Amex
Great article, well done. Best wishes for your recovery. Hope the leg isn't too ichy and swollen. Make sure you look after your hands on those crutches - last thing you want is sore hands. (I learnt the hard way by crutching around EuroDisney for about 10 hours ;-().

In the longer term, NHS policy seems to be to leave metalwork in to avoid further operations with the inherent risks. In some cases that might be best but don't just accept it as being best for you and your running or your work / play on the hill.

I broke my fib in March 2007 trotting down a hill to catch up with the kids. It had a plate and six screws plus a long screw going through three pieces of bone to hold them together. I got back to racing by September i.e. 6 months. However, I had a couple of cases of cellulitis that seem to be caused by the abrasion of the metalwork under the skin. I then got increasing problems with falling over when my ankle rotated outwards and one of the screws hit a tendon. After some pushing, phoning and emailing the consultant directly, I got to be re-assessed. They took the metalwork out in April 2008. I instantly felt more comfortable all the time - it had obviously been niggling. It took until August for the holes in the bone to fill with new bone growth and be safe for running on and a few months more before I felt able to push it. I'm now back to being able to hurtle downhill without worry.

All the best

Richard