75-Year-Old Active Grandfather Recovers from Left Fibula Fracture
75-Year-Old Active Grandfather Recovers from Left Fibula Fracture
Meet Patrick
At 75 years old, Patrick Krueger isn’t slowing down anytime soon. A proud grandfather from South Bend, Ind., Patrick fills his days with golf, swimming, long walks with his wife, and a daily step goal of 10,000+, an active lifestyle that keeps him feeling young and energized.
But one unexpected fall nearly brought all of that to a halt.
A Painful Fall and a Fractured Fibula
While enjoying a regular day, Patrick suddenly collapsed due to dehydration. The fall resulted in severe pain and a trip to the ER. Emergency responders rushed him in, especially cautious given his history of open-heart surgery five years prior. After X-rays and thorough evaluation, doctors diagnosed Patrick with a hairline fracture of the left fibula.
His initial treatment? A traditional CAM walking boot — bulky, restrictive, and hard to manage for someone used to staying on the move. It offered stability but made everyday movement frustrating and uncomfortable.
Discovering the Best Ankle Stabilizer for Recovery
Not one to sit still, Patrick sought out a second opinion at South Bend Orthopedics, where he met Dr. Bemenderfer. That’s where he was introduced to a life-changing alternative: the TayCo Acute XAB Brace — a revolutionary ankle stabilizer designed to provide support without sacrificing mobility.
Unlike the boot, the Acute XAB Brace fit comfortably over Patrick’s shoe, protected both sides of his lower leg, and took less than a minute to put on. It offered the support his injury needed — without limiting his movement or daily activities.
Back on His Feet — and Back to Life
With the help of the Acute XAB Brace, Patrick quickly returned to doing what he loves:
Long walks with his wife
Cheering at football games
Daily chores without pain
Looking ahead to his next round of golf
“ayCo Brace gave me the freedom to keep moving,” Patrick said. “I’ll definitely be keeping it around!”
The Takeaway
For active adults recovering from injuries like fibula fractures, TayCo Brace offers one of the best ankle brace solutions available today. Lightweight, functional, and easy to use, it’s more than just an alternative to a walking boot — it’s a smarter path to recovery that keeps you moving.
These braces help stabilize my ankles wonderfully and are comfortable to wear. My only frustration is getting the Velcro straps from sticking to themselves when putting the braces on.
Thank you for sharing your experience, George! We’re glad to hear the RecoverX Brace has provided the support and stability you were looking for. We appreciate your feedback and are grateful you chose TayCo Brace to help you get back to doing more with confidence.
TayCo team,
I wanted to first say thank you for creating such an incredible ankle brace! You may not ever see the results, but please know that I'm a big fan!
I tore a tendon on the inside of my ankle jogging one morning several years ago and actually caused my arch to collapse. The doctors put me in a boot with hopes it would heal vs surgery.
Fast forward 6 years later, the damage grew and basically was rolling off of my ankle. So I went through major surgery to rebuild the 2 main tendons on the inside of my foot, rebuild the achilles tendon, reposition my foot back where it should set and clean out calcium buildup and other joint issues. Quite a journey but needed done before I eventually rolled off my foot and would have to fuze it all together.
I'm 58years old and never thought I would be in this position because I've been athletic most of my life. It was just a fluke that the tendon snapped while I was running and had to go under surgery to correct the overall damage.
That was 4 months ago. I transitioned to the big walking boot and all was going great so I ordered your boot to help with the transition out of the boot. It's amazing!
I met with my doctor today, she's never seen the boot but approved the use and transition out of the main boot to just the walking shoe. This will help on longer journeys, hiking or beach walks too.
All in all, the fit is incredible and the stability it provides is exactly what I needed. I'm adding a couple of photos to see my journey but please know that you ah e a great product and my only wish is that I found it many years ago vs makeshift boots or braces.
Thanks again,
Rick
Thank you so much for sharing your journey, Rick! We’re thrilled to hear the RecoverX Brace has given you the stability and confidence you needed as you transition out of your walking boot after such an extensive recovery. Your story is exactly why we do what we do, and we’re grateful you chose TayCo Brace to be part of your journey back to hiking, beach walks, and the activities you love.
The walking boot I was given after ORIF surgery for a bimalleolar fracture was heavy, awkward and uncomfortable. I bought the TayCo RecoverX Brace as a lighter alternative, and then asked the surgeon if I could ditch the torture boot and replace it with the RecoverX brace. (Which, voila! , I then pulled out of my bag and handed to him) He was completely on board right away and was impressed that rather than just complaining, I had found an effective and safe alternative on my own.
I wear a lace up brace under my shoe in addition to the TayCo brace sometimes, but to protect sensitive surgical scars rather than for lack of stability. If I had one suggestion, it would be to add more and softer padding at the ankle.
The TayCo brace has given me great ankle support for return to work, starting weight bearing, walking, climbing and descending stairs. I'm sure all would have been more difficult with the walking boot. Hoping to have made enough progress to remove the top pins by the end of the month.
Thank you for sharing your story! We’re so glad the RecoverX Brace provided the support and confidence you needed to transition out of your walking boot and get back to work and everyday activities. We also appreciate your thoughtful feedback about the padding, and we’re grateful you chose TayCo Brace to be part of your recovery journey.
I use it for golf and walking my only thought is the racket strap on bottom is how long will it last before it brakes
Thank you for sharing your experience, Ron! We’re glad to hear the AthleticX Brace is providing the stability you need for golf and walking. Regarding the stirrup strap, it’s reinforced with Kevlar to withstand repeated use under your shoe, and it’s designed to be one of the most durable components of the brace. We appreciate your feedback and are confident it will continue supporting you for many rounds ahead!