So I’ve ended up with a broken fibula and tibia - spiral fractures.
it’s been straightened out by a&e on Thursday who were excellent. Kept in overnight with a plan to operate yesterday, which didn’t happen as they were rammed with other ice related limb injuries and being fit, healthy and not old, I’m “low priority”. (Which I kind of get, but won’t stay fit and healthy if I can’t move!). Going back next week for fracture clinic
I’m told I’ll either have a intermedullary nail or an external fixation/cage thingy. Both of which are putting the shits up me. Cage looks like quite the lifestyle choice. Getting a nail in the length of my tibia and the damage that will cause and having 2’ of steel in me for the rest of my life is also pretty scary.
I’ve broken bones before (all upper body) and it’s always been an official 6 weeks before being reasonably functional again, usually I’m doing stuff after 4. They’re quoting 6-9 MONTHS, which as someone who’s outside and doing stuff 6+ days a week has properly knocked me for 6.
I’m fit, motivated and NEED to be active. Even just crutching round the block. I do have access to some private medical insurance, but the last time I used them for hospital stuff, the NHS was faster and more caring.
I absolutely HAVE to get back to walking, then riding, then climbing and skiing. I’m NOT being chucked on the scrap heap, which was the attitude of one of the consultants I spoke to very briefly.
So experiences and advice please. Particularly about the nail -v- cage thing and anything I can do to speed the process up.
Thanks
All the best. Can't give any advice but I've had a taste of it this year or so like never before - I've had 3 'off the bike' crashes in 15 months. Last one was end October when I did my collarbone and tried to tear my lips off with the ground. Was hoping to be back on the bike after new year but they've told me to wait for another x-ray at the end of jan(the day before I go skiing) before I start using it for anything much. Strava tells me last year I rode only 60% of the distance I'd done the 5 years before.
It's tough. I've been adapting to what I could do - lots of long walks around the city, cultural stuff.
I do have access to some private medical insurance, but the last time I used them for hospital stuff, the NHS was faster and more caring.
By your own admission they've told you to piss off as you're not injured enough, and any operation in two weeks will involve breaking the healing bone again. Call your private health provider and see if you can get an emergency appointment. You also want the "how do I get back to activity quickest" conversation, not the "how do we get you stable and out of hospital quickly" viewpoint.
Didn't know that you could pin a fibula, maybe they'll just leave it floating? I wouldn't go for the cage unless it promised a substantial benefit in healing time given the infection risk. Though you may actually be able to shower with one on which you can't with a cast.
I had a spiral fracture of my tibia in 1997 so while useful, I would expect some of my story to be out-dated by now. The fibula was snapped as well, which the surgeon said was a good thing as they would have had to snap it to get everything aligned.
My break was lower shaft with a crack extending into the ankle. Surgeon ruled out a nail as there was a likelihood the whole thing would split, making it worse. Also an ex-fix was considered but rejected. So after a 24-hour "lets see what happens if we just put it in plaster" proved unsuccessful (my leg cramped or spasmed in the night and pulled the 2 bits across each other) he opted for an "in-plaster traction". That was a 100mm calcanial pin drilled and fitted across my heel bone, my knee bent at about 20 degrees, my leg stretched out gently to align the two ends and then the whole lot encased in an old-fashioned plaster from toe to groin.
Net result - success. Break in June '97, Surfing in Cornwall Feb 98, Windsurfing and Mountain Biking in Turkey July '98 Snowboarding Val Thorens Feb '99. Sent my surgeon a postcard from Val Thorens to say thank you! I'll add more in a bit.
@BigJohn, that sounds very very similar to what I’ve done, just a lot earlier. Thanks for sharing a positive outcome - it helps!
My partner had a similar if more displaced injury. She he also had to wait nearly five days for surgery as other emergencies took priority. Her first surgery was plating with screws of the tibia and the fibula left to heal. Long story short, she really struggled with pain and eventually it was declared a non union, she had revision surgery 18 months later with removal of the failed metal plates and a tibial nail( titanium not steel) which healed much more quickly and could weight bear much sooner so lost less muscle tone
TLDR: of the two options you have been given, her experience would suggest tibial nail might be more likely to succeed and recovery is much quicker as you will be weight bearing sooner
Happy to help!
Here’s part 2. I didn’t want to write it all in one go because I find with long posts they can sometimes disappear the moment I press send. Anyway, here goes.
Some tips:
Build a good relationship with your surgeon/consultant. They’re like mirrors, the more you want it, the more they want to get you there.
When set targets, make sure you achieve them, but not more than 110%. If it hurts, say so but don’t moan. Say “I don’t mind the pain but tell me how to stop before I cause damage”.
Keep the leg raised or you’ll get a DVT. Guess how I know. Find out the symptoms and shout if you get a dull pain at the back of the knee.
So, my experience.
I was in a big clunky plaster but hobbling around on crutches the next day. I went to work about 4 days after (office job) and had to navigate a tight narrow steep staircase. That was fine, sharpened me up for the trip to Marconi Chelmsford a week later where they have the last remaining Paternoster Lift. Those ones that don’t stop – you have to hop in and hop out, and don’t take too long about it!
The first plaster was on for six weeks. The pin stayed in as there was quite a gap between the two bits of bone (even though the leg stayed the original length and the foot was almost perfectly aligned so much as to make no difference). You have to wait for the new material to fill in and for it to go “gluey” as the surgeon called it. Absolutely NO weightbearing at this stage. Showering is no problem with a big rubble sack and some microporous tape. I used to put a strap around both knees in bed as it is easy to get a groin strain if they go off in different directions.
The second plaster was also toe to groin, but this time straighter and it was time to start putting weight on it. Bones don’t heal unless they’re made to work, but a spiral fracture will slip if it’s worked too hard. I went to the fracture clinic each 1 or 2 weeks (NHS, Stafford Hospital – yes the one with the “scandal”) and saw the same surgeon each time. We got on really well and he set targets – importantly how much weight to put through it. it might be 5kg today, 10kg in 1 week, 15kg in 2 weeks. (made up numbers, I can’t remember the actual ones). I used a bathroom scale. Bloody hell – I do remember how painful and scary the first one was. I also remember the initial feelings of all the blood rushing down to my foot every time I went from raised to standing.
In October the plaster came off. By then I’d been without crutches for a couple of weeks and was stomping around on it all the time. Where I worked was half a mile down the road and my Physio was about 500 metres from home. So I was walking most places.
My physio was mates with the surgeon. And that meant when he saw me out of his window when I went for my first tentative bike ride he phoned the surgeon and I got a call from him saying stop that at once till I tell you.
The main issue I had (apart from the DVT, which means that I still wear a knee length surgical stocking some days – but it is improving, 28 years on!) was that my ankle was fused solid through calcification. I had a lot of physio and did exercises every day to free it up. It still has less movement than the other one making calf stretches more difficult to do properly but it’s fine.
There’s a lot of nerve damage when that rogue blade of bone goes mashing about – think of prepping a leg of lamb with a paring knife – so expect your balance to be a bit compromised at first. A balance board is useful. My balance is a bit odd. On a bike I’m fine, pretty good in fact, same with windsurfing and I’m pretty nifty on the dancefloor, which makes my wingfoiling friends incredulous when I can’t stand up on a paddleboard. It doesn’t matter how flat the water is, how much like an aircraft carrier the board is, I just wobble a bit then walk off till it tips me in. Seemingly the reflexes take a long time to get to where they should be going. But this might not be all about the ankle. I’ve got a dodgy eye and had a pretty nasty spinal injury so don’t worry too much.
Anything else, just ask.
My wife did the same about 15 years ago. We got my work’s health insurance co (Aviva I think) involved immediately. Once the NHS hospital started playing silly buggers, which included leaving a snapped drill-bit in her leg, we let the ins co take over. The best of luck.
Good info, thank y'all - especially @BigJohn (again).
I'm of the type to push things, but understanding what's too far is definitely important and things like spiral fractures slipping if they're worked too hard is good knowledge. I've had that blood rushing to the foot thing a good few times already!
I WFH and our house is cellar + 3 floors, so I'm going to get very good at hopping up and down stairs. (typing this from the office PC on top floor).
Thinks like ankle calcification I need to build in to recovery plans - already well aware my quad/hipflexor are getting battered as I crutch around holding the heavy leg a bit up in front of me so the toes don't catch on the floor. Glute isn't getting worked and that will pull my dodgy back out that i normally counter with loads of stretching and gym, none of which i can currently do...
I'm told NGH in Sheffield are very good with bones, and if the staff in fractures are as "outdoors understanding" as the A&E guys and gals were (mostly runners), then hopefully it'll work out OK.
Been here. Had a Taylor cage fitted for ~4 months. It sucks. Keep on the strongest painkillers you can tolerate to start with (Tramadol in my case). After a month or so I was only taking them to sleep. Best way to sleep is two stacks of pillows with the frame in-between. Shower with a bin bag over the leg taped up. Managed to go without infections, but thats the most common complication. Usually easily sorted with antibiotics. Swimming at the sanitised hospital pool was the highlight of my weeks.
In my case, weight bearing was good and was able to put weight on it the same day after surgery (whilst on a morphine drip). Crutches for about 2 weeks. Towards the end i was doing 6 mile walks in the frame. Can't drive obviously due to the bulk/insurance issues. Keep up with the physio. I lost alot of muscle and gained weight.
From breaking my leg, i was able to ride my road bike 5 months afterwards. Went to Morzine 7 months after breaking it. Had on/off pain in the pin sites for about a year after, and took a long time to return to running. Despite the above, would 100% recommend a frame if given the choice as there's less cutting into you (nerve damage risk), and no rods to go loose over time.
Painkillers: my surgeon was adamant that anti-inflammatories slowed bone healing so shouldn't be taken.
I also dosed up on calcium supplements although there was no evidence that it was useful.
I was 44 when it broke, so no spring chicken.
I’m staying well off the ibuprofen - aware of that issue. Paracetamol during the day, coedeine at night. 51 here so definitely not in my youth, but until 48 hours ago as fit and as strong as I’d ever been.
@enigmas do you mean the rod in the bone can come loose?? Another new fear unlocked!
Get as much physio as you can after. Mine was brilliant at mobilising muscles that hadn't moved for 6 weeks. My leg looked like a chicken leg.
I got down the pool every day with a float between legs, doggy paddle style. In the end I was beating swimmers just pushing out with legs.
On crutches at first 100m, after a month I was flying. Really built up my arms and chest.
To prevent dvt I took anticoagulant injections. I did them myself in the thigh.
Like you, soon as I was allowed home I just wanted to get back to normal. Wrote down everything physio said, lay with leg elevated, lots of upper body mobility.
Good luck, I was soooo bored.
No help at all but I broke mine when I was 9 on a school skiing trip (second day). Can't remember the details as it was a very long time ago I had a full length plaster on for something like 3 months and missed 2 months of school resulting in my failing to get up to the 'big' school.
As I said, no help, but I hope you recover well.
I haven't dpone the tib and fib as a pair but from many, too many, previous accidents I would very strongly talk to the private health surgeon. They may offer you options that the NHS won't even mention*. They may be willing to do longer and more complex surgery that will give better long term results. Even if you go with the NHS, finding out the full set of options will only cost the insurance excess and may bring big benefits in terms of procedures performed and possibly time to operations. It will probably be the same team doing the operation but you are more liklely to be operated on by the top guy rather than one of his juniors.
*My wife and neighbour had almost identical shoulder injuries at about the same time.
The only option my neibour was given was to cut a tendon in the shoulder which removed the pain but means she will never lift her arm above her shoulder again. She uses a ladder to hang out her washing.
We went private because of the delay in getting an NHS operation and thank goodness we did. We saw the same surgeon as my neighbour and he suggested an operation that relocated the tendon and basically pinned a bit of pipe in place so the tendon stayed where it should. Fully recovered in a couple of months. When asked informally and off the record why there was a different operations, and after much "each case is individual" he basically said that relocating the tendon is not available through the NHS because it is timeconsuiming and expensive compared to just cutting the tendon.
I had a tib fib compound fracture many years ago when I was 14 or 15.
External fixator which the cranked apart every few weeks to lengthen my leg to make up for bits they cut to get back to clean.
Went in a couple of days before Christmas and the consultant unscrewed it in his office at a check up before Easter. Biggest advantage is that you can still walk around on it pretty normally (after about a month for me) at which point I only used crutches in case of being bumped around in school corridors. Could do a few miles walking with the frame in. Really helped reduce muscle wastage and keep other joints moving normally.
Downsides would be the continuous cleaning of the pins, catching the frame on stuff and having to go back for your crutches when you forgot and left then behind.
Once out I ride my bike the next day and did Ten Tors walking challenge a month later. Did take a while before I could run a turn, straight lines only.
no experience with your injury or the cage thing, but plenty of experience of getting over major surgery.
and i think the key to this is a good mental attitude and keep positive all the time.
i had a ankle fusion which meant 12 weeks no load bearing on the joint so was on crutches all the time.
started slow, but was soon doing stairs on them and longer walks on them up to a couple of miles. and with being a big bloke this was a hell of a workout.
i was back on the bike with a aircast boot after 12 weeks, using 2 fold up walking sticks in my saddlebag for time off the bike.
had a hip replacement, and i was back on the turbo trainer after 10 days. used it in the garden to make it feel like i was proper riding outside. it kept my mind good which is number one in aiding recover.
got over being in AF and open heart surgery by being strict with my rehab and physio and moving my goalposts at bit. cant ride fast now, but can ride far, and regular.
you just have to keep your head strong and keep on going forward. bad times seem terrible, but they pass quickly with a mental attitude.
and i reckon a bloke who rides alot, and does a lot like you seem to do, you will get over this no problem.
good luck mate.
I broke my tib+fib+something on my ankle in late 2012 I think. Foot slipped from pedal, got stuck on a root but bike and rider continued on. Ouch!
The surgery was done on next day, doctor told me that 3rd attempt was successful and the end result is just about OK. Not something I wanted to hear but these days the ankle works well enough and I have about similar movement range in both ankles.
Posts above already have loads of info and tips but I’ll add some other things I found out. The swelling was quite bad and lasted way longer than the estimated 6weeks. My injury apparently required quite a bit of hardware on both sides of ankle - I could walk, ski and ride pretty well afterwards but wearing any boots with ankle support (XC skiing skate boots and hiking boots) was way too painful. All the hardware was removed after couple of years, there was handful of plates and screws and getting rid of those helped getting the ankle feel normal again.
Best of luck with your recovery.
Must ask how you did it ? I'm surprised (well not actually) you've been sent away without surgery - I assume it's plastered for now. Have you been given anti-coagulant injections - usually the norm for big breaks and limited mobility (had both for the two injuries below).
No direct experience of that injury, but have broken my spine (7 weeks in hospital and 7 months off work) and last year broke my pelvis and hip socket on ice - no replacement hip as it got missed for 6 weeks until I went back and insisted on a CT Scan from evidence from my physio.
As a keen cyclist an being fit you'll recover better, and will have a higher pain threshold than most - this was my downfall with the broken pelvis - they were like 'how have you managed these last 6 weeks' - the doctors were astounded as I had multiple fractures (and one massive one) - I laughed and said it hurt, but I'd been on holiday with a 3 hour flight each side, and back to work for 5 weeks....
Stick to your physio, try and keep moving.
I had the same spiral fracture Green laneing. Foot got stuck unde the bike while I rotated around my ankle. I had proper riding boots on which must have helped keep everything in place. No pain at all. Got up to lift the bike and promptly fell over again as I couldn't put any weight on it. In A&E they plastered the lower leg but only to hold everything in place.
Next morning was called for surgery. I thought they were just going to leave it in plaster. Consultant said they could but the likely result would be my leg would end up about an inche shorter than the other one. Opted for the surgery and they put a plate in rather than the cage or nail. May be worth asking about that option. Once out I had one of those inflateble boots. Which helped with not losing any muscle. Also after the first 2 or 3 weeks I could take it off for sleeping in bed. Stitches out after 2 weeks which meant I could bath and shower. I still have the plate in. This happened in 2015.
4 months off work. My advice, do the physio. I bought a balance board and used that a lot but even with the physio I still couldn't bend my ankle much. The thing that helped that the most was cyclying again. The act of pedaling helped get the movement back in my ankle. I was really nervous for the first few months riding though
Tib and fib due to spd non release in a crash in the Dyfi Enuro.
Nail and plate after waiting 5 days for the swelling to reduce.
5 months on crutches and slowly back on the bike. No physio
Aftera few months opted to remove the metalwork
No issues since
Just dont rush and follow the doctors advice try to eat clean etc.
I purchased a basic weights set bench to try and keep active and improve blood flow to bones etc.
If it’s Ashley Cole who’s doing the surgery for you at NGH then you’re in good hands. I know of him and know (through extended friends) him and his wife. Another close friend of mine did very similar by crashing his motorbike on a track at well over 100mph. His surgery was done in Wales but Ash also took a look at the plan I believe and said that an ex fix was the best long term solution. Yes it’s very limiting at the time but allows for the end result to be much more stable and predictable.
Thinking back to when I was recovering I found a very important thing to help remain positive was to only set targets for one or two weeks ahead. Then you can tell you're making progress. If you simply measure yourself against the long term aim then every week is a failure, which does nothing for your motivation and demeanour. And boy, will your loved ones suffer.
I'm not sure how helpful this is but you need to trust the process, and part of the discussion between you and the surgeon needs to be which option is going to give you the best functional outcome, bearing in mind that the medium-long term best outcome might be different to the short term. What day is fracture clinic?
Don't forget that metalwork can (usually) be removed, though this might have to be done privately as the NHS might not see it as a priority.
Must ask how you did it ? I'm surprised (well not actually) you've been sent away without surgery - I assume it's plastered for now. Have you been given anti-coagulant injections - usually the norm for big breaks and limited mobility (had both for the two injuries below).
Very low speed lie down (walking pace) 99/100 I would have expected to walk away from it. Landed on hip/elbow and they're not even bruised. Must have twisted somehow, maybe caught the bank with my toe and the fuse happened to be my shin.
Yes to plaster - mid thigh to toes, yes to anti-coagulents.
@tubloflard - so many of my peer group of Sheffield riders know ortho surgeons at NGH. It'll almost be a surprise if we don't have mutual acquantainces!
@ratherbeintonago - yep, 100% agreed. Its Wednesday.
hopefully if there is no/limited ligament damage it`ll be faster than the wifes recovery - she defo cant run or do anything thet involves twisting her ankle for at least 1yr. She snapped one bone and dislocated the other. her surgeon said the body can cope with ankle movement in one direction but when you add in teh rotation as well the joint just explodes. pretty grim. Hopefully you have no ankle diloction and 2 broken bones should heal better.
Do all the physio, and more, post surgery. be religious about it.
the plates/repair will hurt when you do stuff. even after its 'healed' - my wife is 8 months in and its still very stiff/painful in teh morning or after sitting still etc. or it it gets colder etc. or even if shes driving sometimes. xray wise its all 'healed' but overdoing it means the screws/plates move etc so it aches the next day. shes back rowing etc but walking distances is tough. she often has to sit for a tea whaile we do an extra bit. offroad she is super cautious but was never been that gung-ho to start with TBH.
Certainly ask the consultant/surgeon. My best outcome was not to insert rods into my back. The surgeon said 'I can operate now, but you might or might now walk tomorrow as you already know operations aren't always successful (from previous history) or you can stay still in bed for a few weeks and we'll keep reviewing.
I stayed in bed for 7 weeks. Recovery was hard, but I was at Llandegla 10 months on. Gentle off road after 4 months. I'm free of any metal work but missing half my L! (cheese wedge), but it means I can still touch my toes, and still ride my classic road bikes (arse up head down and long stems).
No advice from me, just wanted to send healing vibes.
Thanks Grant!!
Thinking back to when I was recovering I found a very important thing to help remain positive was to only set targets for one or two weeks ahead.
Feel for you OP.
In addition to Big John's positivity, maybe plan some enjoyable outings that give you something to look forward to each week. I had a tib plateau fracture 3 years ago, and was on crutches for a while. Getting driven to a pub for a pint, going to a car park on the downs with a view where i could watch the dogs chase a ball, sitting on a bench on the beach with a coffee listening to the waves, were all really great things to keep me grounded in the real world and enjoying being outside even if i couldn't really do what i was keen to do. But being out there meant I had the impetus to try and walk a bit further each time and helped in that early recovery/mobilisation.
Good luck!
Good luck for Wednesday and fingers crossed for a good outcome. Stating the obvious but if you don’t like what you hear make sure you ask questions and for an alternative opinion if that’s what you think is necessary. They’re a good team up there, I know people from ER to critical care ward nurses (thankfully only personally, never had to experience their services first hand) so I’m sure you’ll do great but if you do want me to ask anything of them please say.
They didn't do a lot - reinforced the cast a bit as it was getting a bit floppy, but we had a reasonably productive chat with the consultant (who certainly skis, seems to do a bit of mountaineery stuff too). The break is too low for a nail to work very well, and i don't really want them opening up my perfectly good knee for them to get it in, so an Ilizarov Frame it is.
Got a heavy pencil for an op tomorrow - subject to no-one else smashing themselves to bits and queue jumping me. Fingers crossed...
Good luck for tomorrow!
Fingers crossed all went well.
I bet this WFH saves companies an absolute fortune when people like us break stuff. I was straight back into work when I broke my pelvis (didn't know at the time), but even when diagnosed I was working from home. Literally no sick days for the injury (I'd gone on holiday immediately afterwards to Madera).
Ah, yes, sorry - forgot to update this.
Got dropped off Friday morning first thing and sat around doing nowt until midafternoon when I got hauled in. Lost about 4 hours, gained a couple of kg of very shiny metalwork and a whole bunch of perforations.
Kept in Friday and Saturday nights. Friday night and Saturday AM was fine, the nerve block started to wear off in the afternoon, at which point caning the morphine became my new hobby... First physio Sat afternoon to prove I could walk a bit on crutches went fine, although the 2" cannula in the back of my hand hurt as much as the leg did...
Sunday was all about trying to get me out of the place. The head nurse was a superstar - there was a list of hoops to hobble through before I could get discharged, only 1 doc on the ward (because weekend) and a lot of it was sequential, but he put the graft in to get me gone. NHS experience - again, the people, really ***ing ace.
Since then. Its been a bit hard work. Actually I'm doing OK - can "walk" round the house fine (left leg is making walking shapes but barely touching the ground), up and down stairs loads. I've got a little seated/upper body circuit I'm doing, and I've got sufficient work I can be doing to keep me entertained. The first few days I hadn't realised quite how fragile I would be from the op, but now the big problem is that I simply can't get comfortable in bed, so sleep is rubbish and that's starting to grind me down a bit.
The swelling has been pretty bad - starting to go down now, but still a mess, bruising on the underneath of my foot is another not painful but... low grade continual annoyance.
I have to say, not impressed with the private sector. I contacted the insurance co last Monday. The first available date for a consultation in Sheffield was 17th Feb... When I rang up to whinge, they sorted me one for 2nd Feb in Donny. I then had a call from this consultant's secretary to find out more about my spinal injury... Wait, what...?
So all hail the NHS, to be honeset...!
Hopefully if the weather clears up a bit over the weekend, I can get a hopple or 2 up and down the road a bit, just for some fresh air!
I bet this WFH saves companies an absolute fortune when people like us break stuff. I was straight back into work when I broke my pelvis (didn't know at the time), but even when diagnosed I was working from home. Literally no sick days for the injury (I'd gone on holiday immediately afterwards to Madera).
To be honest, I'm quite glad of this. I HATE being useless, so moping round the house with nothing to do would do me in mentally. I can't do site work at the moment (fortunate not much on at this time of the year anyway), but being able to keep on top of all the desk stuff keeps me sane and at least earns me a few brownie points with the company. I'm on a pretty long leash at the best of times, so being able to still demonstrate that even when I've been an idiot, I'm not taking the piss, has to be worth something.
Still blows goats that I'm not on the Eurostar on the way to the mountains to ski mind...
I was off work for 7 months when I did my spine, but that was pre WFH. Only occasional catchups from my line manager with home visits. I was itching to go back but the consultant wouldn't let me. All change now, WFH/VPN etc etc means no real need to be in the office, although I make sure I go in 3 days a week minimum. It was a blessing this time last year though. I'd have missed months of work again if we didn't do WFH.
I broke tib and fib in 1979 when I was 23. Mine was a sideways bend rather than spiral, I fell a short distance off a climb and caught my cramponed boot on something half way down, so the fib just snapped and the 5 cm of tib from the ankle up was in 30 bits. Apparently I was in the best place in the world for surgeons with experience in this injury (Chamonix) and they plated both bones internally with long screws into the bone. No cast, just dressings on the wounds. They did a good job, but unfortunately it became infected 10 days in, and I was shipped back home for treatment.
After a couple of weeks I was bored and managed to get a lift into work. A week later, walking round the office on crutches, an arched rubber mat caught my foot and down I went, resulting in a spiral facture of the same tib about half way up. So I was then in a cast, with window over the abscess from the osteomyelitis. The Registrar said the infection wouldn't clear up until the metalwork was out, but the Consultant refused to operate with the infection present. After about 3 months of that, the Consultant moved on and the Registrar was promoted and took the plates out, but I couldn't walk on it at that point. When they said I could put 1/3 of my weight on it, I checked the brake pedal force my car required for an emergency stop, and started driving.
Once the skin had healed, but still before full weight bearing, a useful exercise was walking in the shallow end of the swimming pool. The water supported half my weight and I could try to walk normally, which is much better for recovery than trying to put some weight on the leg and some on a crutch. Things improved and a year after the break I could walk in the mountains, although it took a bit longer before I could climb. About 18 months after the break I ran past the GP's house and up a local fell, on my return he asked where I'd been and said he was amazed, having seen the original X-Rays, that I could run at all.
Since then I've been climbing, skiing, paddling, biking, caving, etc, without much problem (and still am). I did have slight blip after 6 years when the infection re-occurred, requiring surgery to insert and later remove antibiotic beads. I've been told I'll get arthritis in the ankle when I'm old, but I'm 70 now and it hasn't happened yet.
So hang on in there, Jon, do the physio and look after the long term not just the short term, you'll have lots of life left once it's sorted.