I have a question mostly for Dr. Mark who seems to be our TT resident doctor from most of the threads I have read on my current injury.

I sent you a private message but thought maybe my questions could be beneficial for others so here are my questions...

Background:
I broke my Tibia/Fibula on June 16th. I have had 2 surgeries one with 9 screws and a plate on my Fibula just above my ankle. And the second one I am not sure of the results yet. I will find out tomorrow. Maybe a bone graft or another plate they weren't sure until they opened me up. Basically I cased a pretty big double probably 80 foot double and when I landed ...... :foul:

The questions I have are:
1. Do the plates and screws have to come out? Or do they stay in? I saw in most all cases you say the rods in Tibia's should come out after 1 year.

2. If the plates and screws stay in should I be taking up golf? Ya know selling my bikes and resorting to an older gentlemens sport..?

I love MX but the thought of going through this again or worse is enough to make me think its not worth it...

Any help is much appreciated..

I have more pics. Some look more like CT scans... I posted the best ones from my non medical background's perspective.

I get the soft cast off tomorrow and go to a boot cast and get stitches removed. I don't know if they grafted the bone yet. I will ask tomorrow. There sure look like a lot of tiny pieces of bone shattered in there. They told me the PT will start this week with the boot cast I guess it can be removed. Do you think the Dr. did a good job fixing me up? I was told he is an awesome ankle orthopedic surgeon. The Dr.'s were Sanders and Clare at the Florida Orthopedic Institute.

Thanks for the help Dr. Mark. Yes it was Dr. Roy Sanders and Dr. Michael Clare. Dr. Mark do the plates and screws ever come out? Or do they stay in indefinitely?

ok. Thanks for the help

Wow, looking at these X-Rays makes me feel like a sissy. I broke my tib/fib on May 31st. I had my tib rodded and I am feeling pretty good right now. I have been back to work for about 3-4 weeks, I am now standing at work 5-6 hours a day. I am at the gym 4-6 days a week.

Amnesia broke his (for the second time) shortly before me and he just did a triathalon. I am not sure how that went, but he was feeling good enought to enter the race.

I think the plates and screws might take a little longer to get back to normal, but it sounds like your in good hands. Good luck with your recovery.

yea dude sorry to hear that. I myself am sitting here with a plate and 7 screws in my right ankle its been about 3 weeks now and its feeling alright but i still got along time till i can walk on it my doctors say. Hope for a speedy recovery and dont do anything that will prolong the recovery

Thanks for the support guys. Dr. Mark I have a question or for anyone else who can provide some insight as well. I now have an aircast that they gave me about 3 weeks ago at my July 17th appointment. My Dr. told me to work on my up and down range of motion.

My question is and keep in mind my ankle was completely immobile since the break on June 16th. How should my range of motion be progressing. I can feel my muscles,ankle and tendons healing and getting stronger. But my range of motion is very little I can go from 90degrees with my leg to about 120degrees. Maybe about 1-2 inches of movement... far from a normal ankles rangle of movement.
Should I be worried? Should I be pushing it more? It obviously hurts to push it hard and boy is it stiff when I hit the limit. Any help is much appreciated.

First time I broke it I was kept in an aircast 2 weeks after surgery. I became sooo dependent on that aircast! Lets put it this way. My ankle is still stiff cause of that damn thing almost 10 months later. I was in the aircast for 2.5 months. Every night though I would work on moving my ankle and not wear it around the house (fell on it once that set me back a week carrying a jug of protein with crutches into the kitchen) and I'd say it took at least 6 weeks to start feeling good once I got out of the aircast. I was also riding a stationary bike 5 weeks post op. (I’d take aircast off and pedal)

So to summarize:
Took me 6 weeks after I completely stopped wearing the aircast
My ankle is still stiff today because of it 10 months later.
You've been immobile for 6 weeks only 2 of that in the aircast you've got some work ahead of you. I'd push it as much as I could tolerate without feeling like I’m going to snap something. Make sure you warm up the muscles before really trying to push the flexibility.

Thanks Amnesia. I try to push the movement but boy it feels like its at the limit and stops... like a hard stop!

Dude I read you post just like many others. I can't believe what you've been through! Your second break is one of my big fears now that this happened. And I really do wonder if I ever broke my leg in the same place with all the plates and screws would I end with instead of bone sticking through my leg ( possibly ) I would end with titanium and screws ripping my skin! Ouch!! I shiver at the thought.
In your case I read you said it didn't hurt as bad cause the hardware kept the bone fairly stablized but holy shit that had to really kill your spirit. You must be one tough dude cause I thought I was pretty tough til this happened to me and now I am humbled!
And I am in the same boat as you and probably many others! I have 2 450's in the garage that prior to June 16th were my life every weekend. I couldn't wait for saturday and sunday to ride. And now I have everyone on my case saying "Okay now will you stop riding"! I tell ya, in the beginning going through this I contemplated absolutely I am not riding again. But once you start feeling a little better you can't stop your head from looking at those 450's and remembering how much fun it is and why should I give up something I love so much.

I don't think I can give it up... anyone else with me???? Is the risk worth it? Can I find a happy balance between riding safe and still having fun? I sure hope so! I may have to tone it down a little after all I am not getting paid big $$ to ride right!

Vinney said:

I have a similiar injury to yours, 10 screws and a plate in my tibia. I broke mine in August 06. I had a fixator for 2 weeks than had plate installed after labor day. I was not allowed to bear weight for 2.5 months. At two months I started cheating and standing on it with boot on and walking small distances.

It has been very difficult in getting range and strength back. I stretch and do exercies every day, and am seeing slow gains.

It is amazing how depressed you get when the injury first happens, you think the world is falling apart. Everyone says you have to quit this time and you believe them. Once you start to make progress your mind starts to change. I am back on the bike and my speed is slowing returning. I still have some fear as my hardware is still in and do not want to damage my leg with it in there.

I am getting my hardware out in 3 weeks.

skidlid, wow so its been a year? Did your dr. recommended removing the plates? Cause I have asked Dr. Mark here in this forum and he said because of the location etc. these plates usually are not removed only if its still painful to the touch after you are recovered.
So are you insisting to your Dr. that you want them removed cause you still ride or do they bother you at all? Can you feel the plates?

Also, do you know what the recovery time is and/or how easy the surgery is to have the plates removed? I assume its gotta be 20 times easier cause the bone is good and strong... but was just wondering if they told you much about what to expect from the surgery.

It is my idea, the plate is very uncomfortable. I can feel it when I stretch, it hurts when I wear a hockey skate, hurts if the kids bump it, I can feel the screws and plate when you touch the ankle. I am also afraid of breaking it again with the plate in there causing more damage. I want it out now, if I wait too long maybe the screws won't come out? My doctor said it would be a good idea to remove them if I wanted. I have had screw removed out of the other ankle and it was not bad at all, I walked the same day. My doctor says this time won't be bad either, he says I should be able to walk without crutches or cast. I hope he is right! He said once the skin heals I can ride if I want, he said the hole will fill in and that the thickness of the bone will help till the hole are gone.

Funny skidlid. I play ice hockey as well. My teammates are bummed I am out and I told them it is going to be a long time before I am back on skates. So let me ask you, is your insurance covering the removal of the plates and screws?
That sucks that they have to come out but if it hurts to touch I can see why you would want them out. I would feel the same way. I definitely didn't plan on quiting playing hockey.