Fibula Fracture

i had one about 2-4 inches up from the ankle. that's been over a couple years ago now. i still have some mild discomfort on occassion. i noticed it was worse starting back, but once i established my normal training again, it got better. going through the same thing with a femur fracture now. it's no fun. good luck.

Riding the bike can slow the healing process, be careful.

I had a full tibia/fibula fracture several years ago in the middle of my shin. It was probably a bit more severe than your injury, and it took me about 1.5 years to fully recover after 6 months in various casts. I remember having a bit of discomfort when returning to running and it subsided within weeks as I worked back into jogging, but I am NOT a doctor so you should talk with your physician. If you haven't already, I would find a good therapist who knows how to push a competitive athlete. My stride was severly messed up, and a therapist helped me correct the problems quickly. Good luck on a fast recovery.

I feel your pain. Just went through a fibula fracture this past summer and was told, like you were, that the fib is an unusual location for fractures. I think mine was caused by rolling over on the ankle of the opposite leg, and then favoring that side while training for the 2006 Boston Marathon - I'm not too bright about swollen ankles, so I train noramlly right through recovery. Over time, along with the higher plane of impact on my left foot due to the camber of most roads, I developed pain but still ran a half-marathon, the 110th Boston, a 10K, 2 5K's & a 7-miler in Litchfield, CT, before the pain got so bad that I quit running on July 4th and went in for the diagnosis. Funny thing, the fibula. Doctor said that it is non-essential for stability and surgeons will sometimes use sections of it for bone grafts and repairs, and leave it disconnected. However, as long as it remains tied into living tissue, it hurts like a MOTHER when its cracked and stressed. I recovered in 3 months, but still feel aching when my arthritic joints hurt from cold and damp weather. I think I have to learn to live with it. Incidentally, I was cleared for bicycling during recovery. Sorry this is so long, pain is a great lubricant for discussion.

Thanks for the reply. I started running today (am at 10 wks now) a few laps on the track and felt ok-- an odd sensation at the point of the fracture, but not pain. Is this normal?

I also fractured my tibula about 2 inches above my ankle. When I first started running again, there was pain. Try and find a soft EVEN surface to run on. It has been almost 4 years now and I still occasionally feel a little "something" there. Be smart, but a little sensation is prolly not something to worry about, just continue to ice.

Don't worry too much, Ouch. As I said in my first reply, it seems that when my sites of arthritic pain (knees) act up, I feel a little ache in my area of healing. A few months have passed since my return to running, and the whole area feels generally good & my confidence in that leg has returned. Don't know how old you are, but even at my vintage (51 YO), I think I've recovered pretty well.

Thanks. Actually, two weeks+ back and while I feel an occasional odd feeling in the region of the old injury, everything else feels like so much more crap that I forget about the fibula.