Coming back after fibula/ankle surgery...

So back on april 12 I snapped my fibula and dislocated my ankle playing basketball. I had surgery which included a plate and nine screws to fix. I had my second surgery on monday to remove a long screw that went through my fibula and tibia. I am currently in a walking boot and am able to walk pretty good on it. Doctor says 4-6 weeks before I can start running and jumping. Should I try and get back on a board this summer or should I lay off it for the summer and get it ready for next summer? For anyone else that has broken their leg, were you ever able to get back iding 100%? I'm so worried that when I actually get back on the water I will be so freaked out about re injuring my leg that I will ride like a sissy la la. Any advice on how to get over the mental part of it?

With an injury as serious as the one you have I would probably take this summer off. Just concentrate on your rehab and getting your leg back to as strong as it was if not stronger. Rushing back on a leg that isn't 100% yet could lead to a worse injury. I had pretty major shoulder surgery a couple years ago followed by a severely broken wrist on the same arm. Both times my doctor/surgeon told me it would take a full year for my body to fully recover. Take your time and rehab as hard as your body allows.

I'd write the summer off. I broke my ankle last year around this time of year. It sucks missing the summer but have to take the time to heal. Just progress from walking to more intense activities on land through therapy if they prescribe it or a good slow progression/strengthening if they don't for some reason.

I play a lot of volleyball and went back to playing (just back row to start) with a brace around Sep-Oct of that year or so, but it was another few months before I was totally confident on it again. I just took it slow and now, even though I can still feel it a little, I've got the same old confidence on it and it doesn't stop me from doing anything.

If you take it easy and the time to heal and build up the strength/confidence in it again I'm sure you'll be fine. Rushing back is what leads to it not healing fully or a quick re-injury.

I just went through something similar with my ankle, had a serious ankle surgery and spent the better part of the last 2 years sidelined...partially because i tried to come back too early and just ended up injuring myself again.

My advice would be to take your time and rehab as much as possible. When you do get back on the water spend some time waksurfing and wakeskating before you strap yourself in.

as for the mental part, it takes time. i do ride kinda ride like a sissy now but its fading fast . for first 3 weeks back on a wakeboad i just cruised around behind the boat... the good news is that confidence builds with everyday on the water!

yeah thanks for the advice guys. Looks like I will be designated boat driver this summer and rehab until next summer. This is my first major injury and it has been a huge bummer. I did the same exact thing to my leg that happened to Buster Posey (catcher for san fransisco giants) and he is going to be out for like 4-6 months so I guess I should expect to be sidelined for at least that long. Do you guys have any good rehab exercises that have been good for you?

give yourself an entire year to completely recover. and in that entire year, rehab like its your job and even eating right will put your body back into good physical shape. with a good diet, combined with adequate exercise, you'll be sure to make a full recovery. after you make a year, i suggest you slowly get back into it... but with a different approach. don't jump back into the same tricks.. maybe work on new stuff as you progress back into 100%. and by new stuff i mean, riding switch, doing one wake switch tricks, backside spins, adding grabs to existing tricks, cleaning up your riding, etc. you can still progress while you are still recovering.

i am almost at a year from my second knee surgery. i've been doing just fine. going wake to wake, learning blind 180s. i am going to give it till the latter part of the summer before i start learning inverts again. been focusing on rail riding and adding style to my tricks--poking, grabbing, etc.

there are so many aspects of wakeboarding you can focus on while still in the recovery stages of an injury. all the while, make sure you are rehabbing just as much, if not more, as you're riding.

Adam, thanks for the advice. I think that's a good idea to avoid the inverts and major spins when I get back. It will be fun to go back to the basics for a bit.

I had the same exact surgery. my toes were pointed 90 degrees to the right,it was gnarly looking. all i can say man is deffinatly stick with rehab and get your strength back in the leg. mine happend in july 2009 so i was out all summer/fall and i also decided to take off all winter and just really work it out and rehab. started riding back in spring of 2010 and is 100% i dont even notice its there or was ever broken. aside from a little soreness that comes with riding in general thats about it. so dont get depressed and frustrated dude just take it one day at a time and youll be 100% again. hope this helps. i know how it is i had to goto one of my good buddies who did the same thing snowboarding for advice and he helpd by keeping me positive.

biggest thing is keeping an optimistic mental perspective. you know you have to put in the time, and you know time is what's necessary to fully heal. we play big boy games so we face big boy penalties--injuries being the worst. you're better off staying positive and taking the appropriate (baby) steps to get back on the water. to pass the time, i read up on a lot of wake mags, watched videos, drove the boat, went to the gym and rehab, worked more hours at my job and just stacked cheddar. down time doesn't necessarily mean down time. just be sure to keep your chin up, where everyone wants it.

thanks for the encouraging words guys!

Man I broke my Fib/Tib on 06/27/10, just above my ankle! (on a wakeboard) I feel your pain! I had to have emergency surgery the next day, 7 screws and a 6 inch long plate on one side and what looked like two long drywall screws on the other. I have 37 nice staple scars and just enough plain to remind me everyday! 7 weeks on crutches then 6 weeks of therapy. I didn't let that stop me I was surfing again by mid sept. then I just had to take a couple of wakeboard sets in late sept. to say I did! We took a snow board trip this past winter, I was a little afraid but couldn't let it stop me of course the swelling was still pretty apparent at that time.

This year I was stoked to get back on a board thinking I wouldn't have that mental block, but I was wrong! I just could not get the nerve up to charge the wake again surface tricks and curving around was easy, but edging out hard looking back at that swell I was just terrified of another injury until 2 weeks ago that is! I finally got my nerve back, and started riding like I used to. So as far as I can tell you it just takes time, but it will come.