1 week after ORIF surgery

Hello -

Same story here. I broke mine 11/13 surgery 11/18. NWB till 2nd surgery on 1/11. (To remove a long pin that went thru the bone to hold everything together) I started PT 2/4. It was a few weeks after I started pt that I could drive. I'm still in PT. I have to be honest, it's a slow recovery. Patience is the key, and having a positive attitude. Realize each week is closer to recovery. Let people help you & don't be afraid to ask. In my case I was NWB for 3 months & my pt said it was too long, hence the long recovery but everyone is different.

This forum is a Godsend. It has helped me realize I'm not alone & there is so much support here! I'm in the USA but there are people from all over, a lot in the U.K. You can come here to ask questions of people who are going through the same thing, all at different stages. There have been times I've been worried with new pains, etc and I come here and realize it's normal, and that stage will be over soon.

The knee scooter helped me a lot. Better than crutches. (Scooter $158 on Amazon)

Ice & elevate often. (Ice behind the knee while in the cast)

Stay hydrated, eat well.

Get some good books, movies, etc to entertain yourself.

Hang in there!

Janness

I had ORIF surgery after a trimalleolar break on Oct. 29, 2016. Non weigh bearing for 8 weeks.  I am retired, but wasn't very mobile until I got a knee scooter.  That really helped be get around.  But you will need to rest and have your ankle elevated as much as possible.  Depending on your work environment, this may be difficult.  Since I broke my right ankle, I was not driving for 8 weeks.  Be patient and best of luck.  

So sorry this happened to you- but we understand because it happened to us too. The truth Bridg is it takes a long time, but you will get better - I thought I'd be down 4 weeks and magically be healed. I had a trimalleolar break 14 months ago and started feeling like I could get around okay after 4 months. At 6 months, I could walk pretty decently and at 9 months I was about 90% or so. Now I am about 98-100% (every once in a while my ankle feels a tiny bit tight for a minute or so- but all is well). I can run and jump and do everything I could do before. Your low point may be next week, when you feel very frustrated with your new state. Just realize you will feel better every week after that, and it is a bummer, but ankles take a long time to heal. Try to maintain a happy attitude, as it really helps to keep positive for those around you who are helping you. They have a lot of adjustments to make too. Get a knee scooter in a few weeks if you can- it will be your best friend. Try to get a cup holder on it and a basket too. I was in a wheel chair for the first few weeks and found that the most comfortable, but after that the knee scooter was so amazingly helpful, I can not tell you enough positive things about it. I got a soft pad to go over the seat for mine. Hang in there. This group will help you more than you know!

PS- Crutches stink. You don't need them much after you get a knee scooter, except to crutch to the knee scooter when needed. Get gel pad bike gloves for your hands for the crutches to relieve the palm pain from the crutches. You will need them when you start to weight bear. For a few weeks a walker is good during that stage too, but you won't like the walker as much as the knee scooter now. 

Hi Bridg

I had a trimalleolar comminuted pilon fracture

Shattered my Tibia, fibula into the ankle joint

My accident was Jan 16/17 with ORIF surgery the next day . I have 2 plates & 19 screws which will stay in permanently.

I spent the first 8 days in hospital with the surgical cast on - they removed that cast at 2 weeks and I went straight into the aircast.

I'm going to start driving next week and I plan on returning to work May 15 - I'm on my feet my entire shift so hopefully I can handle it.

I hope you're having an easy time with your recovery

Cheers

Elle

Welcome to the group! It sucks to have to join as I'm sure you'd have liked to not have broken your ankle but this group/site is an amazing tool. I had a right bimallelor break with syndesmosis on Dec. 27 2016 ( ice 1 Alissa 0) surgery on Jan. 3rd. 1 plate with 5 screws one side 2very long screws on the other and a wire button contraption looped around the heel. I was in surgical cast for 2 weeks and the cam walking boot for 7 in total it was almost 10weeks non weight bearing 😢 just this week I am finally able to walk without crutches 😀. It is a long process but you will get there. I'm a college student so I can't weigh in on work but driving I can relate. You won't be able to drive until you are weight bearing AND out of the boot since it is way too bulky and illegal (US)

Good luck and make sure to take it easy right now you have a lot of healing to do. Remember to ice and elevate. Make sure you ankle is above your heart otherwise it does no good and icing behind your knee if the cold won't penetrate your cast.

Hi Bridg, hope you're managing to keep both your spirits and your leg up! I had bimalleolar dislocated fracture on 1st Feb and ORIF next day to put in a plate with 9 screws on fib side and two long pins on tib side. I was in surgical cast for 2 weeks until stitches out, then lightweight cast for a further 4 weeks. NWB for total of 6 weeks. After that I was told I could go to FWB immediately. Hurt like hell but I could actually stand one legged for a second straight away. Lurching around at home with no crutches after two days, and outside the house for short distances after a week with a bit of a limp. Now I can do 10-20 minute walk without limp if I concentrate. Did I mention it hurts? but painkillers and RICE keep it manageable. It does swell a lot but freezable velcro gel wraps are fab once you get out of the cast.

I can't speak for driving as I don't have a car, but I don't think I could do an emergency stop yet (I broke my left ankle) and I'm at 9.5 weeks since break now. I'm a coder so I could work from home and was doing so 10 days after the surgery, sitting with my leg up on a chair. It still swelled by the end if the day.

Do you need to be on your feet for your job? That would make a big difference. I walked around shopping for two hours one evening when I was 12 days out of cast, but it did cause a lot of swelling and pain after. Was back to my 'default' level of swelling by next morning though.

How are you feeling now? Do you have your stitches out yet? I know this stage is super frustrating but you WILL get through it and it will go faster than you think. Toes above nose as much as you can really helps. Eat healthy (don't forget you need lots of protein as well as calcium to build bone). Stay positive. Ask for help (I found that one the hardest!). I really recommend a shower stool and suction cup grab rail to go on the tiles! Check your crutch adjustment too (plenty of info online). I spent two weeks with them too long and the grips too high (how the OT set them for me when I left hospital!) - made me very unstable. Much improved after I got them adjusted correctly.

Good luck and let us know how you're getting on?

Jo

Hi. I had my trimalleor fracture repaired on Jan 17 with two plates, 10 screws, a pin and a wire. Today I was given the okay to start weight bearing while wearing the boot! It's been 12 long weeks! I started driving against dr.s orders about four weeks ago. Mine is also the right foot. It was tricky. I either had to have someone with me to get my scooter out of the back of the car or I had to hop back to get it out. going back to work depends on what you do and how you feel. Just know that each day gets a little better. Biggest lesson I learned was how to slow way down. Had to rely on others (I like to be in control) and had to let some things go. You'll be okay. This forum is helpful. Good luck to you.