Fractured leg

[konaboy72]

Dr. Mark,

Just spiral fractured tibula and fractued fibula while wearing asterisk knee braces. Tibula was plated and fibula was left alone. After reading your opinions about knee braces I wish I never bought them. Oh well at least I did not break my femur!

What brand of boots do you recommend? I have tech 8's.

[DrMark]

I wear the Tech 10s

Post your X-ray. A spiral fracture is a twisting injury and not piece of equiptment can protect against that.

[konaboy72]

i did not bring my x rays home from the hopital. i have to get new ones on thursday and will post then. mahalo for the reply.

[neilking]

I fractured my right tib/fib also. The fibula is broken in half and was left that way, I was very surprised by this, as it is not even close to being lined up. The tibia had 2 breaks; one about 4" above the ankle and the other 2" below the knee. A rod was inserted through the tibia. Looking at the side view xray the top part of the tibia is not lined up very well. It doesn't look right to me.

I hope yours heals up nice and quick.

[DrMark]

post the X-rays

[neilking]

I've never posted pics before, hope this works.

[DrMark]

Its not perfect, but it should be ok.

[andrewj916]

Dr. Mark where can I find your opinion on knee braces and what kind of knee protection do you use if any. Do you currently use any neck braces and if so which one? Thank-you

[DrMark]

I wear the Leatt.

I have no opinion on knee braces to share with you. I hope you will participate in our study though. Perhaps I will be able to share something with you about knee braces next year.

[neilking]

Thanks for the quick replay. I's a relief to know that it should be ok. I was also concerned that this might cause a knee problem. So, it is standard proceedure to leave the fibula like this? Are there adverse affects?

Thanks,

Neil King

[DrMark]

The fibula is always the least of the problems. In fact, its never a problem at all.

[amnesia622]

Neilking: that is one hell of a break!!! Please how that one happened!

[neilking]

The fibula is always the least of the problems. In fact, its never a problem at all.

Dr. Sanders

Do you mean it's not a problem to fix, or not a problem to leave broken? The break at the top of the tibia seems to move when I raise my leg up in a horizontal position and then rest it on a pillow it moves again. Do you think I should go to physical therapy with the bone not being rigid? The DR. said it wasn't moving but he didn't even look at it. Am I seeing and feeling something else that makes the bone appear to move? I was hoping to be back riding by mid may, and back to work.

Amnesia,

I was climbing a hill with about a 4' step in the middle and a double step at the top, the first part about 2.5' high and the second part about 1.5' a tire length away. I didn't pick up quite enough momentum after the middle step and hung on the skid plate at the top. I put my feet down to pull the bike the rest of the way up. The back tire was spinning and suddenly kicked to the right, I heard a pop but didn't feel anything. I fell down I suppose because my leg was broken. I didn't realize it was broke til I got up and tried to stand on it and it buckled out at a sickening angle. I decided that the rock pile where I was at was a good place to lay down. Good thing I had my cell phone. The hill itself is hard to describe, I have climbed it several times before. This is on a trials bike.

[DrMark]

The fibula is not the issue at all. It always heals and it never causes any problems.

I am very unhappy to hear that the upper fracture is moving. That needs surgical attention now. I am not suprized after looking at the X-ray.

I would fix that tomorrow. PT comes after stable fixation.

[neilking]

Thanks, hopefully I can get them to fix it here. If not, is this something that can be taken care of as an out patient or is it going to require hospitalization?

I need to get this taken care of soon, I'm self employed and don't have time wait until I need a bone graft.

[DrMark]

I would fix that on the out patient basis, but I am not sure that you doc is an out of the box thinker.

[neilking]

He is young and knows everything already. When he realizes that he doesn't he will probably be on his way to becoming a pretty good doctor. Hopefully I can talk to him today. I have family in Rosenburg, how far away from there is the closest place you work?

[DrMark]

Rosenberg is 30 minutes from my clinic straight up 59

[neilking]

I guess he doesn't want to talk to me. Do I need to call Blue cross to tell them I need a redo on my leg, I guess you need to check it first? I'm wanting to proceed as soon as possible. Thanks,

Neil King

[DrMark]

Email the front and back of your insurance papers, points of contact, and date of birth to Yvonne at yjumawan@sandersclinic.net

I see the out of town patients the day of their surgery. I all ready saw the X-ray, and I know exactly what needs to be done.

We will get the work done next week. If you have BC/BS it will be next Thursday.

I will remove the upper two screws in the rod, put a plate and screws on the upper tibia holding it in an anatomic reduction, and then replace the upper two screws into the rod.

Actually its a pretty neat trick.

I will need to have your previous operative report from the initial surgeon so I know who was the manufacturer of the rod so I can get the right screw driver.

Doc