I am seeking medical advice regarding broken ankles and the subsequent removal of internal plates and screws. I am considering having the plates and screws in my ankle removed and would love to hear from anyone who has gone through the same.

I broke my tibia and fibula in half in September 2008. I landed badly on my ankle while rock climbing and cleanly snapped both in half. The doctor inserted two plates and 8 screws, and the recovery has gone well. The bone has fully healed and I can walk, climb, bike, etc. without pain.

However, I still can't run. I was a collegiate runner and am only 26 yrs. old, so it's extremely important to me to return 100% to all of my former activities, especially running.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of injury and recovery? I would love to hear any stories about removal of hardware, and in particular if things improved after removal? How long was the recovery period?

Thanks for your help!