Topic: Had a broken foot or ankle? How long before you were riding again?

[Tugboat]

I broke my ankle and fibula in a spectacular play at home plate in October. Subsequent surgery gave me 14 screws and two titanium plates! I was hoping they'd given me some Adamantium claws like Wolverine, but no luck

Since the plates & screws were holding all of the bones together, I didn't require a traditional plaster/fiberglass cast and instead had to wear a boot for two months - and not allowed to put any pressure on it. Two weeks ago I was given the go-ahead to walk in the boot, and today is my first day walking without the boot (but still with one crutch). At least it's progress!

So I've been wondering about how long it's gonna be before I'm able to safely ride again. Of course it'll be after I'm able to walk (mostly) normally again; but has anyone else been in a similar situation? How long did it take for you to be able to get back on a bike?

[srook]

Wow.  I broke my ankle about 6 years ago.  Not nearly as bad as yours.  I did it in May.  It didn't feel 100% until the following spring.  It healed within a few months but I had pain that lingered for many months.  You can probably ride once the cast is off but it will give you some pain.
Scott

[Grnrngr]

I had two hairline fractures of the distal tibia as a result of my collision at 2am on July 5 '83, was in a cast for 6 weeks (no plates or screws since I was on "medi-cal" California's version of lo-income medical coverage at the time), was riding again in 4 weeks before the cast came off. Probably shouldn't have, but probably would have been OK if the 750 twin I had hadn't had "starting issues" and backfired early one morning and slammed the start lever into the bottom of my affected foot.  One of the few times I actually almost screamed in pain. Took at least 20 minutes before I could try it again and ended up late for work. Probably cracked open the previous 4 weeks of healing, but I didn't go in and have it re-xrayed. About 3 yrs later had to have surgery to remove calcium deposits that had "leaked" from the broken end and were messing with the tendons in my ankle/foot. Still hurts, especially when the weather changes, but...my cartilages were extremely compressed, to the point of nonexistence, even before the accident and yours look to be in good shape. Do what the doctors tell you, stay off it until they tell you it's OK, and don't be tryin to kick start any old funky motorcycles and you'll probably have a good recovery. But..don't be surprised if years later you have some residual pain to remind you that you were once a lot younger...

[flybox1]

about 5 years ago, i fell and snapped my medial malleolus clean off. walking. on a path.
im a dumbass.
a few months in a boot (no surgery or hardware needed) but it took another 3-4 months of PT to get my full range of motion, balance, and strength back.
I play competitive sports.
they wouldnt let me play again until i could hop, on that ankle 30 times w/o pain.
I dont think you need to go that far, but PT is the way to go. Range of motion is key.  its gonna hurt breaking up all that scar tissue....makes me cringe.
when you 'foot down' for stops, that will be the issue, unless you're careful each time to weight to the other side.   we dont want to be picking your bike off ya!
with a busted up foot, you may not be able to....

[Really?]

No clue on that one tugboat.  Planted my 400-4 on my foot and broke it in three places.  I was driving it in about a week, yes with the cast.  But then I was 14 too.

[lone*X]

As long as you keep the wheel side down there is little in the way of ankle stress to contend with while holding the bike upright or riding down the road.  I wouldn't want to use a center stand as you need to put more weight on it but the side stand takes nothing.  You do have a good pair of high top lace up (read snug ankle support) motorcycle boots right?  Only issue I can see is that even a minor mishap (like forgetting the side stand when you get off ) could mean another major surgery unless you are completely healed.  Do it right and ask the Doc when you can ride.  You only get one factory original set of legs in this lifetime so take care of them.  

[Terry in Australia]

I busted my left ankle playing volleyball when I was 27, went to hospital, had it XRayed, put in a cast, and I couldn't ride (tried, but the cast got in the way) for 3 months. Good thing was I had those crutches that are supported by your forearms, not your armpits, and all the crutching around really improved my upper body strength, particularly my forearms. Don't worry mate, by the time that summer comes around again on your side of the pond, you'll be ready to ride! Cheers, Terry.  

[Hondawggie]

I went off a jump on a Yamaha 100mx at age 14 and got hit right as I was going airborne by an mx'er coming UP  to the top of the hill I was leaping off.

Compound fracture of tibia and fibula (the 2 long, lower leg bones, the fibula's the big one, the tibia's the skinny one - I think).   Blood everywhere and leg bones a poppin' out the skin, just like in 'Deliverance' where Burt Reynolds' leg popped out, nasty for a 14 year old kid to see but I stayed awake.  The ahole who hit me (it was his fault, he wasn't supposed to ride UP to the top of a jump off point) he threw my riding shoe at me as I lay out on the ground, the shoe hit the bad leg, he says "here's your shoe" oh thanks, he was pissed about his bike when it was his fault.

I couldn't ride for 6 months and I stayed off a bike for 9 months because -- I thought if I had to emergency-like put my bad leg down on the ground for any reason it would be toast again.

Look at it this way -- err on the side of caution.   A broken bone will heal.  But it will break MUCH EASIER the next time at that break point.   If you get out on the road too early and a mishap occurs and you break it again what if it breaks at the exact same spot, now its getting real used to breaking there, chronically weak.  

That is a major crunch with all that metal being needed to keep your bits together!  A lot of pins for such a small area and at a pivot point too -- it would almost be better if the break was midway on your leg, not at a pivot point like that.  You *really* should let it heal and then some.

I would take 9 months off then do physical therapy and strength building for a couple-three months before you risk having to suddenly, instinctively support your bike with that foot as it slips out from under you in a corner due to oil/loose grave/wet metal sewer cover/whatever.

  I would ask your doctor "If I might have to put my foot down suddenly with a lot of weight, and I want to err on the side of caution for healing time,  and it's no hurry to get back riding I have a car -- would you say 3, 6 or 9 months doc?"  then do what he says.

Keeping in mind how he pays his own bills.

[754]

I have broken mine worse than that twice, and both times was riding with a cast..
 Started drag-racing while wearing a cast. Moved my shifter up to about 10 oclock, and had a H-D sized #$%*her peg on it, would shift by kicking back.. worked well..but put a hole in the cast. I was in plaster for a year that time, had to ride my bike once in while..
 Age does not help healing times...

[fastbroshi]

Screws?  WTF?  When are they gonna start using JB Weld?  Get with it people!

[Grnrngr]

heh...might surprise you how many times I've "sutured" with super glue...

[camelman]

Ouch, that looks like a tough break.  Lots of metal too!

Take it easy and don't rush it.  I am finally getting over my second round of surgery on a crushed ankle.  The first round was bad enough, but I was well on my way to recovery when another complication from the original break came to light.  The second round was much less invasive, but took an inordinate amount of time to recover from because I had to take time off recovering to let the second surgery heal, and really regressed.  So, even if it isn't bad, the additional "off time" can really hamper recovery.

FYI, I didn't have as much metal in my ankle.  Many of the pieces were too small to set, so my doctor just removed them.  I have a feeling I'm going to die a death of attrition.  ;-)

Camelman

[dave500]

tugboat has to change his name to iron man now,and use the xray as his avatar.