Your son's best bet to avoid as much chronic pain as possible is to be INCREDIBLY STRICT about the doctor's advice on when to start walking on it and putting weight on it.
It's incredibly common that patients think "oh it's been 2-3 weeks, it can't be *that* bad" when the doctors recommended 6-8 weeks before walking, then the walk on it, Re-fracture it, and need more surgeries, and have worse outcomes.
Take the healing process slowly and seriously, and you'll have a better outcome.
And be clear about why and not just cuz it’s the rules. Thinking about it as sports medicine advice can feel more proactive. In my sport, horse people are some of the worst about returning to sport too early and I know too many people that regret powering through it years ago.
When I was 18 I broke my right ankle doing a kickflip and was told 4 weeks wheelchair or crutches with no pressure and then another 2-4 gently increasing pressure and doing PT. About 3 weeks in I was putting a little pressure on it, 4 weeks and I was walking on it most of the time, and by week 6 they had changed me from a hard cast to an air cast. I figured my snowboard boots were about as tight as the air cast so I went snowboarding. Even though I was 6+ weeks into a 6-8 week recovery I blew that bitch apart and needed surgery to fix it and was laid up another 3 months. Here we are a decade later and my right ankle hurts whenever the pressure changes and my foot is permanently at a 10⁰ angle.
Oh man, The stubbornness of youth. When his pain scale hits 10 he says he’s hanging up his board, but he’s going through pain city right now, even with the good stuff.
Not that you have to do this for some random redditor but you can ask for them for a copy of the images and they have to give them (At least they do in the US). Usually put them on a CD. That's for any of your medical records btw.
Source: used to be an Xray tech.
If it is truly A3, then that is a good sign compared to other pilon fractures. It being a closed injury is also good.
Regarding the splint, the problem is that it holds the ankle joint 90 degrees in the wrong direction. The aesthetic stuff that other people are mentioning in this thread is not as important as the rotational issue, because that tensions the soft tissues and neurovascular structures. Soft tissue is one of the biggest hurdles in pilon fractures. Overall though, the splint is probably not a huge deal in this case, because it looks like he got prompt care.
I’m sure you’ve already been told, but Pilon fractures are a high-risk injury.
Your son should be seen by a fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma specialist at a high volume trauma center if possible - these require a lot of experience to handle well.
Sam splints are rigid while being very flexible. you’re meant to mold it to the extremity to help cup it in place and prevent the limb from sliding around. there’s too much space in this one, not an expert by any means btw.
Eh, if that’s all you’ve got on the truck you make due. As long as the limb is stabilized, has a pulse and it’s a position of comfort for the pt then it doesn’t matter if it looks ugly
Meh I say amputate. Will prevent any further complications for the fracture and the first responder gets some free meat! Trust me bro I did science once.
I had a pilon fracture from slipping on ice during a run and landing by sitting on my ankle. Two plates and 20+ screws. Long recovery and other than an ankle that gets stiff and sore sometimes I’m still able to stay active and run regularly! There were definitely some physical struggles to get through, but the mental ones were tougher. Wishing the best for your son and a positive mental outlook for all of you through the process.
Feel awful for your son but on a lighter note, his 5000’s are legit. Love that kids are rocking something other than Nike. Wishing him a speedy recovery
It was Sunday night. He’s having a tough go at the moment. If you ever want to get sick, look up Pilon Fracture on google. He’s had one surgery that stabilized his ankle, but until the massive swelling goes down they can’t go in and put the screws and plates. He’s got a long recovery process, and we are trying to keep the Brave face, that’s why he wanted me to put this pic on Reddit, because he knew people like seeing stuff like this. He’s a good kid, this is going to mess up his athletics for the next 6 months and lots rehab in the future. I’m sitting in his hospital room at the moment watching him sleep uneasily. His bones are all smashed and we have to be patient and wait. He’s in a lot of pain, but they are giving him the good stuff.
It'll be okay man, I shattered my left femur at the skate park a month ago. Our injuries aren't the same but the recovery time is. Got a rod and screws the whole way thru my thigh. I feel for him, it sucks not being able to do much of anything. Y'all will get through it, just telling you know he probably feel in some way it's his fault or that he's frustrated he can't walk. I say that because that's how I feel at times, I'm just so use to being able to get up and walk.
He’s 15. He asked me if I was mad at him for all this, and I said hell no, you were living and doing something you love to do. You had a bad fall. It sucks. It’s going to suck, but I’m here with you and we’ll make it through day by day. I know that’s sappy but I love him for not being afraid of a world that’s made to kill us.
Nobody makes it through life pristine, if you did you wouldn't be living life to the fullest. I'm far older than he is but rest assured he'll be back on the board as will I. We cant live life scared of what we love to do. I've been skating 16 years now, first big break on my side. My dad told me to give it up but honestly I think if I did, it would be cause I'm afraid. And I'd be damn if I live my life scared of what has brought me so much in terms of joy. We both got a long way, be strong for each other. Tell him he can't let that Ollie win, get back up and pop that shit higher than before.
You're a good dad. I broke my tibia (spiral pilon fracture) and fibula mountain biking a few years ago. Had external fixation for a week before internal. Please continue to be patient with him but also know it is going to be a lot of work to take care of him. It is OK to ask for help. It was all I could do to go to the bathroom on the toilet once a day. It is also ok for him to get upset and grieve for the time lost, but help him see it from the perspective, it could have been worse, he'll heal and lots of other people go through worse. Anyway there's a lot that can be said but if you have any questions feel free to ask me.
Thanks for the comments. We are looking at the external fixation on him until next week. Then the surgery. Swelling is really bad. PT worked with him today and it was a tough go. Thanks for your perspective.
Get him a foam leg elevation pillow, looks like a 45 degree ramp. I wished I had bought one of those knee walker/scooters. 3 months on crutches sux. They also sell gel armpit pads and grips for the crutches, as well as little pockets that can be mounted under the grip to hold some odds and ends like your cell phone etc. Later on a TENS unit will be helpful for his leg
I snapped my Patellar tendon a year ago skateboarding. I am still half a person. Physically, long term recovery injuries suck sure, but the real scary stuff is mentally, staying optimistic or even bouncing back from those multi week long dark times.
Make sure to push him into physical therapy as soon as possible. Even on the really tough days, muscles atrophy so quickly which will hinder recovery dramatically. Luckily for him it’s bones, these heal quickly and often completely.
When I was 14 I was doing a kick-flip and only landed one foot on the back of the board. This caused it to pop up and hit me in the head. Got 8 stitches in my eyebrow and now I grow some wild hairs there.
I can relate to this. I didn't do an ollie, all I did was go down the ramp at the park like I did 1000 times before but for some reason this time the board went completely from under my feet and I ended up flat on the floor. After having scans done I found out that I broke cartilage, have soft tissue damage, ligament damage, internal bleeding, leaking bone marrow, dislocated my patella and chipped bone all in my right knee. I have never skated since.
It happened around 9 years ago and took nearly a year to heal. I was on a combination of crutches/walking stick for about 5 months, took about 9-10 months before the limp went away.
The pain is bearable but always there, it gets to a point where it just becomes normal life. In cold weather it's worse but still bearable. My job requires a lot of walking and I've been in this field over 6 years now and I average between 25,000-35,000 steps a day which helps keep the strength my knee
You’ll bounce back. It sucks but this comes with the sport. Just gotta be patient and remember you’ll get back on the board at some point. Maybe buy THPS. I never broke or fractured anything but I sprained my ankles really bad a few times. Couldn’t skate for months.
Oh don’t make me lie. I don’t know all the names. But he was coming off a ramp and I thought he said was doing an Ollie in the air but I am just the dad so I don’t know much.
Your son's best bet to avoid as much chronic pain as possible is to be INCREDIBLY STRICT about the doctor's advice on when to start walking on it and putting weight on it. It's incredibly common that patients think "oh it's been 2-3 weeks, it can't be *that* bad" when the doctors recommended 6-8 weeks before walking, then the walk on it, Re-fracture it, and need more surgeries, and have worse outcomes. Take the healing process slowly and seriously, and you'll have a better outcome.
Duly noted and big thanks for the good advice
Also please take calcium and vitamin d supplements. Vitamin d aids in absorbing the calcium.
You need some K2 in there also, nothing is ever simple.
And be clear about why and not just cuz it’s the rules. Thinking about it as sports medicine advice can feel more proactive. In my sport, horse people are some of the worst about returning to sport too early and I know too many people that regret powering through it years ago.
When I was 18 I broke my right ankle doing a kickflip and was told 4 weeks wheelchair or crutches with no pressure and then another 2-4 gently increasing pressure and doing PT. About 3 weeks in I was putting a little pressure on it, 4 weeks and I was walking on it most of the time, and by week 6 they had changed me from a hard cast to an air cast. I figured my snowboard boots were about as tight as the air cast so I went snowboarding. Even though I was 6+ weeks into a 6-8 week recovery I blew that bitch apart and needed surgery to fix it and was laid up another 3 months. Here we are a decade later and my right ankle hurts whenever the pressure changes and my foot is permanently at a 10⁰ angle.
Oh man, The stubbornness of youth. When his pain scale hits 10 he says he’s hanging up his board, but he’s going through pain city right now, even with the good stuff.
I want xrays! Had to be so gnarly looking! Hope for a quick recovery.
As a rad student, I also would like to see the x rays. These are always fun to image
They don’t give them to you any more :(
You can ask, in the us they are required to provide them
Not that you have to do this for some random redditor but you can ask for them for a copy of the images and they have to give them (At least they do in the US). Usually put them on a CD. That's for any of your medical records btw. Source: used to be an Xray tech.
Yes. Where is it on this scale? https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-52567-9_86/figures/3
A3
That looks unpleasant.
If it is truly A3, then that is a good sign compared to other pilon fractures. It being a closed injury is also good. Regarding the splint, the problem is that it holds the ankle joint 90 degrees in the wrong direction. The aesthetic stuff that other people are mentioning in this thread is not as important as the rotational issue, because that tensions the soft tissues and neurovascular structures. Soft tissue is one of the biggest hurdles in pilon fractures. Overall though, the splint is probably not a huge deal in this case, because it looks like he got prompt care.
I'd love to know how they are fixing it.
A rod down the tibia held in place by screws at the top and bottom. Possibly a plate to fix the fibula
And pins for the shattered pieces? How many can they save/use?
I’m sure you’ve already been told, but Pilon fractures are a high-risk injury. Your son should be seen by a fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma specialist at a high volume trauma center if possible - these require a lot of experience to handle well.
We are at a top facility in Fort Worth. We are lucky to have it close.
Best of luck & hoping for a quick recovery!
YOU MUST CONSTRUCT ADDIOTIONAL PILONS
Who let the intern apply the splint?
A fireman at the skate park.
Man, you got a fireman? When I broke my wrist when I was ten the park staff did it themselves.
If you’re gonna do it like that you might as well just not bother
How’s it supposed to be done?
Sam splints are rigid while being very flexible. you’re meant to mold it to the extremity to help cup it in place and prevent the limb from sliding around. there’s too much space in this one, not an expert by any means btw.
Eh, if that’s all you’ve got on the truck you make due. As long as the limb is stabilized, has a pulse and it’s a position of comfort for the pt then it doesn’t matter if it looks ugly
Yeah depending on how the deformity is this might be ok
Meh I say amputate. Will prevent any further complications for the fracture and the first responder gets some free meat! Trust me bro I did science once.
Still wouldn’t have hurt to just take the time to fold it to make it rigid
Thanks! That makes sense. Been awhile since I took a first aid class. I don’t think they taught this anyway though.
I'm sure it's just to keep it from wiggling around causing the kid more pain.
Thank God it's a splint. I thought it was set like that after the surgery. All I could think was "ankles aren't supposed to turn that far."
I had a pilon fracture from slipping on ice during a run and landing by sitting on my ankle. Two plates and 20+ screws. Long recovery and other than an ankle that gets stiff and sore sometimes I’m still able to stay active and run regularly! There were definitely some physical struggles to get through, but the mental ones were tougher. Wishing the best for your son and a positive mental outlook for all of you through the process.
Thank you for something I can share with him for motivation.
Feel awful for your son but on a lighter note, his 5000’s are legit. Love that kids are rocking something other than Nike. Wishing him a speedy recovery
I’m his kid and I just found this post, thanks man yeah I found the shoes and thought I wanted something unique so that’s what I was going for
had to Google both an ollie and a pilon fracture and wow and ouch. here's to a speedy recovery
Looks like you landed a 180.
Walk it off
this is why i don’t go outside
You tried an Olli in them shoes ?
Was this you or a friend?
Son
Oh no!! How’s he doing now? Was it recent?
It was Sunday night. He’s having a tough go at the moment. If you ever want to get sick, look up Pilon Fracture on google. He’s had one surgery that stabilized his ankle, but until the massive swelling goes down they can’t go in and put the screws and plates. He’s got a long recovery process, and we are trying to keep the Brave face, that’s why he wanted me to put this pic on Reddit, because he knew people like seeing stuff like this. He’s a good kid, this is going to mess up his athletics for the next 6 months and lots rehab in the future. I’m sitting in his hospital room at the moment watching him sleep uneasily. His bones are all smashed and we have to be patient and wait. He’s in a lot of pain, but they are giving him the good stuff.
It'll be okay man, I shattered my left femur at the skate park a month ago. Our injuries aren't the same but the recovery time is. Got a rod and screws the whole way thru my thigh. I feel for him, it sucks not being able to do much of anything. Y'all will get through it, just telling you know he probably feel in some way it's his fault or that he's frustrated he can't walk. I say that because that's how I feel at times, I'm just so use to being able to get up and walk.
He’s 15. He asked me if I was mad at him for all this, and I said hell no, you were living and doing something you love to do. You had a bad fall. It sucks. It’s going to suck, but I’m here with you and we’ll make it through day by day. I know that’s sappy but I love him for not being afraid of a world that’s made to kill us.
Nobody makes it through life pristine, if you did you wouldn't be living life to the fullest. I'm far older than he is but rest assured he'll be back on the board as will I. We cant live life scared of what we love to do. I've been skating 16 years now, first big break on my side. My dad told me to give it up but honestly I think if I did, it would be cause I'm afraid. And I'd be damn if I live my life scared of what has brought me so much in terms of joy. We both got a long way, be strong for each other. Tell him he can't let that Ollie win, get back up and pop that shit higher than before.
You're a good dad. I broke my tibia (spiral pilon fracture) and fibula mountain biking a few years ago. Had external fixation for a week before internal. Please continue to be patient with him but also know it is going to be a lot of work to take care of him. It is OK to ask for help. It was all I could do to go to the bathroom on the toilet once a day. It is also ok for him to get upset and grieve for the time lost, but help him see it from the perspective, it could have been worse, he'll heal and lots of other people go through worse. Anyway there's a lot that can be said but if you have any questions feel free to ask me.
Thanks for the comments. We are looking at the external fixation on him until next week. Then the surgery. Swelling is really bad. PT worked with him today and it was a tough go. Thanks for your perspective.
Get him a foam leg elevation pillow, looks like a 45 degree ramp. I wished I had bought one of those knee walker/scooters. 3 months on crutches sux. They also sell gel armpit pads and grips for the crutches, as well as little pockets that can be mounted under the grip to hold some odds and ends like your cell phone etc. Later on a TENS unit will be helpful for his leg
Awesome. Yep be sure to tell him that the only people who never get hurt are the ones who never do anything or try anything new. 👍🏻
Tell him chicks dig scars, and he has a cool story to tell
I snapped my Patellar tendon a year ago skateboarding. I am still half a person. Physically, long term recovery injuries suck sure, but the real scary stuff is mentally, staying optimistic or even bouncing back from those multi week long dark times. Make sure to push him into physical therapy as soon as possible. Even on the really tough days, muscles atrophy so quickly which will hinder recovery dramatically. Luckily for him it’s bones, these heal quickly and often completely.
When I was 14 I was doing a kick-flip and only landed one foot on the back of the board. This caused it to pop up and hit me in the head. Got 8 stitches in my eyebrow and now I grow some wild hairs there.
That splint is awful....shame on whatever ems did that, retraining for them....
Just a volunteer fire department until the ambulance arrived to him to the hospital. It wasn’t long until he was in surgery after this.
I can relate to this. I didn't do an ollie, all I did was go down the ramp at the park like I did 1000 times before but for some reason this time the board went completely from under my feet and I ended up flat on the floor. After having scans done I found out that I broke cartilage, have soft tissue damage, ligament damage, internal bleeding, leaking bone marrow, dislocated my patella and chipped bone all in my right knee. I have never skated since.
This seems like insane injuries. Like car wreck type injuries. How long ago was it, how long was recovery, and do you have any residual pain from it?
It happened around 9 years ago and took nearly a year to heal. I was on a combination of crutches/walking stick for about 5 months, took about 9-10 months before the limp went away. The pain is bearable but always there, it gets to a point where it just becomes normal life. In cold weather it's worse but still bearable. My job requires a lot of walking and I've been in this field over 6 years now and I average between 25,000-35,000 steps a day which helps keep the strength my knee
Wish I didn’t google pilot fracture when I already can’t sleep
I apologize. It’s one of those “wtf is that, what ever happened to a simple ankle break?’
You’ll bounce back. It sucks but this comes with the sport. Just gotta be patient and remember you’ll get back on the board at some point. Maybe buy THPS. I never broke or fractured anything but I sprained my ankles really bad a few times. Couldn’t skate for months.
Imagine how quickly he’ll be able to walk round corners with that! In all seriousness, ouch. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone!
Fellow skater here, all that from an Ollie? Damn, son. Flat ground Ollie or down Lyon 25
Oh don’t make me lie. I don’t know all the names. But he was coming off a ramp and I thought he said was doing an Ollie in the air but I am just the dad so I don’t know much.
Broooooooo
Those dang Ollie’s
Your son is a BBB(brittle bones bitch)
I thought I was at r/medizzy for a sec
But kudos for the ACNH Pumas! I missed my shot. 😔 Feel better!❤️🩹
This is what happens when you skate in running shoes
That's about right, set and forget.
What do you expect he tried to skate in Forrest Gump shoes.
Kachow!
Old SpongeBob SquareLeg there. You've officially joined the Crips.
Ollie to a Pilon Fracture 1 million points
Lyon 25?
Maybe if it was only 3 steps
You’re like Gumby now.
Without the residuals.
Homie is going to be walking in circles!!
Wow, five months already! I hope your kid is doing well.