How long to heal a broken ankle?

How long does it take for a broken ankle to heal after surgery? Broken tibia and fibula.?

• I broke my tibia and fibula three weeks ago and had surgery on it two weeks ago. I had a metal plate and screws put in. But I don't know how many were put in there. I had a fiberglass splint on for the first ten days after my surgery and got a fiberglass cast on September 12th. I am scheduled to get it taken off on September 30th because my Orthopedic Surgeon wants me to get x-rays to see if the healing process is off to a good start. He told me that judging by how everything was going ten days after surgery, that I could go straight to a walking boot or an air cast depending on what the x-rays show. He also told me that there is a possibility that I could be in a fiberglass cast again after the x-rays for two weeks and not be able to bear weight on my injured ankle and then start weight bearing at the start of week three. I am a Junior in College and my injury happened the day before the beginning of the school year and I had to miss three weeks of school because of surgery recovery and horrible pain. Right now, there isn't much pain but itching is starting and it's soo annoying because it's on my incision sites and I do not want to scratch it! Anyway, I was told that I would be able to walk on October 28th. Is this true? If it is, I only have six weeks to go. Hopefully everything is coming along fine and I am able to walk a lot earlier!

• Answer:

  There are no concrete answers unfortunately. The time frame that your doctor is giving you is an average. If you were in good health before the surgery, and follow your doctor's instructions during recovery, you should recover within the time frame you have been given.