps? I guess I am being over protective on my leg but I can't help at times it may get bumped. Another way it gets bumped is when I need to rest my leg down before I sit down. I don't place weight on it but I do have to place the leg down while I put weight on my other leg and hold on to a crutch.
Also, I am getting shin splints at times and I get a weird feeling at the back of my calf. Does anyone have this feeling before? Does this have to do with the bumping at times from the leg or PT exercises?
Thanks all.
I know I have bumped my leg now and then with no further damage. I think the cast really protectes it but we are so sensitive and protective of our injuries that every little thing is worry-some.
When I was in the hospital I had some muscle spasms and that could be what you are experiencing. My Dr. gave me a prescription for a muscle relaxer and that did help. Have not really experienced it recently, but ask your PT or OS what they think it could be.
Thanks everyone for all of your encouraging words, I appreciate it so very much! To the newcomers, welcome....you will find so much support here, it is really a blessing. Wii-habilitation sounds very interesting....looking forward to hearing more about that, could be awesome! Goodluck everyone, you are all in my prayers!!
Doctor took another xray after the reset and was happy with it - he said he would be happier when I had my foot on the ground, and it may take a bit of extra PT for ROM but they were trying to not go beyond what pain I could bear - it was pretty bad as it was - no meds before they manipulate. He also said that I may be able to go from NWB to FWB... next time I am in (3 weeks) when I get the cast off. This scares me as I hadn't heard of anyone going from NWB to FWB .
6 weeks post OP I went from a removable boot to FWB. I was non-weight bering in the boot. In several of my earlier posts I describe what I experienced when I transitioned to FWB.
UofTLaw - As was explained to me the level of difficulty you will experience going FWB is dependent on a number of factors, including your current physical condition, type of injury and the length of time you were non-weight bearing. I am in very good shape and was non-weight bearing for only 7 weeks, however, I had a twisting fracture of the medial and lateral malleolus. The injury caused severe tendon, ligament and muscle damage. So I had a very difficult time for the first 10 days or so. The first 5 days were really bad, I could not walk at all barefoot on a hard floor. It's now been 3 weeks and things are easier but I experience some pain with every step. And by the end of the day my ankle is sore and swollen, and needs rest. With any luck you will have an easier time than I.
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