Ankle break recovery time?

[Mark L]

I had a bimalleolus fracture in my ankle on 12/4. Both breaks were clean and the bones did not displace, no surgery. I've been in a removable brace since then, though I'm walking around the house a lot without the brace without problems (as suggested by my ortho). I have good range of motion front to back (like pressing on the gas pedal) but have not attempted any rotation (again, under the direction of my ortho). I'm due to move to a less restrictive brace this week, I don't know how long I'll be in that.

So my questions is how long can I expect to be sidelined with this injury? I've never broken anything before, so I'm asking from a position of ignorance. I'm due to test at the end of March, a rigorous ordeal lasting most of the day. I'm healthy and reasonable fit for 48, is it naive to expect to withstand heavy use immediately after a 7-8 week healing time?

The most important thing to me is to get another 30+ years out of this ankle, not the test. But if it's healed, I want get back to it. I will of course listen to the MD, but I'd also like to have some others' experience or anecdotal evidence ...

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I had a bimalleolus fracture in my ankle on 12/4. Both breaks were clean and the bones did not displace, no surgery. I've been in a removable brace since then, though I'm walking around the house a lot without the brace without problems (as suggested by my ortho). I have good range of motion front to back (like pressing on the gas pedal) but have not attempted any rotation (again, under the direction of my ortho). I'm due to move to a less restrictive brace this week, I don't know how long I'll be in that.

So my questions is how long can I expect to be sidelined with this injury? I've never broken anything before, so I'm asking from a position of ignorance. I'm due to test at the end of March, a rigorous ordeal lasting most of the day. I'm healthy and reasonable fit for 48, is it naive to expect to withstand heavy use immediately after a 7-8 week healing time?

The most important thing to me is to get another 30+ years out of this ankle, not the test. But if it's healed, I want get back to it. I will of course listen to the MD, but I'd also like to have some others' experience or anecdotal evidence ...

I could not give you a time frame but definately follow your doctor's advice.

 

[Kacey]

I'm with Brian - talk to your doctor.

In addition, talk to your instructor. If you are otherwise ready to test, and there are certain things you cannot do due to your ankle, perhaps you can do other things instead - of similar difficulty, but not putting undue strain on the healing break.

 

[theletch1]

My oldest daughter was just sent home in late October from Air Force basic training for the same injury. They've told her that she can't attempt a return to training until March at the earliest. That's six months. Obviously, her recovery time will be quicker than that but it's gonna take that long to rehab all the tendons, ligaments and other little bits and pieces. Most bones will knit within six weeks without other, outside damage during the healing process. Do what's tolerated (within Drs orders), don't let it atrophy (within Drs orders) and keep the mindset that you have about getting another 30 years out of it.

If you're having training withdrawals you could always go to the dojo to simply watch and take notes. I've found that when I have an injury that precludes physical training that I'm able to pick up a lot of minor points in technique that I miss when doing it by simply watching others do the technique. Best of luck in your recovery.

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

So my questions is how long can I expect to be sidelined with this injury? I've never broken anything before, so I'm asking from a position of ignorance. I'm due to test at the end of March, a rigorous ordeal lasting most of the day. I'm healthy and reasonable fit for 48, is it naive to expect to withstand heavy use immediately after a 7-8 week healing time?

I broke my ankle 2 years ago. From what I remember it took about 3 months. I don't know if you will be able to do due heavy use in that time period. If you rush in from an injury such as a broken bone you could damage ligaments and all that fun stuff and have complications along the way because of not proper time to heal or method. Your doctor can help you with the right progress as well as common sense.
-Just someones experience from breaking 7 bones

 

[Phoenix44]

You have to ask not only if you can TEST in March, but if you can TRAIN in January and February. My guess is you will not be able to train as you'd want to for a test of this rigor. In my experience, it takes a minimum of 3 mos for healing, and longer if there is ligamentous injury.

 

[Mark L]

Thanks for the responses, folks!

I went to the ortho yesterday and got put into a fairly minimal splint, and got some basic range of motion/stengthening exercises (forward/backward/side-to-side with elastic resistance) to do for the next month, after which I'll likely be cleared to resume running, jumping, and contact activities. That'll give me about 7 weeks to train cardio and strengthen my right leg, all the while working the kempo stuff. That's simply not enough time to back to the requisite level, maybe next year ...

 

[Mark L]

So now I know the recovery time from a broken ankle is about 3.5 months. We had our annual BB test this past weekend, and I've been able to train for the past few weeks to get in a little conditioning (I didn't test, just played a thug and a critic). I can do all of the things I need to do in class, and tolerated running a few miles through the snowy woods (forms in the dojo would have been way to easy

).

 

[theletch1]

That's great news, Mark! Glad to see that you're back in the dojo and training. How's the ankle overall? No residual pain or stiffnes?

 

[Mark L]

It takes a few minutes in the morning to loosen up, range of motion is back to where it was. I'm mostly dealing with the loss of strength, my Achilles and gastroc on that side is a little sore from my first run. I can bang the bag hard with either foot, so impact and balance challenges have been met. I have no issues when grappling either, until some wise guy tries an ankle lock ...

I hope your daughters' recovery has gone as well as mine.