4 year old just out of full leg plaster - wont walk!

[Mayron]

My four year old DS has been in a full leg plaster for 5 weeks and coped brilliantly. All the result of landing awkwardly on a trampoline - greenstick fracture to tibia.

He had the cast removed yesterday but won't even contemplate walking, standing or supporting his body weight at all. Here's me thinking things would have gone back to normal!

He has been walking (with his cast on) for the last three weeks - no crutches - I'm a bit worried he may have strained a muscle as he complains his ankle is sore.

Anyone been in a similar situation? Should I just be patient and hope that he'll soon find the confidence? Was hoping he'd be back at nursery on Monday, but guessing not at this rate!

Not a medical person but my ds had his plaster taken off after 6 weeks last year and he said his arm felt "really weird" and he didn't use it for a day or so. He was scared to carry anything too heavy or even write for a while. He said it felt weak.

I think give him a while to get used to not having it on. He'll probably forget about it if you relax and concentrate on other things, iyswim.

Could you take him swimming? That's supposed to be good for getting the muscles back working. hth

you have to consider that whilst in plaster the muscles really weaken ever so quick...and also, the plaster will have felt like a protection, which now has gone...

Has your ds still got crutches....because that might give him more confidence, and he would develope the ability to wreight bear again over time...

Not that I am an expert or anything...

I am not surprised he won't try and walk. He is probably worried about any pain and whether his leg will work properly.

I would just encourage him surreptiously.

DD had an arm injury and it had to go in a pot when she wouldn't use it. After it came off she was reluctant to use it but we would notice odd little movements and she would use it more each day.

get him to put pressuer on his feet by pushing against your hands whilst lying or sitting down
it'll take him a while to get his confidence and want to put his trust in the wek muscles

My DS (3.6) broke his leg in February - spiral fracture of the tibia acquired whilst messing about with Daddy! He spent 4 weeks in a full cast and 4 in a half-leg one.
He charged around on the half-leg one - walking, running, scootering, etc. Most people didn't know he still had a cast on However when it was taken off he went back to shuffling around on his bottom and refusing to put weight on it at all. After a day or two we went out for the day and within minutes he wasn't sitting in the pushchair, he was pushing it!! He did walk with a very pronounced limp for a while and sometimes his leg was achey(!) but within 3-4 weeks you would never have known anything had ever been wrong.

Give your DS a bit of time, expect things to ache/hurt at times (his ankle has been in one position for 5 weeks so it will feel odd to move it) and find some distracting things to do. Soon you will be running to keep up again

Thanks for everyone's posts. Good to hear other peoples experiences. We're trying to encourage him slowly and he has tried to put his foot flat on the floor this morning. We're off swimming later - consultant said that would be good for him. He's desperate to ride his bike and play football - so he want's to get his leg working too!

Feetheart - my DS was just the same! With his leg in plaster he's played cricket, tennis, run (well hobbled!) around on the beach, been swimming. He adapated so well. Now it's back to bum shuffling and being carried everywhere. They said he was too young for crutches, so we got a wheelchair. He's had no nursery for last 5 weeks though -and he doesn't want to go back!