Lower limb Fractures

Dear Ask The Doctor: My friend was in a car accident recently and his leg was broken mid tibia/fibia. The bones are still partially attached. Can you tell me roughly what the healing time is for this injury? When would he be able to put some weight on it and when could he take off his cast? He's a 24 year old, fit and healthy male who was very active before the injury. His doctor hasn't been very helpful and he's considering finding a new one, but in the mean time, it would be nice to have some information. Thank you.

Dear Heidi: The healing time for most fractures of the lower limbs is approximately 3 months.  He would not be able to walk or remove the cast until the fractures have completely healed. In some instances, if the doctor thinks it safe, a special cast may be used which allows patients to walk with the cast in place. Based on your description of his fractures, he should make a full recovery in about 3 months.