The tibia and fibula are the lower leg bones between the knee and ankle. Your child has a fracture (crack or break) in these bones. The health care provider put a splint on your child's leg to treat the fracture. A splint is like a cast but doesn't go all the way around the leg. A splint helps fractures by holding the bones in place while they heal. Taking care of the splint and treating pain will help keep your child comfortable while the fracture heals.
Follow your health care provider's recommendations for:
- Caring for the splint
- Whether your child should bear any weight on the leg
- What activities to avoid (such as sports, gym class, and playground equipment)
- Whether they need to use crutches and how to use them correctly
- Going to an orthopedic specialist (a health care provider who specializes in bone care)
- When to follow up
For pain and swelling:
- Give any pain medicines as recommended by your health care provider. These may include prescription pain medicine, acetaminophen (Tylenol® or a store brand), or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand). Some prescription pain medicines also include acetaminophen or ibuprofen. To avoid giving too much, give the medicines exactly as your health care provider recommends. Don't give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months old.
- Help your child get their mind off the pain by:
- Doing something they enjoy, like reading a book or watching a show together
- Playing relaxing music
- Put ice in a plastic bag wrapped in a towel on the outside of the splint for 20 minutes every 3 hours. Don't put ice directly on the splint or skin.
- Prop up the leg on pillows or a chair when your child is sitting down or sleeping.
Daily splint care:
- Don't remove or change the position of the splint.
- Check the area around the splint every day. Make sure the skin isn't scratched, and the toes are not pale, blue, numb, or tingling. Remind your child to wiggle the toes several times a day.
- Make sure your child isn't picking at the lining of the splint or scratching under it.
- Don't put anything in the splint. Make sure your child doesn't put toys, food, or other objects into it.
- Keep dirt, sand, lotion, and powder away from the splint.
Keep the splint dry:
- No swimming.
- You can give younger children a sponge bath. For regular baths or showers, you can cover the splint with one of these:
- Two plastic bags sealed at the top with a rubber band (or tape)
- Plastic wrap covered with a plastic bag that is sealed at the top with a rubber band (or tape)
- A waterproof splint protector
- If the splint gets splashed, blow air into it from a hair dryer on the cool setting.
Problems to watch for:
- Itching: Tap lightly on the splint or use a hair dryer on the cool setting to blow air in and around the edges.
- Swelling: If the toes look puffy, have your child sit or lie down and prop the leg up on pillows for 1 hour. If the swelling doesn't get better, call your health care provider.
Will my child need a cast? Most children with a lower leg fracture will need a cast. Once the swelling goes down (usually within a few days to a week), the orthopedic specialist will likely change the splint to a cast.
How long does it take a leg fracture to heal? Healing time varies, but kids with lower-leg fractures usually need a cast, a splint, or a brace for 8–12 weeks. Your child will have one or more follow-up visits with the orthopedic specialist. During these visits, the specialist will check to make sure the leg is healing well. Once the orthopedic specialist removes the cast, kids usually need to wear a brace for a few weeks while walking.
When can my child return to sports? The orthopedic specialist will tell you when it's OK for your child to return to sports and other activities. This usually takes a few months.
