Comment by nsbk

I’m going through a very similar process after breaking my ankle in a motorcycle accident. Tibia and double fibula fracture with dislocation and open wound, an ugly one which needed 2 titanium plates and 18 screws.

I was out of my plaster after week 2 so that I could start moving the ankle, and started physical therapy on week 5. I'm currently on week 7 and have already started _walking_ with the "moon boot".

I can stand on the brokenish ankle with 90% of my weight on it. It's kind of scary to be doing all this to the ankle when the bone is still not fully fixed, but it improves the recovery time and final outcome. I will probably be out of the boot on week 10-12. I'm 10 degrees away from full dorsiflexion range, and apparently it will still take some time and effort to get to the full range, if at all.

Treatment for these kind of injuries have definitely come a long way, this is a massively different experience from breaking my ankle 20 years ago playing football in the US and being on a cast forever, plus dealing with ankle pain for a year after the injury as I didn't get any physical therapy

EDIT: some of the parts for the curious

- https://www.arthrex.com/foot-ankle/titanium-ankle-fracture-s...

- https://www.arthrex.com/products/AR-9943H-03?objectID=human....