15 replies to this topic

[diana lynn]

Last week I fell and broke my tibia and fibula. They call it a spiral breakage. Does anybody have any information on what I need to do to make sure that I don't make it worse for myself. The doctor did not want to put a cast on my leg because he said I needed to check it every day for sores. I am a t7 and I had never fallen before but I guess there always a first time.
Thanks for any advice.

[Tinbasher]

Hi Diana

Just in time for the holidays!

There are a couple of folks on here who have had a similar fracture and im sure they will be right along to help you.

There are options like removable casts and "ski boot" types of brace that you can remove regularly to check your skin.


Tin

[wheeliebear75]

Wow I would have thought that they would have at least given you some sort of splints that can be taken off while your legs are "stable" in bed.....to protect them from getting unset or re-hurt. I have never broken a leg bone since injured; just a dislocated left shoulder & a busted left foot.

But like Tin I'm sure one of the members who HAS done something like this will chime in with some pearls of wisdom as to what to do in this situation. All I can do is hope you heal quickly.

[A trophy guy]

I don't get it. You broke your leg and the doctors didn't do anything; they just basically said "get better and check for sores"?? So you have a broken leg with no sort of protective shell/casing of any kind to promote healing? You're just supposed to "wing it"?

[megatrig]

Not putting a cast on is definately the correct way to go regarding sores!!

As for how to "stabalise" a broken bone for 6 - 8 weeks I'm not sure of!

Don't you americans have spinal centers or a spinal consultant to be refered to???

Hope you get it sorted!!

[qbounce]

Seems weird to me too, but I haven't broken any bones before, either. Why would YOU have to check for sores, but an AB doesn't? I don't get it?

[Edinburgh Colin]

Well as one of the clumsy ones I guess I can give you a little advice.

I broke my right femur 1st July this year, compound fracture, 2 complete bits!

I was transferring down from my chair to the ground and my right calf caught on the downtube of my chair, all the rotation went through my thigh until it snapped with a loud bang!

On the x-ray I had a spiral fracture leading from the back of the lower knuckle joint round the bone and upwards round about 270 deg rotation before meeting fresh air where the bone snapped. Basically a spiral fracture but I went too far.

Anyhoo I was fixed by way of a 40cm titanium rod inserted up the inside of my thigh bone (after they had removed all the marrow) and pinned at the top and bottom. No cast or splints at all just some bandages to cover the surgical wounds, which were relatively small.

So the good bit for you.

I am soo grateful I did not have a cast as the atrophy, wasting, stiffness and loss of mobility would have been ruinous for me. I was fixed so things stayed in the right place relative to each other and as you describe yours as spiral fracture I also assume your bones are still intact and all pointing in the direction they were intended to.

Keep you weight off it at all costs, especially if your are transferring as the rotation involved in your lower leg as your foot is stationary and you move your bum with hurt if you are incomplete and will aggravate the break incomplete or otherwise. I would try and keep your leg up as much as possible to keep the swelling down and also keep as much range of motion as possible in your hip, knee and ankle with manual maneuvers and stretches.

I don't know what your healing capability is like but if you are good and can form bone well then you are looking at 8 to 12 weeks before you could class it as healed and if you stand on a stranding frame I'd stay away for at least 8 weeks.

I'm no doctor remember and everything I am writing here is based on my experience and you should seek proper medical advice. I would push hard for an evaluation x-ray every 4 weeks to track your progress.

Good Luck,

EC

[Trinity]

 qbounce, on 17 December 2011 - 08:13 PM, said:

Why would YOU have to check for sores, but an AB doesn't? I don't get it?

An AB would be able to feel pressure problems or skin breakdown and rubbing before they became an issue, also legs tend to swell after breaking them and plaster casts can become tight and cut off the circulation. It may not be noticed until too late in someone with abnormal sensation.


A removable cast is the way forward!

[StillFingers]

Indeed, listen to the lady she knows, thank you Trin...a removable/adjustable brace is the key; next step!

Here's the kind of brace I used...and my history, so sad

http://image.shutter...te-39150289.jpg

Back in 95, my right foot pedal/brace broke while transferring into bed, body fell to the right, I twisted to land on me shoulder; an old surfer's trick, my left leg/foot got caught in it's foot pedal...twist, ouch, near lost my lunch...9 inch spiral fracture of the left femur

No plaster cast did I have. After 4 pins, a bit of titainum; a rod from near knee to hip, some bio wire wrapped around the mess; the wires are gone now. The docs put a material, metal reinforced, brace on me leg; velcro straps adjusted tension and allowed the brace to be opened enough to check for sores, keep my leg clean. This brace had a ratchet/gear on each side of my knee and covered the length of my leg, ankle to top of thigh.

It's tough moving about with one leg pointing straight, kinda gets in the way; a lot...but transfers and such are still possible...five weeks after the break I was back to work part-time.

Healing n rehabing the leg took over a year, there were tons of follow-up xrays taken, stretching out my leg/knee was scary at first, thought it would break. It didn't, slowly all went back to "normal". It took three highly skilled ortho surgeons to put me back together. When in emergency, just after xrays were completed, I asked the doc if the break was bad, he showed me the xrays...bits everywhere, two halves of a femur, a twisty long break...he said he hadn't seen one like this before, but not to worry, they'd put me back together.

They did

PS. @ diana lynn, if you need/want to talk, get some support through this ordeal, message or email me, I'd be glad to help...Jerry.

Edited by StillFingers, 17 December 2011 - 10:34 PM.

[goose]

A few years ago my hubby and I were going on a trip and running late. He always picks me up and puts me in the passenger seat. Well, my right foot got caught in between the door jamb and he just kept pushing to get me in...big mistake!!! I had a spiral break right above my ankle. I was given a "walking boot" which wasn't very good since I could never tell if my leg or foot was in there correctly. I could take it off for showers but it always worried me doing transfers and putting it back on. Someone else had to do it for me. The boot looked like I had stolen it from Frankenstein and came up to my knee.

It took much longer than an AB to heal. It seemed like forever!!! It still bothers me at times now. I remember I stayed in bed with it elevated for several extra hours each day to help reduce the swelling.

Do you stay in contact with a spinal rehab? If so, I would check with them about how they would advise a spiral break. I think one of those clear leg splints would work better...at least it would keep it stable and you can see thru it to watch for sores.

Good luck!!

[diana lynn]

I want to thank everybody for their help and advice. I did get a boot and it helps. I will be going to the doctor on January 10,2012 for another xray to see how the bone is healing. If anybody else has any other advice on what to take or drink to make my healing process faster I would appreciate it. I do miss shopping more that walking.
Diana

[Edinburgh Colin]

Glad to hear you are making progress, good luck in getting over it in 2012.

[Millard]

 diana lynn, on 16 December 2011 - 09:55 PM, said:

Last week I fell and broke my tibia and fibula. They call it a spiral breakage. Does anybody have any information on what I need to do to make sure that I don't make it worse for myself. The doctor did not want to put a cast on my leg because he said I needed to check it every day for sores. I am a t7 and I had never fallen before but I guess there always a first time.
Thanks for any advice.

Hello Diana,

I fell and broke my left tibia and fibula. The tibia was broken about 3" above my ankle. The tibia was broken just below the knee. I was walking with an AFO at the time so my orthopaedic surgeon just had a plastic "clamshell" fitted over my AFO. He said if it would heal okay, there would be no need for surgery. It healed fine and never had a problem with it. The boot should work well for you.

Good luck.

[diana lynn]

O.K. now with my broken leg I now have a stage 2 pressure sore and a couple of stage 1. Does anyboby have any advice on how to handle this besides going to the doctor. What did anybody take or do to make it better? What is the best air mattress? Thanks Diana Lynn

[Trinity]

 diana lynn, on 27 December 2011 - 06:41 PM, said:

O.K. now with my broken leg I now have a stage 2 pressure sore and a couple of stage 1. Does anyboby have any advice on how to handle this besides going to the doctor. What did anybody take or do to make it better? What is the best air mattress? Thanks Diana Lynn

Where are your pressure sores?
The only way to deal with them is to stay off the area, not much help sorry!

[Millard]

 diana lynn, on 27 December 2011 - 06:41 PM, said:

O.K. now with my broken leg I now have a stage 2 pressure sore and a couple of stage 1. Does anyboby have any advice on how to handle this besides going to the doctor. What did anybody take or do to make it better? What is the best air mattress? Thanks Diana Lynn

The only thing I used on my pressure ulcers was Microcyn. You can run a search here for Microcyn and Vetericyn. The stuff works great and I never had any signs of infection.


Good luck.


P.S. Microcyn and Vetericyn are the same product but labeled differently.