Fractured ankle

ToddlerIs2 · 2025-08-07T23:17:51+00:00

If you've had one, how long were you unable to weight bare? We go on holiday a fortnight on from the incident that led to the fracture and I'm wondering if iabu to think I'll be able to as mobile as normal - long days on our feet, walking or public transport given I've spent this weekargely on my bum! It doesn't look that bad (photo attached) to ones I've seen on Google images lol.

MrsMoastyToasty · 08/08/2025 00:22

About 6 weeks after fracturing the bottom of my tibia and fibula which caused my ankle to dislocate. I had the ankle pinned though and was in a surgical boot for about 3 months after the plaster came off.

TheSandgroper · 08/08/2025 04:50

Weight bearing is really rather different to “be able to support long days on my feet walking”.

After just two weeks, I would expect to be on crutches almost full time bar hobbling to the toilet. You could be in a lot of pain quite quickly which would ruin your day and one misstep and you would be back to square one. And also you invalidated your insurance policy because you won’t have treated a pre-existing condition properly.

The other thing to note is that if you don’t allow it to heal properly in the early days, you could be setting yourself up for further problems down the line.

Claymoreiron · 08/08/2025 04:53

I was in crutches for 6 weeks. 2 weeks is very optimistic.

BreakingBroken · 08/08/2025 05:07

get a knee scooter.
one leg plaster casted and non weight bearing, the other with a soft cast x1week. week 2, the plaster cast was off and i had moved to a soft cast on the more severely broken ankle.
i was very mobile for someone (with two broken ankles at once) and i certainly was somewhat mobile within the house: loading unloading both the dishwasher and washer/dryer but no stairs.
but the healing process meant i was napping mid day, going to bed early and still on some painkillers.
personally i was also being very careful with food choices (taking multivits to help promote healing, lots of protein, no alcohol etc.)

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 08/08/2025 05:07

I feel for you - similar happened to me and we had to cancel.

It depends on your break; Weber B that is not a spiral fracture should be able to have weight on it within a week or two, but will hurt. Mine was spiral and I had to be non-weight bearing for about 7 weeks. Getting around on crutches I found exhausting; you will struggle if you are expecting to be on your feet most days. Even 8-9 months after it happened, I have been on holiday walking 20-30k steps most days and it's swollen a little (although it's been good for it, obviously!).

Then again, I was on a flight next to a father and his DD and he had a broken ankle - I asked him how long ago he broke it and he said 'This morning' 😳 He was really fit (healthy I mean) and said he ran loads, and he got around on his crutches far more easily than fat and old me, so it's relative.

Original poster

ToddlerIs2 · 08/08/2025 13:58

Yeah I'm definitely on the fat old me side of that conversation Vs the young and trim lol.

Dammit. Husband thought I was optimistic. I ruined last year's holiday with my back as I've got some disc bulging that had a massive flare up after I neArly fellll out of bed and managed to stop myself. Spent the whole week basically being ferried round and not going very far as walking was crippling pain.

I'll look into a knee scooter. I did contemplate hiring an electric one for the week so we could get about at least. Even the mile walk to the beach is on a decent hill and is tiring after a day on the beach

OP posts:

DiscoBob · 08/08/2025 14:03

@ToddlerIs2 Sorry to hear you've had this happen.
Could I ask what you did initially after it happened? Did you go to A&E, then get an x-ray? Did they say you need a cast or boot?

My friend has what they think is a broken ankle. It looks a lot like yours but they haven't had it seen to yet. So any advice greatly appreciated And I wish you well x

BreakingBroken · 08/08/2025 14:11

It’s not only the boney ankle part it’s the ligaments and tendons that stretch and sometimes snap during the initial accident.
walking on sand/trying to stabilize yourself upright would be a nightmare.

Original poster

ToddlerIs2 · 08/08/2025 14:18

DiscoBob · 08/08/2025 14:03

@ToddlerIs2 Sorry to hear you've had this happen.
Could I ask what you did initially after it happened? Did you go to A&E, then get an x-ray? Did they say you need a cast or boot?

My friend has what they think is a broken ankle. It looks a lot like yours but they haven't had it seen to yet. So any advice greatly appreciated And I wish you well x

Called ambulance as I had no other way to get there, it came 9 hours later so in-between we'd iced it and rested it, I couldn't walk on it at all. At hospital it was X Rayed and they said closed fracture, here's a boot, here's some crutches, go to fracture clinic in 10 days (next available appt).

I'd say your friend needs to go to urgent care at least

OP posts:

Original poster

ToddlerIs2 · 08/08/2025 14:19

BreakingBroken · 08/08/2025 14:11

It’s not only the boney ankle part it’s the ligaments and tendons that stretch and sometimes snap during the initial accident.
walking on sand/trying to stabilize yourself upright would be a nightmare.

I'm accepting that I'm gonna have to plonk my butt on the first bit of sand we see. Which is gutting because I love being in the sea and I get 10 days a year in North Wales to placate me all year

OP posts:

Campingisnexttogodliness · 08/08/2025 14:23

Make sure you do allow it to heal properly.. I fractured mine on holiday .. First week. Carried in holidaying the second week.
Ignored it tbh! Twas hard.

A year later still swollen - fell down the stairs. Re fractured it in 2 different places. Xray showed floating bone fragments under the foot.. Grim. Still suffering 2.5 years after the original fractures...
Because basically I didn't sit on my arse when I should have.

DiscoBob · 08/08/2025 14:25

ToddlerIs2 · 08/08/2025 14:18

Called ambulance as I had no other way to get there, it came 9 hours later so in-between we'd iced it and rested it, I couldn't walk on it at all. At hospital it was X Rayed and they said closed fracture, here's a boot, here's some crutches, go to fracture clinic in 10 days (next available appt).

I'd say your friend needs to go to urgent care at least

Show quote history

Thank you so much. Yeah, GP said go to A&E. There's a minor injuries much nearer and less busy but it's connected to a different hospital much further away and horrible. So they'll probably be sent there from it.

I'm hoping they'll go today. I told them get an ambulance but they say they think they'll get told off as they don't really need one. They can't weight bear and are already disabled in that leg due to permanent nerve damage. So I'd say they do need one.

Hope you can enjoy your holiday, using a knee scooter or mobility scooter? X

tinytemper66 · 08/08/2025 14:27

I wasn’t able to weight bear when I broke my fibula/tibia as I couldn’t get upstairs on crutches. I had to non weight bear for 6 weeks. Very tiresome. I couldn’t go anywhere unaided or unsupervised for the six weeks.

ExtraOnions · 08/08/2025 14:36

I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks, with those massive wooden crutches. Everything was a faff, I was hot and knackered. I couldn’t carry anything, took to wearing trousers with very baggy pockets, so I could transport stuff.

Are you ok to fly ? And is your Insurance valid (unless you are staying in the UK of course)

Radiatorsa · 08/08/2025 14:42

Campingisnexttogodliness · 08/08/2025 14:23

Make sure you do allow it to heal properly.. I fractured mine on holiday .. First week. Carried in holidaying the second week.
Ignored it tbh! Twas hard.

A year later still swollen - fell down the stairs. Re fractured it in 2 different places. Xray showed floating bone fragments under the foot.. Grim. Still suffering 2.5 years after the original fractures...
Because basically I didn't sit on my arse when I should have.

Wise advice.

Honestly OP, ligaments are nearly worse than the break.
Do not rush this healing.
It will leave you screwed in the future.
It needs rest and elevation, above heart height so the blood drains and it rests.

I was 18 when I did this. Didn't rest enough. 20 years of problems later and now 40 years later I have to be very careful.

Mind it. Walking loads on that when its not healed will do additional damage.
Not worth it IMO.

Vivienne1000 · 08/08/2025 14:52

ToddlerIs2 · 08/08/2025 14:18

Called ambulance as I had no other way to get there, it came 9 hours later so in-between we'd iced it and rested it, I couldn't walk on it at all. At hospital it was X Rayed and they said closed fracture, here's a boot, here's some crutches, go to fracture clinic in 10 days (next available appt).

I'd say your friend needs to go to urgent care at least

Show quote history

Taxi?
you would have got there much quicker….

Original poster

ToddlerIs2 · 08/08/2025 14:53

Ok thank you everyone for the advice. I'm resting this week but I will continue to do so next week and be sensible on holiday. You're right in that it isn't worth making it longer and harder than needs be

OP posts:

weegiemum · 08/08/2025 15:31

When I broke/dislocated my ankle (was an open fracture) I was in plaster for 8 weeks, non weight bearing for 6, and then in a boot for 6 more weeks. I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything while in plaster. I had to sleep on the sofa bed and wash my hair in the kitchen sink as I couldn’t manage stairs.
Please be careful about doing too much, my brother did too much on a broken ankle and was in sin for months!