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Broken Leg Advice

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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
I broke my leg a couple of weeks ago in Tignes, skiing on the Glacier in the park. Apparently it's a common ski break, so I thought I would ask
a) If anyone had something similar happen
b) how it affected their skiing
c) Any tips for faster recovery
d) Positive vibes so that I get on the slopes ASAP!

So what happened?

Well Candide was in the park with coreupt, everyone was going massive and it was getting late in skiing day (lifts close at 1:30pm), I thought one more trick and I'll go home. I didn't set my rotation very well, went too fast and held the grab too long, and it was deep slushy snow on landing. My ski and foot went straight as my body twisted around it.
BANG - yes, it was like dynamite going off in my boot, thanks Tanner.

Got to the hospital, and they X-Rayed my leg whilst still in the boot. See below:
Click for larger image

I was operated on the next day, they gave me a ton of drugs and an epidural. I was pretty high, but awake through the entire procedure.

They hammered a metal pole through the middle of my Tibia, through the bone marrow and nailed it at both ends:

Click for larger image

So once they finished, they stapled me up and sent me packing 3 days later.
There is no cast, no bandage, just a couple of plasters covering the incisions, which have now healed so will come off tomorrow.

The Doc said today that this metal pin will stay in forever, provided I don't want to do anything too extreme. I don't know what he considers extreme, I want to do freestyle skiing again, has anyone else come back to freestyle from a similar injury? How long was your recovery?
Most importantly, will I be skiing by December, and will I be skiing in the park???!

Feel free to ask me any questions, I am stuck in bed most of the time, so gonna become an uber NS fiend.

POSITIVE VIBES PLEASE!!
Jul 23 2008 4:33PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Oh and this pic is pretty juicy, whilst I still had staples in!Click for larger image
Jul 23 2008 4:39PM
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RtC.
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 28
that'll teach you for all your Candide claiming man... Nah only kidding.
You also wear SPKs...
I can't help bro, but positive vibes being sent your way for a smooth healing process and I hope you're sweet for the winter.
All i can say is as soon as you can hit the gym and physio, do everything you possibly can and you'll be right as rain in no time.

+++++++++++++++++ vibes
Jul 23 2008 4:49PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Cheers dude! you're right, I was on a claim mission, the gutting thing is because I broke my leg, I missed out on the coreupt party that everyone went to, all the pros. Damn it.
Jul 23 2008 4:52PM
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RtC.
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 28
Also, i shattered my pelvis a couple of years ago, it was in 9pieces and i was in a state, punctured bladder internal bleeding and all that jazz. Not skiing related.
Anyway, that happened on the 1st February, I was in hospital until the 27th April. Where i was on crutches for the last 24days. After i left hospital I was told crutches for another month and then 3months of physio. i was bummed when they told me I wouldn't be skiing the following winter.

i basically got fucking angry, told all the medical staff they were useless and that i would show them wrong. i left the NHS and went to a private physio and was training hardcore, about 6hours a day. Water based stuff and a lot of ab work (they cut through my abs in surgery) and weight free leg work.

So yeah, i was skiing on the 17th June in NZ...

Sent a letter to the NHS basically telling them they were shit and attached a photo, and then some legal shit.

Basically what I am trying to say is don't let them dictate to you what's going to happen with your rehab, you work as hard as you can and you'll be up in no time.

Also, get the metal taken out, it is bad man, mine was giving me mad trouble while skiing so I've had it all removed this summer. Metal is bad news when it comes to rebreaks man.

Sorry for the length. I'm not trying to steal attention just encourage you to heal fast.

Peace
Jul 23 2008 5:01PM
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Armanzoid
Posts: 2453 - Karma: 26
I had the exact same break and have the exact same rod in my Tibia. I am surprised they made such a big insicison at your knee though, mine is like an inch long. I broke my Fiblua too though, having no solid bone in my shin as they pulled off my boot with no pain pills was a lovely experience. Regardless I am all good now and back at everything 100%. Take vitamins, mostly protien and calcium for your bones, you would be surprised but it really helps. Do ALL the rehab, it does wonders. I'd say to take those screws out eventually, cause they start to bother you. At least they bothered me, it was pretty easy to take them out though, I have the screws sitting in a cup on my desk :). I hope everything ends as well for you as it did for me.
Jul 23 2008 5:17PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
I have private medical insurance so i am gonna do all that shit and work hard to get super fit, also have the luxury of a pool so gonna do a load of swimming which is supposed to be super good for it.

As for the the boot taking off, my fib was broken too, only I had a high dose of morphine when they took my boot off. It was still the most painful part of the accident! I can't imagine what it would have been like for you...
I heard Vit D is a good thing to have too for bones? yeh I think I will get the metal out, I don't think my doc quite understands how dangerous freestyle skiing is, and it's mentally uncomfortable too, if that makes sense.

In a way, it's quite exciting getting fit again, I can plan my fitness and really work on it.
Jul 23 2008 5:24PM
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Armanzoid
Posts: 2453 - Karma: 26
Your bone will be able to handle skiing, you'll just see in the beginning it will feel funny. Like when its really cold, it will feel funny, I can't really describe it. Eventually you stop feeling it though, just don't freak when it happens cause I know you won't be as confident at the start. Just ski through it, and you'll be fine. I was scared at the start, but I kept skiing and I am fine now. Vit D is good too, anything with calcium is fine really.
Jul 23 2008 5:40PM
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BKlein
Posts: 1031 - Karma: 81
That sucks, but good luck
Im giving u Karma as a way of giving u positive vibes

btw tho, y did they give u staples and not stitches, arent the staples annoying
Jul 23 2008 5:42PM
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Hubsta
Posts: 1279 - Karma: 156
That sucks... As long as you broke it with style! Unlike my braking of my collarbone, I ran off a hill in the dark lol.

Anyway good luck man!
Jul 23 2008 5:49PM
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..jack
Posts: 424 - Karma: 897
I wouldnt worry about not being able to freestyle ski again, been telling a people about your mishap and after them grimacing at the thought of it, they mentioned someone they knew who had broke thier leg and got back to normal. It was fucking nasty seeing your leg bend tho...

Me" are you sure it's broken?"
You"not completely"
Me"check"
You "okay..........argggghhh!!!!"
Me "errrrrgh! thats disgusting"
You " lol.....btw sick triple cork 540 daffy you pulled just then!"
Me "thanks"

Hows the insurance stuff going thru? You goyour camera back?
Jul 23 2008 5:52PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
That was sick, plus your hand drag 3 over the knuckle of candide's kicker really showed him up. Yeh I remember double checking it was broken. that was painful!
Insurance is fine, and camera is being posted soon. All okay. x
Jul 23 2008 6:09PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Thanks for the Karma!
Staples weren't too bad, had them out today and it was quite easy, not too painful and very quick. I have had stitches before that were much more of an ass taxi.
Jul 23 2008 6:12PM
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sarahskis
Posts: 1587 - Karma: 41
wow man way to stick through it.  At least you went down with a good story! You'll get better soon enough.  For the meantime while you need something to do, take up crocheting and make hats = ]

or leg warmers for your one leg

Feel better, keep smiling, you're getting better every day = ]
Jul 23 2008 6:22PM
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Dan-Man
Posts: 7488 - Karma: 3,620
yep i had the same brake a few years ago but on both legs, i had the whole rod and everything. as far as advice, I'd go to your local vitamin shop and get some good calcium pills to help the healing and don't try to rehab till the bone is nicely healed like at least 2 months, and just relax enjoy the down time as crazy as that sounds it helps.

good luck on your recovery. when did they say you could get your rods out?
Jul 23 2008 6:50PM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Cheers for all the advice guys :-)
It's definitely on the mend, which is good. Does anyone know how long they had to recover after having the metal taken out of the middle of their bone?
x
Jul 24 2008 8:41AM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Anyone?

I'm thinking if this metal bends in my leg it would be pretty bad to get it out, so i might have it removed, but want to know if anyone has experienced this before?
Aug 1 2008 7:08AM
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itsmuhammed
Posts: 311 - Karma: 14
I broke my femur three day after i got back from momentum this summer and i was wondering the same thing will it effect my skiing.
Aug 1 2008 7:29AM
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RtC.
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 28
mine took about 3months to fully heal but i was able to weight bare sports after 6weeks
Aug 1 2008 11:30AM
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_steezefiend8
Posts: 659 - Karma: 271
nice spks. but that sucks. best wishes with quick healing.
Aug 1 2008 11:42AM
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C-Burg
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 130
good thing you didnt tear any ligaments because that would be a bitch on top of that
Aug 1 2008 11:43AM
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Shorton
Posts: 2889 - Karma: 13
nice spks, must have hurt loads when you had them taken off

good luck healing man
Aug 1 2008 12:23PM
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icon1234
Posts: 3081 - Karma: 1,475
Best of luck on the recovery.

+vibes!
Aug 1 2008 1:21PM
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Lake-Dog
Posts: 762 - Karma: 2,900
dude that sucks that your legs broken...
i just tore my miniscus so i am out for 6 months...
so i understand what you are going through
Aug 1 2008 2:50PM
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sick-as-aids
Posts: 3453 - Karma: 1,007
dude that bums. when i broke my leg, i snapt through the tib and fib inside the boot, they didnt x-ray me through the boot, they pulled my boot off first, no drugs or anything. most painful thing i have ever ever experienced. did they do that to you or did they cut your boot off?

But on the healing process, all i can say is dont rush it. i was in full cast for 14 weeks, from there, my leg was as skiny as a 2 year olds, hence, no muscle. it took me about a week to walk again and about 3 weeks to run again. From there, i pushed myself to hard, it was summer and i was competing in my summer sport. i came back to early and ended up tearing my archilis, just coz my muscles wernt ready for that kind of activty. so all il say is dont come back to hard befor you know its all sweet, otherwise itl just cause more trouble. But everyones different so all i can say is +vibes and best of luck
Aug 1 2008 5:46PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,451
i guess u wont need those spk's for a while mind if i borrow them? just kidding i actually wanted to buy them. oh and +++++ vibes injuries suck.
Aug 1 2008 6:53PM
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Jmanski
Posts: 1152 - Karma: 13
what type of break was it? i broke my leg in march at Alta so i might be able to give you some advice...
Aug 1 2008 7:42PM
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KarmaSkiier
Posts: 461 - Karma: 6

smooth healing bro

Aug 2 2008 12:37AM
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Oli_jgb
Posts: 985 - Karma: 95
Cool, that's all really good advice, not to push it too hard etc. I am gonna take skiing easy for a while, stick to the pistes and maybe airbag for a bit.

It's definitely healing though, I am off the pain killers now and doing a lot of swimming. The good thing about having the rod down the middle is that I don't have nearly as much muscle wastage because my leg looks kinda normal from the outside (not having a cast)

Yeh, taking the boot off was nasty, even though they did give me a load of morphine! Thanks for the props on the SPKs, kinda think I might sell them as they have bad luck now...ha, and next seasons SPKs look SO sick, all the coreupt guys had em on and I wanted a pair, ++++bling!

Thanks for the Vibes, they are defo working, so keep it coming!

Oh and anyone else is injured, +vibes back - I feel ya! x
Aug 2 2008 8:45AM
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sheephead
Posts: 93 - Karma: 339
I know what your going thru dude and it sucks! i broke my fib and tib when i was 17 and it was dirty! when i was out of cast though i was skiing next season mainly thru physio and gym work! also my physio recommended glucosamine which is a pill which helps healing joints! hope this helps and get well soon
Aug 3 2008 4:57PM
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Hovan
Posts: 664 - Karma: 30
dude as much as physio sucks, stick with it. I was almost paralyzed sophmore year in high school. I screwed up my neck super bad, I had to do physio for two years, but I can ski and do other activities now, and even if i cant go as hard as I used to i can do a lot better, so stick with it, dont give up man. psitive vibes, get better soon
Aug 3 2008 9:11PM
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3ski6guy0
Posts: 9201 - Karma: 132
all i can say is do as much physical therapy as you can and do what they tell you
Aug 3 2008 9:18PM
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