ORIF Recovery Timeline:

Foot care
1

3/31/18: Broke fibula, dislocated tibia and fibula

3/31-4/10: Leg raises daily, hip rotations daily, foot flexing (plaster cast/crutches)

4/11: ORIF Surgery

4/11-4/18: Leg raises, hip rotations, tip toe calf flexes at 25-50% weight bearing, range of motion exercises (no splint or cast/crutches)—all non-exercise movements done with zero-weight bearing  

4/19-4/26: Leg raises, hip rotations, tip toe calf flexes at 50-85% weight bearing, range of motion exercises (no splint or cast/crutches)—all non-exercise movements done with zero-weigh bearing

4/27: Two weeks post-surgery check up (x-ray, sutures removed)

4/28-29: Walking boot one-legged squats (ORIF leg), all exercises mentioned above continued— full weight bearing walking with boot (crutches used for balance)

4/29: First steps without walking boot or crutches

4/29-5/4: practiced walking with crutches to get natural gait back (would walk without crutches w/limp)—all exercises continued 

5/5: Stopped using crutches (slight limp)

5/6-5/13: Limp minimized and natural gait returned—all exercises continued with the addition of more range of motion exercises while full-weight bearing added in

5/14-5/21: Limp completely gone—all exercises continued with addition of elliptical added in, plus one foot balancing on ORIF leg (at 1 minute), plus light jogging

5/22/18 to today: able to run, jump, do squats with 25 pound dumbbells, range of motion about 80% back, ankle strength at about 90% pre-injury, very few limitations 

2

Excellent post. On timeline of your progress. Some people do get better faster. Age ,health have important roles to play in recovery. Cheers from ky.

3

Thanks, had no idea what I was in for when I was injured, but I just set goals weekly and kept positive.

4

Does one lined non-displaced talus body fracture heal with immobilization in a cast about 10-12 weeks??? my doctor ordered me this he said I don't need surgery. plz help

5

Rob,

Thanks for giving patients insights into another successful recovery. We don't really get enough positive feedback like yours.

I admire your discipline and motivation. Patients with troublesome recoveries could learn something from your experience.

Of course, every individual circumstance is different due to a wide range of differences. So your mileage may vary so to speak in recovery scenarios. Those patients with broken ankles involving lots of soft tissue like ligaments, tendons, and nerves may fare far worse in recovery than those with injuries with minimal banged up soft tissue.