Fractured lateral malleolus

[alophysio]

Hi Nige,

The session with the physio would be best because they can tell you what to do and how to do it better than any written advice can.

I would be a bit sus if they want you to go 3 times a week for 6 weeks or something. I think for an uncomplicated injury like yours, i would say 1 or 2 is all i spend on them with a phone call in a month's time to make sure all is well (and it usually is).

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[hedgeofthehog]

Cheers for that!
Had the cast off today and apart from it looking horrible...wasted, dry skin, bruised they reckoned it had healed well and I shouldnt have any problems with it. I can fully weightbear standing on both feet but walking will out of the question for some time I think. The fact of being totally NWB is going to slow me down more than the fracture. So am off to see the physio tomorrow for some exercises etc but was told it could be weeks and weeks before I am back to full normality and even then I may need a stick to help for maybe 6 weeks.

[Canuck Physio]

Cheers for that!
Had the cast off today and apart from it looking horrible...wasted, dry skin, bruised they reckoned it had healed well and I shouldnt have any problems with it. I can fully weightbear standing on both feet but walking will out of the question for some time I think. The fact of being totally NWB is going to slow me down more than the fracture. So am off to see the physio tomorrow for some exercises etc but was told it could be weeks and weeks before I am back to full normality and even then I may need a stick to help for maybe 6 weeks.

Hmmm... wasted (maximal muscle wasting occurs within 2 weeks of immobilization, this is not simply strength loss, this is muscular atrophy, loss of muscle protein, and is unrecoverable even with rehabilitation for a short period $ A long term strengthening and muscle hypertrophy program will be needed for this... BUT)

Considering you can not walk, you need to assess your ankle, knee mobility and stability. If you can not stand on one leg, big problem, I would highly recommend you progress the stability of that ankle else what will happen is limited mobilty, increased chance of reinjury (sprain - not necessarily fracture), and so much more. Why? Because almost always in cases like this people think no pain = full function. Far from the Truth, the deficits in my experience can remain for up to 6 months without appropriate rehabilitation.

Stick to the Physio programme, but also make sure that you cover the basis: joint mobility, strengthening, proprioceptive and balance work! gait retraining - GOOD LUCK