What does your ortho say?

8 weeks is pretty standard in my experience. Longer if the nerve isn't great. Are you in a cast? If the foot is immobilized, you're going to see a lot of stiffness in your ankle. Even after they give you the go ahead to run, its going to take a while to get muscle balance back, let alone fitness. I wouldn't plan on doing an IM any time toon.

If you can, get to a good physical therapist as early as you can.

Lower extremity fractures generally take 6-8 of immobilization to heal. Most of your weight is through your tibia so you may be more on the 6 week end of it than the 8 week but in the end ask your ortho. By the way how have you managed to fall off a horse hundreds of times? Even more impressive is despite that you have not had multiple injuries. Are you breaking in new horses for a job? My daughter rode three times a week for four years with a pretty skittish horse that was sold to her because previous owner got thrown off of and I think I only saw her fall off once.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Long term prognosis is mostly a function of the surrounding soft tissue rather than the broken bone itself, unless the bone was so damaged it could not be properly restored. The cast helps the bone heal properly, but exacts a cost in terms of soft tissue function. So as soon as the bone allows, you need to get those tissues moving and working. But if you overdo it early on, you'll just set yourself back longer. I say all that as someone who recently did something similar to his arm in a bike accident...

I just ride horses for fun--its my first love. This was a stinker that made a quick right turn at a canter so physics threw me on the ground pretty quickly. Its disappointing that the ER didn't see a break right off the bat, but there is definitely one.

I'm in no cast, will be getting some sort of knee brace next week but thats it, stay on crutches is my only real restriction for now. I'm seeing him next week to get a full diagnosis after the MRI.

Thats what I'm afraid of, all my muscle breaking down. I was just starting to build back up to a two hour long ride and 11 miles of running, no way I'll be in shape after two months of nothing!

I broke a fibula, mine was about 2/3 of the way down towards the malleolus though, no nerve issues, just lots of bruising from the imoact that caused the fracture.

I was a week in crutches, then a few weeks with a cane. Back to my other sport/job in 5 weeks flat. Easiest broken bone I've ever had to heal up. Best of luck, listen to your body: but pain-free movement and physio as soon as you can handle it!

I had a bad break to my distal fibula.

ER took X-rays and saw the break. 2 days in temp cast until visit with ortho.

1 week in another temp cast for the swelling to go down.

Open Reduction Internal Fixation with a plate and 5 screws.

2 weeks of temp cast for swelling to go down.

6-8 (I don't remember exactly) in hard cast.

4-6 weeks in boot, non-weight bearing for the first couple.

I started swimming as soon as I was in the boot.

I was a solid 3 months before I could even run a couple miles slowly, nearly 6 before I felt like I was "training".

Fortunately it's a clean break, and all I'm going to get is a knee brace I believe. I asked about casting and was told no.

I've already decided I should bag St George. I wanted to go hike Zion abs not sure 4 months I'll be ready

I broke mine mid-leg. Horse accident also. The bone healed fine, but my soft tissue and muscle in my ankle area felt like jello for quite some time afterward. Running didn't "hurt" but my foot on that side was very weak and unstable. I also had some peroneal tendonitis afterward. Back then, I really didn't think about weights or functional training. I think that seeing a PT to do some targeted exercise to regain strength and flexibility would have sped up my recovery.

Lori G, Fl.