A tibia fracture can be one of the most gruesome injuries in all of sports. While most adults need surgery, children and adolescents can often be treated in a cast. In this Ask Dr. Geier video, I discuss the process of getting an athlete with a tibia fracture back to sports.
Anton in British Columbia asks:
I would like to know when I would be able to play badminton after I take my cast off. I fractured my tibia really close to my ankle, about a couple of cm from the joint. It was a spiral fracture and it was not displaced. It will be 8 weeks in about 5 days, and that is when the doctor thinks the cast can be taken off. But will I be able to play badminton on the day it is taken off?
Like many fractures, the bone usually needs to heal before full activity out of the cast or boot is allowed. Just because the patient can start putting full weight on it without immobilization, he often cannot return to unlimited activity, such as playing sports, right away. He usually follows a progression of walking in normal shoes, jogging, sport-specific activities, and finally, playing sports.
In this video, I discuss the progression from healing to return to sports for a tibia fracture.
Also read:
Tibia fractures: Questions about the injury, treatment and recovery
Are athletes likely to return to sports after tibia fractures?
Recommended Products and Resources
Click here to go to Dr. David Geier’s Amazon Influencer store!
Due to a large number of questions I have received over the years asking about products for health, injuries, performance, and other areas of sports, exercise, work and life, I have created an Amazon Influencer page. While this information and these products are not intended to treat any specific injury or illness you have, they are products I use personally, have used or have tried, or I have recommended to others. THE SITE MAY OFFER HEALTH, FITNESS, NUTRITIONAL AND OTHER SUCH INFORMATION, BUT SUCH INFORMATION IS DESIGNED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE CONTENT DOES NOT AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONVEY MEDICAL ADVICE AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. THE SITE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTIONS OR INACTION ON A USER’S PART BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT IS PRESENTED ON THE SITE. Please note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
