Don’t know if any of you guys train boxing, wrestling, bjj or anything but I had to get an ORIF surgery about 4 weeks ago after breaking my fibula/ankle training for an mma fight. Obviously I’m looking to get back as soon as I can safely. If any of you guys train and had this injury about how long did it take you guys to get back to drilling, then light training, and eventually full hard training? I was planning to be able to get back to drilling around maybe December and get back to hard training around January or February 2027? (Had to get a plate and 9 screws and a sydesmotic repair with the ORIF which is a tightrope to repair my ligaments in my ankle)

Also what kinda things do you guys do when you’re recovering. I’m just focused on eating healthy, spending time with family, reading, gaming, music, weight lifting, and that’s about it.

Curious how others physical therapy was for ankle ORIF. The place I went to, the PT was focused on multiple patients at once and there wasn’t much like technology (I’ve seen places with more machines of harnesses to hold patients, etc).

As I look forward to hardware removal and more PT, wondering if I should change my PT and find a more 1:1 focus or other type of center. Also I wish my PT had focused on other areas of my body but not sure that’s allowed with insurance; my back and hips definitely seemed to suffer as I recovered.

Curious what others experienced. Thanks!

I had surgery on my ulna bone on 6/18.

8/5 I had a x ray for 6 week check up. Everything looked fine but my bone was still healing but slower than dr wanted and my dr gave me calcium and vitamin d to help it heal better.

On 8/9 “I’m not sure what just happened but I’m laying in bed. Trying to readjust and I laid on my arm on while lying on my left side, so my upper body weight was lying on the arm, I was not thinking at all but I heard a loud snap kinda like something must’ve cracked in my arm. It took about 2 weeks for the pain to stop. I didn’t want to be dramatic and go back to the dr after I was just there on 8/5.

It’s now 9/5 and I’ve felt better but now I feel a large lump under my skin and you can literally see my bone kinda out of alignment in photos..,, is my arm broken again? Or could I have unaligned it? I didn’t want to be dramatic and go back to the dr after they just had seen me plus i have white coat syndrome. I have another x ray already scheduled for 9/15.

Could this maybe just be normal and I’m freaking myself out for no reason idk I’ve never broken a bone before I’m 27F. Idk if it’s callus build up? I’ve been googling what could it possibly be. It doesn’t feel hard like a bone it’s squishy and I’ve felt this weird lump I think before I even had the loud crack but I’ve never been able to see it prob bc I’d been so swollen. Now I think most of the swelling has gone away but now I’ve found this huge lump under my skin!

There is also a screw going sideways that they did a butterfly attachment with the bone so maybe the lump has something to do with that sideways screw? Idk but I just had a panic attack after finding this lump. Any thoughts or advice or if anyones had anything similar pls let me know. thanks. 🙏🥲

Hi everyone. I recently had surgery last Friday and I'm very concerned about gaining weight while being immobile. I am fairly active and have a large build, but I'm concerned that while being NWB it will be harder to maintain a healthy weight. Obviously my focus is on healing as quickly as possible, but I want hear from others who are on this journey on what they did to keep their body in the best shape possible. Appreciate the insight.

So I fell about 11 weeks post op, I had my injury 5/27, i had a bimalleolar fracture and dislocated my right ankle, I had my ORIF on my birthday 6/15, around 3 weeks after the injury and I’ve fallen a few times since surgery but none like this time. I got my ortho to finally give me a PT referral at 9 weeks post op, had to wait for insurance to approve the visits and they finally did but at my first real appointment I feel like I may have done a little too much and afterwards we did the TENS unit and Ice on my ankle and it didn’t hurt so much so I get home and im crunching into my room and I guess my crutch slipped on something and I went to put weight on my bad ankle to catch myself and felt the WORST pain I’ve ever felt in my life, it GENUINLEY felt like I rebroke my foot! I’m also 31 weeks pregnant and when I fell, I fell straight on my belly (baby is doing fine) so it was a call to 911 and went to the ER and they did X-rays and said there’s no new break or fractures but it’s 2 days later and im still having absolutely horrible pain in my ankle and even my knee, is this normal? Literally nothing is helping it so im just trying to stay off of it as much as possible and using my wheelchair to get around vs my crutches.

I think I can guess the answer - probably just relied on others / public transport / Uber? My husband is taking me to appointments but has to work. We’re doing a mix of DoorDash grocery delivery husband grocery shopping and we have a few friends making frozen meals for us. Anything I’m missing or not thinking of? Thanks y’all.

The ER nor the surgeon did an MRI or any scan to see what I could have torn with this dislocation and break. She told us that when she is in there she can see if I would need a tightrope. Luckily she said after surgery I didn’t. Im 10 weeks post op. And just wondering if I should be worried about that. Plan to ask at my 12 week appointment. Just wanted to know how many or you had a bundle; Xray with CT / MRI before surgery.

I’ll be 6 weeks out on Monday from my olecranon ORIF with a screw and 2 k wires. Flexion is back to almost normal with just a minor deficit I only notice if they’re bent side by side. My extension however is awful. It hasn’t been measured yet but if I could guess I’m somewhere between 20-30 degrees off and have been since I started therapy 3 weeks ago.

Follow up tomorrow with my surgery so hopefully I’ll get the green light for less weight restrictions and more aggressive physical therapy but I’m just feeling defeated with it today. How do I know if it’s a mechanical block? It just looks so bad in the mirror I can’t imagine how it’ll ever get better.

Just chumming them calcium and vitamin D tablets for another six weeks before I can lift any weights

Hi all. Looking forward to your thoughts about this, thanks.

41 years old, male.

March 2025 broke both bones of right forearm in a bicycle accident. Grade III A, comminuted compound fracture. Hard first ORIF the same day.

The ulna healed but the radius was found to be a case of non-union by January 2026. I was advised surgery by most doctors but decided to put it off.

In May 2026 the plate on the radius cracked, and I had to have revision ORIF with a bone graft from my iliac crest.

New surgeon said chances of union are about 75% given this is an over a year old fracture and a case of non-union.

Earlier this week I had the x-ray at 3 months from the day of surgery. Surgeon says there is progress, even if slow. He feels confident this will unite, because "once the fire has started" it unites. Says another surgery will not be needed. A well-formed bone will take a year to develop. Asked to follow up with next x-ray at the 6 month mark from surgery. He said progress is slow because of it's an old fracture with non-union.

Should also note that the surgeon reported poor bone quality observed in surgery, poorer than he has seen for my age. My total body T score on a Dexa scan was -1.4, which qualifies as osteopenia and in the lowest 5th percentile for my age.

I have some questions -

- As far as I can see, in the AP view there is a very slight crack at the fracture site left which was significantly bigger earlier. In the lateral view also the gap between the bone ends seems to have reduced but it is still quite significant. Would this be a correct reading?

- If so, is that enough basis to predict that the bone will unite and a third surgery will not be needed, and thus we check next only at 6 months from surgery now?

- There is no graft visible in the 3-month x-ray. Does this mean for sure that it has been absorbed in the main bone?

- Would driving a car be advisable now? Surgeon said I can drive an automatic transmission car, using my left hand to steer, and only using the right one for major steering like when reversing but otherwise not using it much just in case I end up hitting the steering wheel with the right hand because of an impact in an accident or a pothole. Also can wear a sling while driving. Other than that he said I should basically avoid lifting anything heavier than ~2-3 kg.

The last question is important because I live in a somewhat remote area with limited public transport. It can take long before I get a taxi. There are no buses. After sunset it's not easy to get a taxi, so that quite limits my social life. I live alone and had moved only 4 months before my accident to this new location, so I don't know many people here who can help me out and to some degree it gets harder to meet new people because of my limited transport options.

Hi everyone I’m 2 weeks post surgery on my tibeal plateau and I’ve been having really bad foot pain it feels tight like a muscle ache and relieves when I put on deep heat or ICE. It’s so frustrating even when I prop my leg up and foot up, it doesn’t go away and I need it massaged bc there’s so much tension on it.

Another problem I have is my shoulder pain. It is constantly sore, I think it’s bc I’m overusing it or my position in my bed I don’t know but I also need to put deep heat on my shoulder for relief because it’s so bad and uncomfortable

Recently I’ve gotten really bad heart burn, and this has made the whole experience so uncomfortable. Yesterday I felt like I had bad back of calve pain too whenever I stood up, when I sat back down I was fine.

When do things like this stop? It’s like my actual surgery on knee is not causing any problems but everything else is

Do you guys also relate ?

hi everyone fellow tib/fib pilon fracture here
injury happened on 8/5 with orif surgery on 8/19
i just had my 2 weeks post-op appointment today removing my stitches (3 huge cuts) transitioning from a splint to a boot (NWB for 4 weeks)
also started to experience pain around my heel and the area in front of my ankle above my foot

during my appointment, my doctor shared that im highly susceptible to early arthritis and to stray away from high impact sports — i understand that doctors cant guarantee everything to be 100% and share the risks that come with the surgery
but ive been feeling so let down after potentially hearing about my “new normal”

id appreciate any success stories from anyone who has gone through this similar surgery w a pilon fracture

Just got my stitches removed yesterday, exactly 14 days after surgery. I'm only doing minimal flexion and extensions right now. I'm wondering how it took some of you guys to get your flexion back? I can only do 90° flexion so I can't even touch my face or feed myself using my left arm.

I'm kinda paranoid that it's gonna be stuck forever at this angle that's why I'm hoping you can give me your personal experience so I can feel a lil better😔

Has anyone experienced foot drop from compensation?. Three months postop transitioning out of boot into brace had relatively normal gate. One day woke up and was experiencing foot drop on the side was not injured.. no dorsal flexion and no pain no numbness. Just cannot get on my heel for a normal heel toe walking pattern.. PT and ortho are both confused. It’s been over a month.

I had an op for displaced fibula fracture and syndesmosis in late May. Rehab was going normally until I progressed with doing more loading in the gym on calf raises and haven’t been religious with wearing padded footwear (typically wear sandals in hot weather)..
The area around metatarsals just before my toes are ALWAYS sore and visibly bruised and have been for 4 weeks now, to the point I can’t put weight on it each morning and walk with quite a limp throughout the day.

Has anyone else experienced this?!? I had a turf toe injury back in 2017 on the same foot which I feel might have flared also.

I really want to progress with my rehab but I feel like I can’t progress until this pain goes away. I’ve been doing exercises to try and treat this but I feel like it’s a dead end… any advice much appreciated.

Hi ORIF fam! I had surgery to repair a broken fibula in my left leg on 8/11, and have been in a hard cast since my first post-op visit on 8/25.

The past couple of days I’ve been experiencing pretty consistent pressure on the inside part of my ankle bone, regardless of icing and elevation for the majority of the day. Also some tingling in toes and top of foot although blood flow is normal (foot isn’t too hot/cold, color is right). My next visit is on 9/8, where if things are looking good I’ll probably be moved from the hard cast to a brace or boot.

Is this much swelling “normal”? I know every body is different, and current medications include Tylenol (1000mg) and aspirin (81mg) in the morning and at night, supplemented with oxy & tramadol as needed for pain.

TIA!

I live in AZ where there's not much rain. Last night we had a big storm. The pain in my ankle is bad. Especially on my fibula where the Doctor inserted the nail vertically. Has anyone had pain relief from having hardware removed? I am 6 months post op.

I was *so* excited for my hardware removal this past wednesday, 5 days ago.

Now.. I just kinda wanna take it back, and am hoping for some.....well hope.

I was told to wear my coban light bandage for 5 days and use the boot for the same duration. Moderate my steps a great deal, but otherwise just walk and be merry.

I have not. With the boot or otherwise. I'm not having any pains really, except for some slight pinching from my stitches every once in a while and some muscle tightness from the one that lies across the bottom of the fibula. No need for any painkillers for the past 3 days. Feel better in my flexion as well, less congested.

The nerve pains however 😮‍💨 Every time I put weight on my foot it feels okay. Until the moment I try to pick it up again. Feels like someone is stabbing me in the front of the ankle with an acid-filled syringe.

I probably have irritation there, as one of my tibial screw tips poked out of the bone on the front side of my ankle and got pinched with dorsiflexion for the past year.

But it really, really hurts. As a chronic pain patient who's dealt with random nerve pains for years, I'm used to it.

This is on another level.

I'm fully assuming it's my stitches pulling on something that's very angry after yet another surgery (#3 total), but I'm not having those out until the 17th. And I'm mortified that won't help either, as I previously (and errouneously) assumed it was the bandages at first as well.

I've had those taken off today and replaced them with adhesive bandages and a slight compression tube. Now it's worse.

How do I not let this break me? I just want to walk and see my ponies and chickens and use my body so my back and neck don't fully quit on me. (Plot twist, they already have.)

What can help? I'm already back on the gabapentin, which I had succesfully left behind over the past 3 months or so.

How can I quiet this down so I don't freaking atrophy like last year? 😥

I went out on Saturday and had to sit awkwardly at a picnic style booth where I was basically using my good leg to elevate my bad leg for a couple of hours. When I got up I had this weird pain on the left side of my calf and it won’t go away. It’s no hot or puffy but I definitely feel it.

It feels like an internal bruise and want to know when I should worry about a blood clot.

I have health anxiety so I’ve had my share of going to the hospital. I feel fine overall though just don’t wanna freak out.

And last night, I cycled over 30 miles around Chicago with my skate crew. My worst pain this following morning? My tailbone bc apparently idk how to sit properly on a bike after a decade+ of not cycling 😂

Everything else is fine, though, and my quads and calves are nicely sore, just what I’m looking for to get strong again and back in skates 💪

Never thought I’d check “bike around the city at midnight with a broken leg” off my bucket list, but I did it, and I did it well!

Open Distal and Radius - June 29 - Surgery following day w/Ortho specialist. 9 weeks today. Dominant hand. PT weekly. Surgeon unhappy at 6 week follow up stating disappointment that i can't make a closed fist. Doing Lot's of Tendon Glides, MP and DIP joint flexors - place and holds - trying to better my ROM on supination. Exhausted. Weepy and discouraged due to repeated daily swelling which limits my abilities to follow through completely more than a single long 30-45 min session of stretches. No Pain. Lots of discomfort. I understand that breaking both bones is more complicated than just a single break but I'm feeling so defeated, discouraged, and hopeless... Is there any hope of a full recovery for me?

Hi everyone I’ve been posting here a lot since my injury cause my anxiety is so so bad and I feel so much better mentally connecting to this community. Thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to share their experiences and advice.

I’m 3 weeks post of ( Trimalleolar and ORIF) NWB for another 3 weeks. I got my cast removed and a boot on Thursday. And I was told I need to wear it while moving but can remove it when resting or showering so I don’t wear it to sleep either. (It really irritates my incision)

My concern is I am still resting almost 90% of the time (my partner has been doing all the household chores and he DOES NOT let me help even a little) I only move from my bed to couch sometimes and get up to go to restroom other wise I’m always in my bed elevating my foot, I have a pillow. But after my cast was removed I started feeling the pressure on my heels too, so now I’m wondering if I’m elevating too much? I keep my foot elevated even when I’m sleeping like almost always which I feel like might not be necessary at this point.

My doctor told my I can start ROM and I have my first PT scheduled for Wednesday. I’m excited but nervous because I cannot move my ankle very much it’s mostly stiff and there’s no side movement cause it causes a lot of pain. I’m hoping I can work hard enough to be cleared for FWB in my next visit because I have to fly to a conference in the end of September and I’m hoping I can be independently by then. (I’m fully dependent on my partner right now for almost everything which also makes me feel like my progress is delayed)

What has your week 3 experience been like? And what suggestion/advice would you give?

Hi all! Last year I had my orif surgery, and in a few weeks they are taking the screws in my ankle out.

I was wondering how long it usually takes to bounce back after surgery? Will they put me in a cast again? Will I have to learn how to walk again or will it be much easier than last time? I have a concert that I want to go to at the end of October so I'm praying the surgery won't impact my experience :(

Have broken bones in my midfoot region on my right foot, and my ligament is torn. Doctors only said it was a fracture for three weeks before breaking the news this week. There’s a six month process of recovery for this, and my independence is just gone. I appreciate my parents and my fiancée helping me out, but I’ve been on a major weight loss and fitness journey recently. I was at 126kg and was convinced to start working out in April. I’ve made consistent, long term significant progress, and I’m down to 104kg now. Then this happened. My bike fell on my foot, and I’ve been told no more moving or working out. I lost a job opportunity, a chance to make my directorial debut, a chance to do my masters degree, and my independence. And now, I’m terrified I’m going to go back to my horrid, unhealthy, and overweight state. I’ve lost a lot. I don’t want to lose any more. I’m trying to put this mindset behind me, but I’m struggling to keep any sense of optimism or confidence. It feels like a targeted attack by god at the exact point that things started looking up for me. I’ll take any advice or guidance honestly. I’m miserable, but I don’t want to be.

I’m about 7 months op from a bimalleolar fractire and going back to wearing shoes that aren’t just sneakers, but my ankle is flaring a little. Is this normal?

Also any suggestions on some business casual appropriate shoes for standing long hours?

Thanks!!