Leg injuries: fractures, dislocations, strains, and more...

So, as I mentioned earlier, I’ve been dealing with this injury for about nine months now—one of my ligaments snapped—and honestly, things aren't looking great. My range of motion is incredibly limited; I can't even clear a jump higher than about 1.5 feet without issues. Plus, I have to be constantly mindful of how I land; if I accidentally strike my heel against the ground too hard, the pain is just excruciating. I went in for arthroscopic surgery ten days ago, but—to my frustration—it hasn't done a single thing to help. If I don't see some actual progress in the next month or two, I'm going to start hitting the gym with a hardcore daily routine—and if that fails? Well, I’ll likely be facing a major open ankle surgery.

What kind of exercises are you doing?
Inward and outward foot rotations—basically circular movements with the feet... up and down...
Is there anything else in your routine?

Honestly, those bodyweight exercises don't really get you anywhere... when I'm at the gym, I focus on driving my legs forward with everything I've got—jumping onto my toes as high as possible, really pushing those calf raises http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...CalfPress.html. Lately, I've been thinking about improvising something for balance and stability—maybe a circular board about 12 inches in diameter with a golf ball glued to the bottom? I’d spend at least 10 to 15 minutes a day on it. Of course, you could always just head over to Dick's Sporting Goods and buy a pre-made balance board for around $50
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northernhawk29 said:Honestly, those bodyweight exercises don't really get you anywhere... when I'm at the gym, I focus on driving my legs forward with everything I've got—jumping onto my toes as high as possible, really pushing those calf raises http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...CalfPress.html. Lately, I've been thinking about improvising something for balance and stability—maybe a circular board about 12 inches in diameter with a golf ball glued to the bottom? I’d spend at least 10 to 15 minutes a day on it. Of course, you could always just head over to Dick's Sporting Goods and buy a pre-made balance board for around $50
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That gym exercise is actually great. Personally, the jumping part feels a bit too intense for me—I feel like there's a higher risk of straining a ligament, since you can't fully control the landing when the movement is that fast.
I did quite a bit of work on a stabilizer, similar to what you described, during physical therapy sessions. It’s a pretty decent little tool...

Hey everyone,

I couldn't find an existing thread for this, so I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction... I ended up breaking my ankle, and now I'm stuck waiting a full month before I can even start physical therapy.

The main issue is that I've noticed the muscles in my leg are starting to atrophy—it feels like they're just giving out—so I'm looking for some advice on exercises specifically for the lower leg. There’s a catch, though: I'm strictly non-weight-bearing, meaning I can't stand on that leg or use it to push off at all.

Thanks so much,

Seriously though, don't go jumping into any exercises without checking in with an orthopedist or a physical therapist first...

Thanks, Brian Cruz2... I’ll probably be looking pretty scrawny by the time I actually make it to my therapy session.

Every girl out there wants those toned, slim legs... honestly, they'll look great once you get through the workouts.

Three weeks ago, I messed up my left ankle during a basketball game. Heard a distinct "pop" sound right at the moment of impact.
I could still move it, and the pain wasn't even that bad—certainly not on the day itself, though it flared up a bit the next morning. I figured nothing was broken and decided I didn't need to bother a doctor.
Fast forward three days: the swelling hadn't gone down, and I couldn't even put weight on it, let alone walk. I finally gave in and headed to the ER to get some imaging done.
They ran the tests, confirmed nothing was fractured, but they still put me in a splint and handed me this report:

Primary diagnosis: Ankle dislocation and sprain.
Tests: X-ray of the ankle; no signs of fracture.
Follow-up appointment in 7 days, morning.

I ended up taking the splint off after four days and skipped the follow-up entirely.
Spent the rest of the time resting, keeping the leg elevated, using a compression bandage, and applying Heparin gel three times a day, later switching to Deep Relief.
With an elastic wrap, I could manage slow walks around the apartment with minimal discomfort.

About two weeks post-injury, things were looking up. The swelling subsided significantly, and with firm compression from the wrap, I could walk much more naturally.
Today marks three weeks since the injury. With the ankle wrapped, I can walk normally. There’s almost no pain, except for some sharp twinges when I make sudden lateral movements.
The catch? If I push it too hard—walking too much or leaving the leg cramped in a sneaker all day—it swells up again by the time I get home and take my shoe off.
That swelling (visible on the outside of the ankle) doesn't last forever; if I elevate the leg and use cold compresses, it goes back down.
So, here’s the question: Is this normal? Will the swelling eventually stop happening?
I’ve read that recovery depends on getting back to walking and pushing the limits of discomfort as soon as possible, and that strict rest is actually discouraged at this stage...
But honestly, I'm worried I might be overdoing it and making things worse.

🤦 So, I jumped off a balcony. Instead of landing gracefully, I landed heavily on my left leg before the right one. Naturally, both ankles are hurting—especially the left one—along with my tailbone. My left ankle is swollen and bruised, though the pain is easing up and the swelling is going down. The right one barely hurts, even though I’m constantly hopping on it because of the left side. As for the tailbone, it aches whenever I lie on or sit on a hard surface, or if I move too suddenly. Could that just be from sleeping wrong? For the ankle, should I actually see a doctor, or just stick to ice packs, gel, bandages, and a compression sleeve? And do I need to get the tailbone checked out too? Thanks. ☕🙂

So, what was the final verdict? I ended up in the exact same boat about ten days ago—took a nasty spill and ended up with a sprained ankle and stretched ligaments. Now I’m stuck walking around in a walking boot, and despite constantly applying ice, the swelling hasn't budged an inch after ten days.
How long did your recovery actually take?

So, turns out I actually broke my leg. Well, more like a hairline fracture than a full break, but still. I’m finally out of the brace, though recovery is looking like at least another five weeks. I can't quite get full range of motion in my ankle yet—not sure if I pulled a ligament or something, but I'm assuming the doctor would have caught that if it were a major issue. 🤷

How have you been dealing with the swelling? Honestly, I feel like if I could just get rid of the inflammation, the whole recovery process would move a hell of a lot faster. :S I read somewhere that slathering on some red onion might help draw out the swelling, which sounds ridiculous, but hey, whatever works. xD I’ll try just about anything at this point, as long as it means I don't have to suffer through these sweltering summer days...

I know how you feel. It’s the worst. I tried using ice, bandages, and that cooling analgesic gel you can pick up at any CVS—it really helps. My swelling hasn't fully gone down yet, though.

Are you still just resting? Can you actually walk or get out and about at all? It’s honestly pathetic to mess up like this right in the middle of the season—absolutely brutal.

I fractured my fibula back on August 28th after wiping out on a scooter. It was a clean break without dislocation—everything stayed in place. I was stuck in a plaster cast until November 4th. Once they finally took it off, I started physical therapy: moving the foot in and out and doing some basic muscle contractions in the thigh. Right now, I’m still relying on crutches. I can't put any weight on the leg or even walk properly. The leg swells up sometimes, and both the ankle and knee remain swollen compared to my healthy leg. Any advice?

So, I ended up jumping over this playground fence this past Saturday and took a pretty nasty spill, and my foot's been killing me ever since... it's feeling a little better the last couple of days, but I can still tell I just can't go out and run properly because of the pain
Do you guys think this is something serious where I should probably head to the doctor, or will it just pass on its own if I wait it out?
Thanks in advance for any help...

Jerry Gonzalez11 said:So, I ended up jumping over this playground fence this past Saturday and took a pretty nasty spill, and my foot's been killing me ever since... it's feeling a little better the last couple of days, but I can still tell I just can't go out and run properly because of the pain
Do you guys think this is something serious where I should probably head to the doctor, or will it just pass on its own if I wait it out?
Thanks in advance for any help...

But honestly, how are we even supposed to tell if it's serious or not?

I took a hard hit to the shin. I can walk, but if I try to lift my leg, the pain is absolutely brutal. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to deal with this? Thanks in advance.

I've been training daily for about a year now—following a structured split where I rotate through chest, back, biceps, triceps, and so on. About a week ago, I started feeling this pain near my left elbow—I suspect it's the tendon connecting the triceps to the elbow. It was manageable while I was working, but now I can't even manage a single push-up; the moment I descend halfway, the pain just cuts right through. I've been icing the area five or six times a day to cope. Has anyone dealt with something similar? If you have, please let me know what the move is—I'm honestly worried that once I recover, I won't be able to handle my usual intensity again, which would be a total disaster, haha. Any advice on how to speed up the healing process would be greatly appreciated. 🙂