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I broke my tib fib 16 weeks ago falling on ice. I have two plates and 15 screws. I have been in PT for 6 weeks and walking without my boot/crutches for 3 weeks. A recent xray showed healing, but still far from fused back together.
On a pain scale from 1 to 10, I seem to always, always hover around a 2/3. It is worse on days that I have PT. Even though I am slowly improving with my gait, stride and stamina, there is a constant pain in my leg that is just wearing me down emotionally. It hasn't abated at all. I get very vague answers from my PT and my doctor because "all breaks are different, you have different pain tolerance, etc."
I just need someone, anyone, that has gone through this type of break to tell me about their pain levels - duration, scale, differences. I'm just so frustrated by this pain and I feel very alone in this journey.
I broke my fibula and had a plate and screws put in. I had surgery 3 weeks after the break, had a big splint/bandage for three weeks after that, a cast for six weeks after that, then an x-ray that showed that the bone had completely filled in, and a small removable splint that fell off when I walked that I was supposed to use after that. I wasn't able to walk with crutches so I ended up with a wheelchair. I couldn't afford physical therapy, so they showed me a couple of stretching exercises and that was it. When the cast came off and I was supposed to start walking on it, I used a walker. My foot would cramp up and the toes would fold under and I'd have to pry them back up with my fingers. Walking was painful and I was very slow and terrified of somehow dislodging the hardware. Eventually I was able to walk without the walker, but still very slowly.
I think it took about a year to be able to walk without pain. At that point my leg still ached when I did too much in one day. It's been 5 years now and it only really hurts when I stand too many hours in a day or when the weather is changing. I do take NSAIDs daily for pain, but not just in that leg.
About 12 years ago I also broke my fibula and had multiple pins, dissolvable screw, plate, etc. I had a cast and had to stay in bed for 2 months - not fun but I did it because my surgeon told me that I would have problems with my broken leg for the rest of my life if I didn't stay in bed. I stayed in bed and went back to the doctor for a second cast but because I had stayed in bed, my x-ray showed that I was ready for a boot and physical therapy. No second cast - I almost jumped up and down for joy.
The only problem I have had since then is a recent problem - I was doing 4 to 5 miles (walking not running) on the treadmill (this winter) at the highest incline (4 days a week)....it caused swelling/pain in the incision area and my surgeon wants to remove all the hardware (he would cut through the same incision, remove the hardware and I would have to be in a boot or crutches until everything heals up). I currently walk/climb steep hills - 5 to 7 miles 4 times a week with no problem but the unvarying incline of the treadmill caused me some pain....I'm off the treadmill - no more pain.
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