A broken fibula will take you out of the game of volleyball in the short term, but the long-term prognosis for returning to your sport is likely to be good. Develop a plan for rehabilitating your broken fibula and returning to the court with the help of a health care provider.
Identification
The fibula is the smaller of the two bones of your lower leg. The other is the tibia, or shinbone. Fibula breaks and fractures are more common than tibia breaks. The most likely reason for a broken fibula in volleyball is being in the wrong place at the wrong time, according to ESPN. The force does not have to be tremendous to break a bone. Similar to breaking a stick, the bone simply has to be hit or twisted the right – or in this case wrong – way. A twisting motion creates a rotational force that breaks your fibula. Blunt trauma such as colliding with another player or pole is another possibility.
Treatment
The treatment method and time frame for a broken fibula depend on where the bone is broken, such as at your ankle or close to your knee. The preferred method is setting the bone, bracing it and allowing it to heal, though surgery sometimes is necessary, according to ESPN. It takes at least six weeks for a broken bone to heal, notes the American Academy of Orthopeadic Surgeons, or AAOS. If ligaments and tendons also are injured when you break your fibula, your time frame for recovery and rehabilitation will be longer. Most people are able to return to daily activity within four months, though you cannot return to playing volleyball quite so soon.
Prognosis
The prognosis for healing and being able to return to volleyball is good, according to ESPN. In fact, your healed fibula might be a little stronger than the bone on the other side because your body produces extra bone during the healing process. Rehabilitation is a necessary part of your recovery, notes AAOS. Your leg muscles likely will atrophy as you heal, which will make weight-bearing exercises during rehabilitation difficult at first. Follow your health care provider’s guidance while rehabilitating your leg. It’s important to avoid putting weight on your injured leg until your doctor tells you it’s OK, according to AAOS.
Considerations
Ankle injuries are the most common injuries among volleyball players, and ankle sprains are much more common in volleyball than broken ankle bones, according to a 1997 study published in “Sports Medicine.” The volleyball activity most commonly associated with ankle injuries is blocking. Orthotics and attention to technique in training can help prevent ankle injuries in volleyball, note study authors W.W. Briner Jr and L. Kacmar. A broken fibula is more common in football players and skiers than in volleyball players, notes ESPN.
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