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Hello, everyone. I'm 59, female, old enough to know better...but that didn't keep me from falling off a tall step stool and fracturing my tibia, fibula and tibial plateau (my leg went through the step stool on the way down). I have a leg full of metal, was totally non-weight-bearing for nearly three months, and was in physical therapy for five months, and I'm still not able to walk without my cane! This has been really tough on me, because I was an avid gardener, and now that spring is in the air I am going nuts because I can't grab a shovel and get on with it.
Physical therapy discharged me because they had taught me all I needed to know (they said). I do my exercises religiously, and can do a very ungainly Hopalong Cassidy kind of "walk" for short distances. But every single step is uncomfortable, and my leg is still quite weak.
Most of the posts I've read about tib/fib fractures seem to be from kids who are up and running after a few months, but I haven't found anyone "older" who has had the same type of injury and can relate to my experience. If you're out there, please let me hear from you! I could use some encouraging words! How long did it take you to get back to what was normal for you before the fracture?
I'm sorry to hear about your injury. I don't have personal experience with this, but I do know my husband (who is an Orthopedic Foot and Ankle/Lower extremity surgeon) routinely tells people to expect 6 months recovery time, and often up to a year. So, as frustrating as your recovery has been, sadly, it is not necessarily outside the scope of normal.
I hope you recover soon. I don't think many people who have not had fractures of this severity quite appreciate the time necessary to recover fully (and you never get back to 100%), or the swelling, pain and mobility issues involved.
Thanks for the feedback, Texas Ag 93. It's nice sometimes to feel that I'm not hopelessly behind in my recovery, especially when I hear a lot of people saying, "When I broke my leg I was back to 100% in eight weeks!" or "I don't understand what's taking you so long. I had my knee replaced and I was walking in a few days." Until someone fits my exact situation, I don't think they should compare their experiences to mine! It does nothing but bring me down, so it's not helpful. I will keep plugging away at my exercises and hope for the best!
My orthopedic surgeon actually told me to expect eighteen months until I was completely healed, and my physical therapist said he has seen people with fractures this severe who never walk worth a darn again, so I suppose I should be grateful for the progress I have made. I'm just not a very patient patient, I'm afraid.
Hello, everyone. I'm 59, female, old enough to know better...but that didn't keep me from falling off a tall step stool and fracturing my tibia, fibula and tibial plateau (my leg went through the step stool on the way down). I have a leg full of metal, was totally non-weight-bearing for nearly three months, and was in physical therapy for five months, and I'm still not able to walk without my cane! This has been really tough on me, because I was an avid gardener, and now that spring is in the air I am going nuts because I can't grab a shovel and get on with it.
Physical therapy discharged me because they had taught me all I needed to know (they said). I do my exercises religiously, and can do a very ungainly Hopalong Cassidy kind of "walk" for short distances. But every single step is uncomfortable, and my leg is still quite weak.
Most of the posts I've read about tib/fib fractures seem to be from kids who are up and running after a few months, but I haven't found anyone "older" who has had the same type of injury and can relate to my experience. If you're out there, please let me hear from you! I could use some encouraging words! How long did it take you to get back to what was normal for you before the fracture?
Thanks!
Actually you can get on with your gardening just have someone build you raised garden beds that are waist high or whatever height you can reach.
That way you don't have to bend, kneel and stoop but you can still garden.
Mr. CSD built one for me and it is great.
In reality you may never be able to garden traditionally or walk without a cane again and the "how long does this take" depends on your body.
What is your Surgeon and Physical Therpist telling you?
Thanks for the feedback, Texas Ag 93. It's nice sometimes to feel that I'm not hopelessly behind in my recovery, especially when I hear a lot of people saying, "When I broke my leg I was back to 100% in eight weeks!" or "I don't understand what's taking you so long. I had my knee replaced and I was walking in a few days." Until someone fits my exact situation, I don't think they should compare their experiences to mine! It does nothing but bring me down, so it's not helpful. I will keep plugging away at my exercises and hope for the best!
My orthopedic surgeon actually told me to expect eighteen months until I was completely healed, and my physical therapist said he has seen people with fractures this severe who never walk worth a darn again, so I suppose I should be grateful for the progress I have made. I'm just not a very patient patient, I'm afraid.
Thanks again...
Everyone is different. My husband also tells people to prepare that they will absolutely never be the same again, regardless of their age or overall health. I find it hard to believe the people who were up and running in 8 weeks with a leg full of hardware and the requirement that they be non weight bearing. The knee/hip replacement is not a good analogy either, because those are people whose mobility is already completely shot (otherwise, they would not be getting joint replacement) and then the implant has corrected the situation. They are going from "broken" to "fixed", which is the opposite of your situation.
Recovery is long and the logistics are hard. Most homes are nowhere near ADA compliant, which makes using a wheelchair difficult, if not impossible. Most people have their bedroom on the 2nd floor, which requires them to spend money and time setting up a bed somewhere downstairs. They can't drive themselves to appointments. ...The list of considerations goes on and on.
Recognize that what you are experiencing is a depression of sorts and that your feelings are valid.
Thank you! Yes, we had to build ramps so I could get into/out of the house, and set up a bed on the ground floor. I have been able to drive myself to appointments, since it was my left leg that was broken.
Hearing that I may never been the same again is something that I find difficult and extremely depressing. I am pretty determined, however, and if I can never be the same again, I can be the best I can be! I would just really love to walk reasonably well without the cane...that's my goal for now.
But hearing that my feelings are valid is very helpful...I sometimes feel that even my nearest and dearest think I'm dragging this out. I wonder at their attitude...do they not know me at all?? My orthopedic surgeon is one of these super-athletic, mountain climbing types, and sometimes I feel he's not exactly sympathetic. However, I only have to see him one more time, so I'll at least have one less aggravation.
Thank you again for your encouraging words. It does help, really...and CSD610, I like the idea of the raised beds. I believe I'll put Mr. RedPondRanch to work.
I broke my fibula when I was 31. It was a spiral fracture. I stood on it after it was broken (hoping it wasn't too bad to walk on) and tore out the tendons...by the time I crawled back into my house, my foot was facing the wrong way. I have a plate and 9 screws in there now. I couldn't walk with crutches because of my weight, so I ended up in a wheelchair for four months. I wasn't able to have physical therapy for it because I couldn't afford it, so when they took the cast off, they told me to buy a stretch band and just try pointing my toes while using the band, several times a day. I had problems with my foot cramping up and my toes getting folded up, to where I had to pry them back up with my hand, and hold them that way until the cramp passed. My legs would get very shaky if I walked very far...even walking across the street to pick up my daughter from school was difficult. I had to use a walker.
I think it took me about a year to be able to walk in a way that looked somewhat normal. I had problems with plantar fasciitis in my other foot. I was still more comfortable leaning on a shopping cart or stroller when I walked, even after that first year. We went house hunting 11 months after my injury, and I had a really hard time making it up the stairs in the two-story houses we looked at.
A couple years after my injury, I bought a bike and started riding often, and that really helped strengthen my leg, but walking very much still hurt. Now I have neuropathy in both legs and take meds for that, and the meds help a lot. I can walk long distances again, and walk fast, which I couldn't before.
I was told that swimming would be good exercise for my leg, but swimming has never been very comfortable, especially if the pool is crowded and there's a lot of movement in the water. It feels like it pulls on my leg in weird ways. The bike is still the best exercise that I've found...some bikes don't feel like they'd be safe, but I have an Electra Townie which is designed so it's really easy to touch the ground with both feet. I think the reason the bike has been so good for me is that when I started riding, I could still barely walk and I couldn't walk without pain, so it was really good to be able to move myself faster than a slow, limping pace.
My orthopedic surgeon told me to get an exercise bike, but in my tiny house I really don't have room for one, so I bought part of one, so to speak! It's just the pedals on a floor stand, and it gives me quite a workout.
Oddly enough, stairs aren't a huge issue anymore as long as I have handrails.
I'm glad to hear it took someone else as long as it's taking me...I don't feel like such an oddball!
I had an exercise bike too, but a regular bike is more fun.
I remembered after my earlier post that I know a girl who had an injury just like mine and said it took her most of a year to recover also. And she's half your age. Don't stress out about the time it's taking you to recover, and don't compare it to a joint replacement, that's different.
About the raised garden beds, I saw some nice kits for that at Sam's, if you're too impatient to wait for your hubby to build something. I know my husband seems to run on a different clock than me, when it comes to projects like that.
I really, really feel for you. Our lives change in a !@#$ instant, don't they?
Did you have your bone density checked? If you have lost some bone density (not unusual at 59) it may be part of the reason your injury was so bad to begin with, and also why it's taking so long to get back on your feet.
Just a thought.
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. I have a leg full of metal, was totally non-weight-bearing for nearly three months, and was in physical therapy for five months, and I'm still not able to walk without my cane! This has been really tough on me, because I was an avid gardener, and now that spring is in the air I am going nuts because I can't grab a shovel and get on with it. 
