Broken ankle

[jwitz04]

I completely broke my tib + fib during a game in late July and got a rod installed through my tibia. I wore a cast for a week, then a walking boot with crutches for 3 months. The good news was that my tendons stayed in place, so I just have to rehab my leg due to the lack of use (It's amazing how fast muscle shrinks when you spend 6 weeks on the couch).

I still can't run or jump without pain yet. It should be good to go in a month. I can skate, but I'm not going to do any REAL hockey skating til then.

My recommendations:
1. Follow your doc's instructions and, if you think you can do more than instructed, call and ask him first.
2. Make rehab a priority and do it right. If you rush it, you might hurt yourself OR you might lose strength and mobility which will cause you to hurt yourself once you get back to playing hockey.
3. Get a Green Biscuit puck. Once you can stand on 2 feet again, it'll allow you to practice your stickhandling whenever you want. It felt great to be able to at least do SOMETHING hockey-related even though I couldn't get on the ice. I spent lots of time stickhandling in the garage.

I'm not planning on playing on a team again until the Winter Rec Leagues start up in the fall, just to make sure I don't rush it.

Good luck!

thanks for the advice, glad to hear you're able to skate again...i know what you mean as far your leg shrinking, mine is tiny now ..is it back to its normal size yet? and also i can't wait to be on my feet again just to be able to stickhandle/shoot around again finally, I'm having some serious withdrawals here.

 

[AvDog]

thanks for the advice, glad to hear you're able to skate again...i know what you mean as far your leg shrinking, mine is tiny now ..is it back to its normal size yet? and also i can't wait to be on my feet again just to be able to stickhandle/shoot around again finally, I'm having some serious withdrawals here.

My calves are about the same size, but my right thigh is still smaller than my left.

Another piece of advice, since you just got hurt: Distract yourself with something that has nothing to do with hockey. It'll get you away from being all sad-faced about not being on the ice.

 

[biturbo19]

i not sure i can really add anything useful to this. but i had a pretty impressive number of plates bolted into my face a few months ago and have yet to start seriously playing again. just been playing around here and there casually. very different sort of injury though, so probably not all that relevant. but i was told to 'take it easy' for 2-3 months and then refrain from anything really intense where it might be re-injured for another couple months after that.

my sister had her ankled shattered by one of her horse a few years ago and ended up with a handful of pins and screws in it. she wasn't really back to normal for about half a year. and to be honest, i'm not sure her ankle ever really healed 100%.

but every injury is different, i'm not a doctor, and i've never broken my ankle like you have so...i would assume it's less severe than having it shattered by a 1500lb animal step on it though. so i'd hope you'll recover and be back to normal within the next few months. but that's a complete shot in the dark. and i'd say it depends very much on how hard you work at rehabbing the muscles etc.

 

[jwitz04]

My calves are about the same size, but my right thigh is still smaller than my left.

Another piece of advice, since you just got hurt: Distract yourself with something that has nothing to do with hockey. It'll get you away from being all sad-faced about not being on the ice.

no can do man..I think that is nearly impossible for me. Its all I look forward to every day. 1 more month..this is torture though

 

[Swept In Seven]

yep, title says it all. broke 2 bones in my ankle in a hockey game over winter break, slid right into the boards foot first. got 7 screws and a sweet metal plate in it . had surgery 3 weeks ago, getting my cast off in 3 more, then supposedly ill be walking. my doc says ill be able to skate by march

and just got back for the new semester, so these next 3 weeks are gonna suck, not to mention my hockey season is done (at least i have a nice bottle of oxycodone left)

has anybody here ever broken an ankle or weight bearing bone? how long were you on crutches? how long until you were able to play hockey competitively again?

I broke my ankle my only advice is keep try to eat healthy I gained like 40 pounds in 2 months and lost a chance to play in the MJHL this past season now I am in some ****** Junior B league but the ankle feels fine

 

[jwitz04]

I broke my ankle my only advice is keep try to eat healthy I gained like 40 pounds in 2 months and lost a chance to play in the MJHL this past season now I am in some ****** Junior B league but the ankle feels fine

how long was it until you first skated again since you broke it? did you get any hardware in it? ..and yeah it's hard to not gain any weight or anything when you literally can't exercise for 3 months

 

[Swept In Seven]

how long was it until you first skated again since you broke it? did you get any hardware in it? ..and yeah it's hard to not gain any weight or anything when you literally can't exercise for 3 months

no hardware just a bone floating around in there that is supposed to be taken out if it has given me pain (not enough to make me go with surgery option) prolly did not skate for 2 1/2-3 months and it feels terrible the first couple of times on the ice.The pain goes away after a while and you should probably feel fine like I really do not feel it now when i am skating it is just the first couple of times that is really hard. this injury cost me a shot at some really good junior hockey and I am spiteful about it only advice i can give ya is to just roll with the punches and get out there as soon as the doc gives you the okay. hope everything works out for you man best of luck

 

[Swept In Seven]

also I was 180 pounds when I broke it and i am now 215 all i can tell you is eat healthy and try to stay active as best as you can swimming helps a lot and I did that a little bit but i was depressed and i would have rather eat fast food and drink soda then get out and do something do not let this happen to you lol

 

[jwitz04]

also I was 180 pounds when I broke it and i am now 215 all i can tell you is eat healthy and try to stay active as best as you can swimming helps a lot and I did that a little bit but i was depressed and i would have rather eat fast food and drink soda then get out and do something do not let this happen to you lol

lol i'll do my best..thanks alot for the advice about skating again dude..glad to hear you can skate now without it hurting..and yeah i find myself never wanting to go out to get food so all i've been eating are pop tarts for breakfast/lunch/dinner but they're really good so I don't mind.

 

[SJGoalie32]

I broke my ankle doing the same thing.....sliding feet first into the boards when I was 22. Surgery, plate, 3 screws.

Spent 6 weeks in a cast after the surgery, and then another 2 weeks on crutches after the cast was removed (ankle was real gnarly looking under the cast......lots of dead skin under the cast that I hadn't been able to wash off, my calf muscles atrophied to about half their normal size, etc.).

Spent about 3 months in PT and had to walk with a cane for about another month past it. Needed the cane all the time at first, then only on long walks.

Was about 6 months after my surgery that I could finally run again without a noticeable limp, though still only at about 75-80% and not for long before pain would set in. Took me another 3-4 months to get back to my 100% speed and stamina.

From break to first public skate was about 8 months, though I probably could have pushed it to about 6. But that first skate still hurt like a *****. 10 months in before I was successful in pickup. A full year before I was back in the game (partially due to the local league schedule), and I still struggled for another year after that with my form and pain.

To be fair, as a butterfly goaltender, my reduced ankle flexibility affected my technique and the fatigue from those OT or high shot games made it worse. Your results as a forward will probably be different. Transitions, stopping, and agility may be affected, but a skater who is a half a second slower for a few months or who needs to shorten his shifts is far different from a goaltender who is half a second slower.

So, though your results will vary, you're probably looking at at least 4-6 months before you can even skate again, 8-10 months before you can play again, and well over a year until the lingering effects and pains are gone.

 

[jwitz04]

So, though your results will vary, you're probably looking at at least 4-6 months before you can even skate again, 8-10 months before you can play again, and well over a year until the lingering effects and pains are gone.

that sucks for me to hear..hopefully I hope to be able to skate sooner than that my doc said I might be able to by march..so were you playing goalie when you injured yourself?

 

[jwitz04]

Today is about 6 1/2 weeks post surgery. Alright, so I just got the cast off about 2 hours ago. I'm wearing a cam boot on my right foot... I'm not able to all of my weight on my right leg yet, however I can put a little bit on it and I am able to walk on it with crutches. My doctor told me I can start on the bike tomorrow. He said I should be able to walk on my own in a week or two. Feels terrible though, like I've never even walked before..I barely even know how to put one foot in front of the other. I was hoping to be able to walk on my own once I got the cast off, guess it was stupid of me to think that though.

this sucks

 

[A2HockeyDad]

Keep the faith brother! It'll come quickly. I am still about a mon th out from getting my cast off at this point. (Went to get the stitches out and the long-term cast put on after the surgery. Found out I had 8 pins and the plate to repair my broken fibula).

I had the cast off for about 15-20 minutes while wating for the surgeon to take a look at it. Felt SO good to move it around a little bit! I am staying "glass-half-full" in my hopes of rehabbing and working hard on PT when I get my cast off. Even though a little voice in my head says to prepare to be realistic and get real about how long it might be, I try to use it as inspiration to work out like crazy and make as quick a comeback as I can - hockey is just too fun to stay away.

Stay positive and work hard jwitz!!

Cheers,
Kev

 

[jwitz04]

Thanks alot for the motivation Kev. We're in this together man haha, so best of luck with your remaining weeks in the cast. Today was alot better. I biked for 30 minutes, walked around alot (I could put alot more weight on my right leg than I was able to yesterday), stretched my ankle, and even took a few snapshots in my basement ..best part of the day by far. It's sore as hell, but I wasn't able to do any of that yesterday, so it shows how much a difference every 24 hours makes. And I agree, this game is too damn fun to stay away from, my parents have a hard time understanding why I want to keep playing.

 

[Halifaxhab*]

It's been 6 months since my pins and plates were put in. The Ankle joint looks great and the surgeon feels that I may be a candidate for removal.

But, more importantly, I've been skating in pick up games only for 3 months now and I've notice massive improvements. Just finished 1.5 hrs on the ice and it held up very well and I even tried a bunch of little moves.

So, work diligently on the physio, work on the range of motion 1st that is crucial, especially in the future for skating. the strength will come back eventually. If you do your physio moves 3 times daily within a month you can start on the strength moves, and 2 weeks after that the power/plyo moves. Keep in mind, this **** will hurt like a m**** f***er so stop when pain reaches an 8 on your tolerance scale.

The quicker you can get back on the ice in a pick up or non league setting (where defensive mistakes are forgiven...becasue defence doesn't exist). Continue increasing difficulty on your physio and workout program and you will be back to form by next season.

I myself nealy lost my foot due to complications and now I am back to being able to deploy overseas (I am in the Navy).


Good luck!

 

[Paranoid Android]

I broke my the end of my fibula near my ankle when I was 17. Ran into some huge guy and I landed cross-legged on top of my foot. I remember hearing a little pop, but thought it was just a knuckle crack. I took a couple shifts off, tightened my laces, and actually skated the rest of the game, avoiding putting too much weight on my ankle.

Debated going to the ER or just giving it a couple days. Luckily, I chose ER (more like my mom made me) and turns out I needed surgery and hardware. I got a plate and 4 screws on the outside of my ankle.

I don't really remember how long it took to heal, but it almost feels stronger than it was before. Doc said there is no way it breaks again.

Couple of notes:
-Be careful if the edge of your boot rubs against the plate. I skate barefoot, and my boot gave me nasty blister right over my scar.
-But I never noticed any difference as far as how my boot feels.
-For the first few years, accidentally banging the plate against something hard stings pretty bad. It like vibrates your bone. Take it easy for a while.
-I thought I would set off alarms at airports, but I never have

 

[A2HockeyDad]

Thanks to all for the continued input and tips in this thread!

Never having a break quite this serious before, I am finding it very valuable in getting different perspectives on therapy, healing time, issues later on, and general information for this type of break.

Because I'm much older than most posting here I'm sure, every little bit helps in getting back on my feet (and more importantly, the ice!) as soon as possible!

I'm attching a pic of my break for fun!

Cheers,
Kev

 

[jwitz04]

Thanks to all for the continued input and tips in this thread!

Never having a break quite this serious before, I am finding it very valuable in getting different perspectives on therapy, healing time, issues later on, and general information for this type of break.

Because I'm much older than most posting here I'm sure, every little bit helps in getting back on my feet (and more importantly, the ice!) as soon as possible!

I'm attching a pic of my break for fun!

Cheers,
Kev

oh hey looks exactly like mine. except for the long one going all the way through. today (day 3 of having no cast) I can just about put all my weight on my foot! I'll be snipin goalies in no time.

 

[A2HockeyDad]

Sweet, jwitz - nice to hear!

That long screw he said was to help pull together the two leg bones (I think due to the huge displacement I had in the ankle joint area itself). He even mentioned that if I left that one in, and I twisted my leg enough at some point in the future, it could snap! Though I guess that isn't all that big a deal, or so he implied!

I will definitely ask in more detail about getting any of the hardware out when I get ready to have the cast removed, or if it is just as well to leave it all in. Makes no difference to me - whatever makes my ankle the strongest and helps get me back out on the ice!

Cheers,
Kev

 

[JRZ DVLS]

I broke my ankle my only advice is keep try to eat healthy I gained like 40 pounds in 2 months and lost a chance to play in the MJHL this past season now I am in some ****** Junior B league but the ankle feels fine

damn, 40#'s? WTF were you eating? a steady diet of Doritos and Ice cream?

Today is about 6 1/2 weeks post surgery. Alright, so I just got the cast off about 2 hours ago. I'm wearing a cam boot on my right foot... I'm not able to all of my weight on my right leg yet, however I can put a little bit on it and I am able to walk on it with crutches. My doctor told me I can start on the bike tomorrow. He said I should be able to walk on my own in a week or two. Feels terrible though, like I've never even walked before..I barely even know how to put one foot in front of the other. I was hoping to be able to walk on my own once I got the cast off, guess it was stupid of me to think that though.

this sucks

Keep it up...

Like i said way before in the thread. I went to some lunchtime public skating first. if its during the week, you can often times have the ice to yourself or little to no other people. Better then with a ton of others that you have to react to and dodge. Would recommend that over the lake or pond first. Cracks can be lethal.....
Make sure your doc say you can start skating to. Or ask at what point they think you can. In most cases as we've seen here its a good 5-6 months from break date depending on your break and rehab.
I did wrap my ankle with an ace bandage for the first few skates. Maybe i was being paranoid, but better safe then sorry. Had to end up getting 130" laces to fit.
They may not actually have you go to PT for rehab, but make sure to get a list of exercises from the doc, and the thera bands. They are great to help with strengthening. There are so many exercises i'd like to tell, but not sure how to explain.
http://www.caldwellphysicaltherapy.com/ankle_exercises.aspx Actually, a lot of these are in them. Start with no weight or bands to just get some range, then move up to bands. A Dr, or PT should have sheet of exercises with illustrations.

 

[A2HockeyDad]

Hey jwitz, how is the rehab/PT going?

I'm curious to know what to expect and was hoping you have been making great strides since you got your cast off! I still have another 2 weeks before mine comes off, and I am going CRAZY!

Would love to hear how quickly things are coming back for you (or not).

Cheers,
Kev

 

[jwitz04]

Hey jwitz, how is the rehab/PT going?

I'm curious to know what to expect and was hoping you have been making great strides since you got your cast off! I still have another 2 weeks before mine comes off, and I am going CRAZY!

Would love to hear how quickly things are coming back for you (or not).

Cheers,
Kev

Glad you asked My recovery is actually really good. Today is 12 days after I got my cast off and I can walk all on my own (using the cam boot) with no support! I walk with a slight limp, but honestly it's impossible not to limp with this gigantic boot (it gives a ton of support though). I've been in the gym biking every day too, which is also really good for strengthening it. The first day after I got my cast off I was only able to bike a few miles and my ankle felt seriously weak, but now I'm doing 10-15 miles every day and it feels great. It's sore after working it (walking, biking) but no pain no game! It's such a luxury to have both legs back again, just wait! Now I can keep myself occupied practicing with a stickhandling ball, and shooting around too just to feed my HWS (hockey withdrawal symptoms). I feel like soon I'll be able to run, which means I'll be able to skate!!

You're in the home stretch of it now hockeydad. At first when you get your cast off and try walking on your ankle (using crutches of course) it's gonna feel like death for the first couple days (hate to be blunt, haha) but what else can we expect? We haven't used it in 8 weeks! Don't worry though, it all comes back very fast, alot faster than you think! You're almost back on your feet.

See you on the ice soon.

 

[MeltingPlastic]

Good luck with everything! I broke my fibula and ankle in Dec 08 going skates first into the boards at full speed when i was tripped. I had to have 4 surgeries, before everything was said and done. Metal plates for the fibula and multiple screws for the ankle. After the 3rd and "final" surgery, it turned out my ankle didn't heal at all. None of the ligaments reattached and even though i was able to walk again, i was in a lot of pain, limping etc. I had to go to a specialist for the 4th surgery and he rebuilt my ankle by doing the classic syndesmodic screw and then he drilled through all 3 bones and fished a harvested tendon through and attached that with screws. The tendon now acts as my ligaments/ankle. From start to finish, It took 364 days from the time i broke my leg/ankle to the time i was given a "100%" bill of health. Not to mention a total of 8 months on crutches.

A word of advice when you start skating again, make sure all your swelling is down. Due to the severity of my injuries, my feet/ankles are 2 different sizes and my old skates no longer fit on my bad foot. I had to go to bauer and get custom skates made and they were $$$ Ended up having to get measured twice(bauer no longer does the foot molding) and even still they said there was no guarantees the skates would feel good. Took over 2 months to get them in because bauer almost didn't even want to do them(they said they are on the same level as Foppa for customizing) Once i got them they felt great though! Only issue was i couldn't feel my edges. My ankle is not 100% straight anymore and i had to have the runner offset on one side to keep the blade straight on the ice while i skate. Only way i can feel both edges. I've been skating on them for a little less than a year and trust me, i'm no where near what i used to be and all the weight i gained not being able to do anything for a year sucked.

Take your doctors advice on EVERYTHING and take it easy. I rushed a lot of stuff with my initial recover and that may have lead to why it didn't heal correctly when they first reconstructed my ankle

FYI, my one skate is a 10EE(i've always had wide feet) my custom skate is a 10EEEE with 3/4" added to front for the laces, extra stiffness and protection areas etc

 

[MeltingPlastic]

That long screw he said was to help pull together the two leg bones (I think due to the huge displacement I had in the ankle joint area itself). He even mentioned that if I left that one in, and I twisted my leg enough at some point in the future, it could snap! Though I guess that isn't all that big a deal, or so he implied!

I will definitely ask in more detail about getting any of the hardware out when I get ready to have the cast removed, or if it is just as well to leave it all in. Makes no difference to me - whatever makes my ankle the strongest and helps get me back out on the ice!

Cheers,
Kev

You are right, thats what that long screw does (syndesmotic screw) My first 2 were removed. The 3rd one in my final surgery is still in as well as the plate on my fibula and the screw is actually snapped. It usually snaps between the two bones but mine snapped in the middle of the tibia. The doctor had never seen this happen in his life and was like you can leave it in and you'll be fine, or we can take it out and we'll have to basically use a drill out on the otherside to get the rest of it out... i'm currently contemplating removing it though because im in a lot of pain if i press the area where the head of the screw is (i have to pad the area around it to keep pressure off of that area when i skate)

 

[jwitz04]

Damn meltingplastic, sounds like you've had it worse than any of us.

Anyway, just got back from the doctor and got the OK to skate again! I was playing some roller hockey today and it was awesome to get back on skates. I definitely have a ways to go before I can skate like I did pre-break, but like I said it's awesome to be back. Today is about 2.5 months post-operation. Here's a glimpse of my x-ray also for anyone interested.