Walking after 6 weeks non weight bearing
Reaching the six‑week mark after a non weight bearing injury can feel both exciting and intimidating your doctor may finally be talking about walking again, but your leg feels weak, stiff, and a little unreliable. After weeks of protecting every step, it is completely normal to worry about doing too much too soon or accidentally setting your recovery back.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what typically happens at 6 weeks, how to know if you’re truly ready to start putting weight through your leg, and practical strategies to rebuild strength and confidence safely. Along the way, you’ll learn how to use mobility aids, structure your day so you don’t overdo it, and discover how tools like the Freedom Leg can help you stay more active while your body continues to heal.
Typical injuries that require 6 weeks NWB
Ankle fractures (including many non‑operative and post‑surgical protocols) commonly require around 6 weeks of strict non weight bearing before any loading begins.
Foot fractures and surgeries such as Jones fracture repair, midfoot injuries, or complex forefoot procedures often use a 6‑week NWB phase to protect bone healing.
Achilles tendon repairs frequently include several weeks of non weight bearing or protected weight bearing to allow the tendon to heal before loading.
Lower‑leg fractures like tibia fractures & fibula fractures and some complex ligament or joint injuries may also follow a 6‑week NWB period, adjusted to fracture pattern and imaging.
Why 6 weeks is a common turning point in recovery timelines
Many bone injuries reach an early consolidation phase around 6 weeks, meaning there is enough healing that carefully controlled weight can begin under medical guidance.
By 6 weeks, soft tissues (tendons, ligaments, and surgical incisions) have usually passed through the initial inflammatory and early repair phases, making gentle loading safer.
Staying non weight bearing longer than necessary can worsen muscle loss, stiffness, and balance issues, so 6 weeks is often used as the point to start reversing deconditioning.
Protocols still vary by injury, age, and imaging, so some patients will remain NWB longer, while others may transition a little earlier if healing is clearly ahead of schedule. Our guide to surviving non weight bearing can offer some great tips to help getting through this time!
Are you ready to start walking after 6 weeks?
Signs your body may be ready to increase weight bearing
Your surgeon or provider has explicitly cleared you to begin partial weight bearing, often using terms like “toe‑touch,” “25% weight bearing,” or “weight bearing as tolerated.”
Everyday pain at rest has decreased, and you mainly notice stiffness or mild soreness rather than sharp, constant pain. Swelling is better controlled and responds to elevation and rest instead of steadily worsening with light activity.
You can perform gentle range‑of‑motion exercises and simple activation (for example, ankle pumps or light isometrics) without a spike in symptoms, showing that tissues tolerate small loads.
Red flags that mean you should delay walking (pain, swelling, instability)
Sharp, stabbing, or sudden pain when you attempt to stand or place light pressure on the leg is a reason to stop and contact your provider.
Rapidly increasing swelling, redness, or warmth around the injury after brief weight bearing can signal irritation, poor healing, or possible complications.
A feeling that the joint is “giving way,” buckling, or not supporting you suggests instability and needs urgent reassessment before you continue.
New numbness, tingling, or color changes in the foot during or after loading can indicate nerve or circulation issues and should be evaluated immediately.
Transitioning from non weight bearing to partial weight bearing
Using crutches, walker, or a hands‑free crutch to offload weight
Most people begin with bilateral crutches or a walker so that arms and the uninjured leg can carry most of the body weight while the healing side starts to participate lightly.
A hands‑free crutch or off‑loading brace such as the Freedom Leg can transfer weight from the lower leg up to the thigh and hip, allowing you to walk while still protecting the injured foot or ankle. Low impact exercises can be good practice.
These devices help you practice a more natural step pattern and keep both hands available for balance and daily tasks, which can shorten the time you need traditional crutches.
Your physical therapist can adjust fit and teach safe technique on flat ground and stairs so that you avoid overloading the healing structures during this transition.
How to start: toe‑touch and 25% weight bearing
Early progression usually starts with toe‑touch or “featherweight” loading, where your toes lightly touch the ground for balance but almost no weight is placed through the leg.
Many protocols then move to about 10–25% of body weight through the injured side while crutches or a walker carry the rest, often increasing by about 10–20% per week as tolerated.
A practical approach is to let the injured foot share just enough load that your arms and opposite leg still feel clearly more effort, then slowly shift more weight as pain and swelling allow. Throughout this phase, any sharp pain, limp that worsens, or visible increase in swelling after activity is a cue to reduce loading and consult your provider before progressing.
Using mobility aids while you relearn to walk
In the first days of weight bearing, most people still rely heavily on crutches, a walker, or a boot to protect healing tissues while they retrain their gait. Hands Free crutches should be everyones go to choice considering the great benefits to most people.
As strength and confidence improve, you may transition from two crutches to one crutch or cane, or use a hands‑free device like the Freedom Leg for more independent mobility.
An orthopedic boot, brace, or off‑loading device can control motion at the ankle or foot and distribute pressure, which helps protect surgical repairs and fractures as you increase steps. Your clinician may phase you out of these aids over several weeks, starting indoors on flat, predictable surfaces before progressing to longer walks and outdoor terrain.
Daily life tips when you start walking again
Planning your day to avoid overdoing it
Break activity and exercise into short sessions of walking and standing spread throughout the day, rather than doing all your errands or chores in one long block. Start with simple, flat surfaces at home, then gradually add stairs, uneven ground, or longer distances as your leg tolerates the load.
Schedule time to elevate your leg above heart level several times per day to help manage swelling after new activity. Keep a simple log of steps, minutes walked, and pain or swelling levels so you and your provider can spot patterns and adjust the plan.
Don’t forget to keep resting!
Even once you are cleared to walk, tissues are still healing, so you will likely need more rest breaks than before your injury. Even taking sleep seriously can be a game changer!
Follow a “two step forward, one step check‑in” mindset: if symptoms spike after a harder day, scale back briefly rather than pushing through.
Use ice or cool packs, compression, and elevation after walking sessions if your provider has approved them, as these can help control normal post‑activity soreness and swelling.
Quality sleep remains essential for bone and soft‑tissue recovery, so support nighttime comfort with good positioning, pillows, and any prescribed braces or boots as instructed.
Freedom Leg: Helping You Stay Active
The Freedom Leg is a hands‑free off‑loading brace that shifts weight from your injured lower leg to your thigh and hip so you can move without putting pressure on the healing foot or ankle.
By freeing your hands and enabling a more natural walking pattern, it can make everyday tasks like cooking, carrying items, and climbing stairs safer and more manageable during non weight bearing and early weight‑bearing phases.
Regain Your Freedom!
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Dr. Stelmaschuk
"Family Physician, had to have both of his feet repaired and found Freedom Leg very helpful, allowing him freedom to continue particing medicine and even running his snow blower"
Brandon Wise
"Broke his ankle and had to have surgery. The surgeons put screws in his ankle and told him not to put weight on it for 90 days. He was prescibed crutches. Fortunately he discoved Freedom Leg while looking for alternatives on the internet and was able to walk again without difficulty"
