Forums >Health and Nutrition>broken fibula just below the knee
Sooo, about 6 weeks ago I had a bad fall which resulted in a bruise which a friend described as "Walt Disney puked on your knee!" Since then I've had constant pain. Not unbearable, but constant. Have gotten in the habit of using an ice pack almost every day to reduce swelling.
Fast forward to last week: finally got in to see an orthopedic doc (schnikies those peeps are in high demand!). X-ray revealed nothing, so he scheduled an MRI (the original diagnosis was torn meniscus).
Today: Good news! No torn meniscus. Bad news! Broken fibula just below the knee and a small edema around the break. The recommendation is a hinged brace for any activities other than walking and swimming; estimated healing time is at least 12 weeks. He doesn't think the break is severe enough to stop running or stop roller derby, but that I definitely need the brace or the break will worsen.
So onto the reason for this post.... anyone have any experience with or insights into an injury of this type?
not bad for mile 25
No advice, but wow, six weeks with all your activities on a broken fibula!
He doesn't think the break is severe enough to stop running or stop roller derby, but that I definitely need the brace or the break will worsen.
I got nothin' except pretty much any break of the fibula is gonna stop me from running. Or roller derby.
Anton broke his in the same place, but sounds like yours is less severe.
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I deal with fractures everyday and I must say over the past 7 years, I have never heard an orthopedic doc tell a patient they can run with a broken non healed bone - stress fracture or normal fracture. The only exception I have seen is for a stress fracture if an athlete has a state meet coming up and expectation of doing extremely well so they will let them run through it if athlete can take the pain tolerance. I am guessing this is a stress fx as it was not seen on x-rays. BUT, the fact that there is no callous seen around the stress fracture on x-rays means there is not much of a healing response.
I also find it weird that he wants you to wear a brace for protection but then allows you to run. It just does not add up to me.
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Yeah... I was surprised by the being able to run part too. It was just a quick phone call, still need to go in and review the MRI, etc. I do know that the cartilage, tendons, etc are all good, and that the break isn't displaced (nothing floating around in my knee).
Maybe because this isn't a "fresh" injury? (I've been active for weeks on it).
Something else, he recommended taking calcium supplements and to avoid any anti-inflammatory meds (like ibuprofen). Thoughts?
a proffesional second opinion maybe... not from amatuer internet quacks.
I guess I didn't really explain myself well... this is doc 2. Doc 1 looked at an xray, didn't see anything she found alarming, and said to just "rest." Well, taking a week off didn't reduce the pain at all. It was constant, and present even when I wasn't active.
So, I started shopping for doc 2 and was much pickier. Doc 2 came highly recommended from some trusted friends of mine in the roller derby and krav maga communities. And when I initially met him, he was so familiar with my sport that he was able to give good advice on what types of maneuvers and drills to avoid for now, and which ones to keep doing. He's the one who ordered the MRI. I trust him.
So, I'm not looking for a diagnosis. I guess I'm looking to relate to people who have had this type of injury and how it has affected their running and general activity levels. Given an expected healing time of around 12 weeks, any things in particular to watch out for? I'm expecting to be set back a bit in terms of volume and speed (I'm managing a very slow ~12 min mile average now and no more than 3 miles, 3 times a week), but does anyone have any other insights or advice?
Thank you for reading these posts, it is appreciated. :-)
If you run on it and there is no pain, then it is stable and asymptomatic. You may be clinically healed but not radiographically or MRI healed. If it hurts like heck to run on it, it is not healed. There is no other way to state it. I don't doubt that if it is a stress reaction or mild stress fracture that it is unlikely to open up to a complete fracture. That risk may be minimal. I just question why one would want to continue to run with this if no state meet, money or once in a lifetime goal race is involved.