Question 1

should i be worried about pain being relatively the same as right after my surgery. i had 3 screws and a plate put in to fix my broken fibula.

Accepted Answer

Pain after fx pinnin: This would largely depend on how  LONG after your PIN AND  PLATE SURGERY you are. Perhaps you could respond  and inform where the pin is and how long after surgery you are, how severe pain is and if pain occurs at rest OR only on ambulation.

Question 2

i would like to know how long is surgery for orif for a right  broken fibula, it is the lower part of the fibula close to the ankle?

Accepted Answer

1.5 hours : The distal part or end of the fibula is near the ankle.

Question 3

how long until i can walk again after surgery from a broken fibula? i am already toe touch walking with the crutches.

Accepted Answer

Healing fibula: Any time one has any kind of surgery, the best person to answer questions concerning that operation is the doc who did the surgery. Check with his office concerning your discharge instructions & timetable for advancing walking.

Question 4

i had surgery in jul12 and revision in nov12 for a broken fibula and ankle. i was nwb until feb13. in pt and having extreme swelling, is this normal?

Accepted Answer

Severe break: You are describing much more than a straightforward broken ankle. A requirement for 2 operations and and 3 months without any weight bearing comes from a very severe fracture. There may also be some poor healing involved. In this situation, the small lymphatic vessels that help drain fluid out of the leg are also damaged. All of this contributes to swelling/edema. With time it should improve.

Question 5

have low impact broken fibula, walking boot, no surgery. when can i bear weight on it? broken just over 1 week ago. currently on crutches and wheelch

Accepted Answer

4-6 weeks: The classic answer for most fractures is that it takes 6 weeks to heal and limited weight bearing for 6 weeks is recommended.  However, for a minimally displaced low impact fibula, it may be possible to bear weight in a walking boot earlier than 6 weeks, likely around 4 weeks after the break depending on how the x-rays look.  The bottom line is check with your provider and trust their expertise.

Question 6

i would like to know what would give me less amount of disability having a cast or having orif surgery for a broken fibula/ ankle?

Accepted Answer

Do you mean: Down time?  It really depends on what the issue is.  Orif seldom fail and heal within 6-8 weeks. In a cast we can't estimate time of healing, we have to take x-rays every two weeks to see if its healing. My preference for displaced fracture is orif. I think it is more predictable.

Question 7

i have a broken fibula and facing surgery or leg cast for 6 weeks.  what is the healing time of surgery and what are benefits of it over the cast?

Accepted Answer

Better results: The results that you can receive are dependent on the extent of the injury that you have. You are young and pending on the type of fracture (aligned ?, stable ? Involving the joint ?) all come into play when deciding if surgery is better than cast. 
That being said, in general surgery has a better shot of providing a better out come. 
Your surgeon is in the best position to advise you.

Question 8

broken fibula, plate and screws were put in place currently in fiber glass splint. 2 weeks post surgery getting a boot, when will i be able to walk?

Accepted Answer

4-6 weeks: It varies somewhat based upon the nature of the fracture, but we will usually let our patients begin walking while wearing a boot by about 4-6 weeks postoperatively.  I would discuss your specific case with your surgeon.

Question 9

surgery? should this be properly aligned. broken fibula 2 places ! broken fibula, mid lower section top break, still in alignment but fracture. lower break separated and off to the side not in alignment but. back of heal and ankle burning. i have a splint

Accepted Answer

Without : Without seeing the images, it is difficult to know how much of the fibula is broken and how displaced it really is.  The symptoms you're having sound like part of the peroneal nerve is irritated--either from swelling or from the fracture.  Most of these injuries are stretch or bruising injuries, called neurapraxias, that resolve with time, usually about 3 months.  Occasionally, a nerve can be severed, but usually there is muscle weakness to show the more severe injury.

In principle, fractures of the fibular shaft are left to heal without surgery.  We can remove a large portion of the fibula as bone graft without significant adverse effects, so we know the mid-portion of the fibula does not provide structural stability.  The closer to the knee, however, the more likely to affect the common peroneal nerve and the closer to the ankle, the more likely the fracture will affect ankle stability.

There are key ligaments that stabilize the ankle in the area known as the syndesmosis.  These ligaments can take longer to heal than a fracture or lower ankle injury.

Talk to your treating physician about the location of the fractures relative to the important structures.

Question 10

should 12 weeks healing be concerning for a broken fibula break?

Accepted Answer

Yes.: In most fibular fractures, healing should occur in abut 6 weeks. If the fracture is displaced a significant to a significant degree, then surgery may be indicated. Also, it may be a delayed union, or non-union, depending on the exact circumstances. An orthopedic surgeon, should be able to counsel you regarding this.

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Doctor answers about:

Broken fibula surgery recovery

A member asked:

Should i be worried about pain being relatively the same as right after my surgery. i had 3 screws and a plate put in to fix my broken fibula.

A member asked:

I would like to know how long is surgery for orif for a right broken fibula, it is the lower part of the fibula close to the ankle?

A member asked:

How long until i can walk again after surgery from a broken fibula? i am already toe touch walking with the crutches.

A member asked:

I had surgery in jul12 and revision in nov12 for a broken fibula and ankle. i was nwb until feb13. in pt and having extreme swelling, is this normal?

A member asked:

Have low impact broken fibula, walking boot, no surgery. when can i bear weight on it? broken just over 1 week ago. currently on crutches and wheelch

A member asked:

I would like to know what would give me less amount of disability having a cast or having orif surgery for a broken fibula/ ankle?

A member asked:

I have a broken fibula and facing surgery or leg cast for 6 weeks. what is the healing time of surgery and what are benefits of it over the cast?

A member asked:

Broken fibula, plate and screws were put in place currently in fiber glass splint. 2 weeks post surgery getting a boot, when will i be able to walk?

A member asked:

Surgery? should this be properly aligned. broken fibula 2 places ! broken fibula, mid lower section top break, still in alignment but fracture. lower break separated and off to the side not in alignment but. back of heal and ankle burning. i have a splint

A member asked:

Should 12 weeks healing be concerning for a broken fibula break?

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