I have fractured (spiral) my fibula 3 weeks ago which didn't require any surgery, just a fibreglass cast which I am to keep for another 3 weeks. I was told not to put any weight on it until the cast comes off but I find I can put some weight on it already with no pain whatsoever. Has anybody started walking while still in a cast and did it delay healing or cause any further problems?
Yeah I've read stories of people reinjuring by not following directions. Big risk, 6 weeks vs. many, many. If you read about the bone healing process, you may want to think again - be careful, I did need surgery and have only this week, 14, been cleared to walk in a boot just a little, you don't want to end up like me lol!
I'm with Kim!
Be careful, people I have spoken to who have been through it or other doctors and nurses etc have always said do what your advised. One nurse said she didn't do all the physio and now doesn't have full range of movement but others have done lots of things and been fine.
I have read posts and forums from others saying that didn't rest enough and had to have further surgery.
Although the main point seems to be everyone is very different with recovery but you wouldn't want a setback.
I too had surgery and am 12 weeks post surgery but been walking the boot for a few weeks so similar but different to Kim.
good luck and I wish you a speedy recovery!
Hi Joanne. I also have a broken fibula that did not require surgery. Tomorrow is 6 weeks since my injury. I too was put in a fiberglass cast and told no weight bearing. My doctor expected that at my 5 week appointment I would be switched to a boot and be able to start putting some weight on it. I’ve been starting to walk with partial weight bearing since my appointment Friday. I know having to rely solely on crutches is a pain. I was counting down day by day the last three weeks until I could get my boot. It’s really important to follow your doctors orders. If you are putting weight on it now you could really give yourself a setback in the healing process. This takes what feels like forever to heal anyway do you really want to risk making it longer? Do you want to risk it healing wrong and have problems with it the rest of your life? It just isn’t worth it. I recommend you “do your time”. The day you get to start walking may seem like it’s forever in the future but it’ll be here faster than you think.
Thanks Kim. Week 14? Wow! I'm going nuts after 3 weeks. I find it a struggle as a sole carer to 2 four year olds but I definitely don't want to risk further damage. Thanks for your reply.
Thanks Freddy. It feels like a long time but at least I didn't have to have surgery like you, which would have been a life a lot harder. I'm not sure if I get a boot after the cast comes off. Nothing was mentioned at the hospital and they don't want to see me between being plastered up and cast removal.
You're absolutely right Jennifer. I had my cast put on at the fracture clinic in the hospital and was told to come back in 6 weeks to have it x-rayed and the cast removed. No mention of a boot but who knows. I might go to my doctor and get him to refer me for some x-rays before then though. I had a mammogram today and the lady doing it kicked my broken leg when she walked round me. It wasn't hard but it was enough to twist my leg around and make it hurt all day. I'm worried she may have done something to it so I'm definitely not going to put any further stress on it now! Thank you for your reply.
Everything I have read and heard says it is a long time and to be patient.. I struggle with the patience now I am doing a lot better than I was.
Obviously I can't say for sure as I am not a doctor but most of what I have read and heard suggests you will have an air boot.
They are ok because you can take them off although I have found my foot/leg gets really hot and sweaty in this weather which isn't nice but thankfully after 2.5 months of no showers I can now shower and feel properly clean.
It might just be a surgery related thing but I was recommended to get a sock /tubigrip type thing to wear inside the boot and it helped me but as I say might be surgery related.
Sorry to read below your leg got kicked, they really should have been more careful as I think that is unnecessary but am sure t was accidental. If it still hurts I would definitely get it checked as the last thing you need is it to have moved, hopefully though it will be fine.
When you get the boot you then also get the joy of physio.
Hope you get a good one. The lady I see is amazing although the experience from my side of the table is quite a bit of pain but 8 weeks in a cast with no movement is going to stiffen up the muscles etc. but the pain goes and is only there when stretching so can cope with that!
Hope the pain goes away again!
If I get a boot, I can handle that if it means I can walk and shower properly. I was using a garbage bag over my cast until I bought proper cast covers for the shower. One thing I'm grateful for, it is the middle of winter here so no sweating or itching.
I cannot wait until I can drive again (broke my driving leg). I hate having to rely on others to get somewhere.
Nothing was mentioned about physio either so hopefully I won't need it but we'll see what happens I guess.
Getting kicked was definitely accidental and she did apologise. I've made an appointment to see my gp tomorrow so can hopefully get an xray by the end of this week or next week,
I would advise you to follow your doctors advice or be prepared to suffer the consequences I hope that you didn't already cause a delay in healing. The original plan for my broken bone was 4 weeks in a non weight bearing cast then another 4 weeks in a walking cast. My healing was better than expected so I went directly out of the NWB cast into a boot. Yes I was so glad to be able to take a normal shower! Good luck.
I hear ya, I feel bipolar, lol. Sad, then ok, it's just total confinement. I have two kids, my house is gross, and they are close to no help without arguing because they are accustom to a mommy that caters to them...roll my eyes! Showering, oh my gosh what a nightmare, I've never been so dirty in my life, haha. Be safe don't risk it, you'll get there soon.
When I was three weeks into healing mine was also still very sensitive to getting bumped. Most of the pain was gone except when my cast got bumped. It was about 4 weeks that it stopped and I was pretty much completely pain free. Now that I’m starting to put weight on it I’m sore and I swell again. But it isn’t anything like that pain at the beginning. I also have a very sore calf muscle which I take as a good sign that I’m finally using it again. My ankle hurts nowhere near my break where I’m working to get mobility back. It’s still what feels like a long tough road so I’m glad you’ve decided to follow your doctors advice. I wouldn’t want you to have to go through this any longer than necessary!
Nothing has been mentioned to me about physio either. My doctor has started me off with some stretches and I’m betting he’s going to add more at my next appointment. I think he’s seeing if I can get it stretched back out myself before we consider physio.
WOW!! This is exactly me!! I fell down stairs trying to avoid my cat at the top of the stairs and lost my footing, after what seemed like the worst fairground ride of my life. (it was very bumpy and seemed neverending.) I realised something was wrong with my ankle. Long story short, I went to hospital, turns out I had a spiral fracture in my fibula about an inch or 2 above my ankle. They applied a back slab for the swelling, then after 10 days it was replaced with a fibreglass cast to which I was also told that after 3 weeks itt would be removed and I would be given a boot. I have been told I can put slight pressure on my tippy toes in the mean time and to keep wiggling my toes, however, after 5 days in the fibreglass cast I realised I could walk (well, hobble) in it around the house with no crutches. (also no pain) this has made my life so much easier. I've come looking for info on this matter in the hopes I'm not damaging myself further. Apparently we only use the fibula for about 17% of our body weight anyway so I'm hoping, if anything, I might be doing it more good than harm by promoting healing. How is your fracture now Joanne? Did you have any problems through weight bearing too soon?
UPDATE:
Today has been exactly 6 weeks since I broke my fibula. I was in a back slab for 2 days and then in a fibreglass cast. Three weeks in I found I could walk with minimal pain and though I tried to keep off it, it was just too hard when I have 3 kids to look after on my own. I returned my rented knee-on scooter as it pushed the cast into my leg which actually caused me more pain and I ignored my crutches. Two weeks ago my mammogram lady kicked my leg which hurt like buggery so I had an x-ray as suggested by my doctor. Scans showed my leg was healing fine and there was no displacement. I was due to have my cast removed this coming Tuesday (in 3 days) but rang the hospital and asked if I could have it removed yesterday (Friday) instead (I wanted to be cast free by the weekend). Then on Thursday morning I received a call saying they had a few cancellations and would I like to go in that afternoon to have my cast removed. Um...YES!!
I was convinced I had delayed my healing by walking 3 weeks before I was supposed to but the x-rays showed my leg was healed. I was given a boot to use for the next few weeks just as support when walking a lot and sent on my way after being told I'd receive an appointment letter for physiotherapy in the mail.
I cannot tell you how good it feels to be cast free! My ankle is still quite swollen and bruised and hurts more now than it did the last few weeks but that is mainly from stiffness after not moving my ankle all that time and some pain where the actual break was. The boot helps ease that though. I am finding my skin hurts from being so dry but it is already getting better. I started driving cast and boot free Friday morning (after a test drive around the block Thursday afternoon). I will admit I was driving with my cast on for the last couple of weeks after being let down by people who had promised to help me out but it just felt like I was driving with shoes on. The doctor did say that my muscles hadn't deteriorated as much as normal since I had been using them for the last 3 weeks anyway and that it would probably help me walk unaided quicker.
I am not by any means suggesting people try walking on their broken leg before they are advised to. Life wasn't going to wait for my leg to recover though plus I have always been a quick healer and was lucky once again.
Apart from breaking my collar bone when I was 4 or 5, this is the first time I've broken a bone and the first time in a cast of any sort. I do not wish to repeat the experience but I have made it through the longest 6 weeks of my life!
Hi Melissa,
Have a read of my update and all the best to you!
Very nice to hear your good news. Sounds like through this journey you have also learned to identify your true friends. Keep on moving forward. It seems like you already have good luck but it doesn't hurt to wish you more.
Hi, I know this is a while since your post but hope you can help. At 5 weeks when you started to put weight on your ankle, did you experience any pain. After 4 weeks in a cast (4 and a half weeks since injury) I am having pain when trying to walk. Don;t know if I should just walk through the pain or take this as a sign my foot isn't quite ready for weight bearing. To confirm the doc said its okay to weight bear and Im in a cast and shoe not walking boot unfortunately.
Hi Mic,
I have just replied to your other post. I'm sorry you are going through this!
I was very lucky that I had hardly any pain after the first 3 weeks in a cast but I was still supposed to be nwb until the cast came off (6 weeks). I started walking on it at the 3 week mark but my advise to you is don't walk through the pain. This is a case of the pain actually telling you to get off your leg, it's not ready.
Scroll down to see my last update which has more detail in it.
Yes just seen your other post. Thanks so much! Not sure whether to call doc or a physio. Or just wait. Got another 3 weeks until next visit when the cast should be coming off.