How long after a hairline tibia fracture will it be before my mom is ambulatory?

If she is a fall risk, make sure she does not need a higher level of care, like a skilled nursing facility, in order to prevent future falls. Nursing homes can put in place much more fall preventative measures to ensure she does not hurt herself again.

http://seniorjustice.com/ florida-nursing-home-abuse-attorneys/falls/

I agree with others who have said her motivation is key. Her commitment to physical therapy exercises, repeated on her own time, is very important. If she is overweight and prone to falls, she will soon break something else.

Please ask her doctor to clarify. Healing bones depend on many factors- if she has osteoporosis, her calcium level, weight bearing, size of the patient to name a few. Best of luck to your mom!

I have such a fracture. It never healed. Any accidental bang or bump, and it swells up and hurts like crazy all over again.

Doc says the only way to guarantee it will heal is to break it all the way, and set it.

Another fall, or even banging it, could set it all off again. Also..I am only 60. Your mom is less likely to heal than I am.

So many factors here--her mental state (desire to walk again) her overall health, the quickness of healing, her weight (heavier people will struggle a little more, IMHO) and her attitude. Having dementia, she may "forget" she needs a walker or whatever she's using. Also, she may easily forget the PT exercises...not to be a bummer, but the dementia adds another layer to the healing process.

There really is no answer here--6 weeks in a "normal healthy" person, but then if Mom is an AL, then she obviously has other health problems. There will be ongoing PT and hopefully she will be walking again in (a guesstimate) 8 weeks, and then very possibly with a cane or walker for stability. Was this break a result of a fall? If so, then she likely will need an aid for safe walking.

You should ask her Dr! They didn't tell you what to expect? I know with my mother, every fall of any severity set her back a couple of weeks, hip replacement put her in a wheelchair, then she graduated to using a walker, FT. Prior to the surgery she was walking with just a cane. Just one more indignity to getter older.

I wish you well--and hope she heals quickly and well.