1 week post ORIF left ankle and the doctor didn't have me wear a cast or a brace! Is this normal?
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hello!
I'm 5 days post ORIF left ankle dislocation and syndesmosis. I have a plate, pins and a syndesmotic screw. It seems that I am not in any type of cast (at all). My incision site are dry, no bleeding, no pain. I can wiggle my toes, but atop of my injured foot and a toe and my lower ankle area (pretty much around the injured area or incision) is numb and super tight and rather stiff. I have been doing ankle pumps and rotation and keep my leg elevated all day. I only walk on my crutches to the bathroom and downstairs for dinner and back up to bed. My foot feels completely fine when elevates. No pain, just very stiff and dry. When I walk or my leg hanging though, I feel a rush of warmth and feels like the blood are just rushing down which causes minor pain but major discomfort.
My question is, why didnt my doctor give me a cast or something? Is this normal? He gave me a back slab to use for like long travels wrapped with an ace bandage and I havent been using that because I just go to the bathroom and down and up stairs twice a day. I dont have to use a back slab for that right? Is the numbness and stiffness normal? Im kinda worry that something is off because Im not in pain (unless if my foot is down, then I feel the hot and discomfort with minor pain). Is not being in some sort of a cast bad for my recovery? Or is itit normal? Please share if you were just given an optional backslab immediately post ORIF? Anything will help! I wanted to make sure my ankle healing process in normal! Thank you!
0 likes, 13 replies
Missy1969 amy63849
Posted
WOW. You can climb stairs (and go down stairs) a week after your ORIF? I was in a Oxycodone stupor for the first five days of my surgery. :=P
I was unable to bear any weight for at least 6 weeks after my ORIF. I went immediately into a cast and then a boot.
Sounds like you have an amazing ability to heal. But you said dislocation and not necessarily a fracture?
I had a trimaellour fracture. My foot was literally dangling and attached to my body by my flesh.
And just last week; I needed surgery again because my ankle was still hurting and stiff. I had to get my hardware removed and my achilles tendon lengthened. My ORIF was 8/16/2018.
Can I ask how old you are...? Unfortunately, I'm 50. I think age is a factor at times.
However, I have a suggestion. I suggest you put all these questions on a piece of paper. And bring that to your next doctor's appointment. That's what I did when I first got injured. I would comply my questions on a piece of paper and my doctor would sit with me and go over every single question I had. I never held back and every visit I would generally have a new question. I would tell him to absolutely tell me the truth - no bulls hit and not to worry about my feelings.
Good Luck - but sounds like you don't need it. :--)
p.s. heat/fire is from the nerves - i had it very badly, i was given medication for it. but usually it will go away
Missy
amy63849 Missy1969
Posted
Hi Missy! Thank you so much for your reply. I am 34. My first break. I broke my fibular bone and its got a plate and fib-tib syndesmosis screw on it. I also fractured my talus I think so I got two screws on that. I have no cast! I had the surgery while on vacation so I have to now see a doctor near home so I am seeing him next week and I will write down everything per your suggestion. Its just been too easy it seems from reading all these posts. I hope Im doing things right. I am in Thailand for work too so I am not use to care outside the US. Thanks again! If I push the top of my foot where its numb, I can feel that its sore and tender. Again, I have no idea what it means but yup, I am out of cast and back slab. Just my legs, wounds bandages ans thats it! I hope its normal! Why did my surgeon put me in a cast, I have no idea!
rose71920 amy63849
Posted
Just popping in to say that you may have a fiberglass cast put on soon. Should be your six week visit with the doc. I had the back slab and then a cast x 2!
Best of luck to you
amy63849 rose71920
Posted
thank you! i have been reading a little bit about immobilization immediately after angle surgery or mobilization. I guess there's been an increase in mobilization and immediate movement of the angle post-surgery. so I am less worried. but sometimes I just feel like I'm my plates and screws going to become loose because even though I'm not bearing weight on the leg, I'm so hopping around on my crutches and maybe the impact will cause the hardware to become loose I just feel like I my plates and screws going to become loose because even though I'm not bearing weight on the leg, I'm so hopping around in my crutches and maybe the impact will cause the hardware to become loose? but the doctor has got to know what he's doing sending me home like this has got to know what he's doing sending me home like this.
Llamalah amy63849
Posted
Hi Amy,
The stiffness and tightness is normal, but the lack of casting for the first two weeks post-surgery does not sound right. It is to keep the bones as secure and straight as possible in the initial healing. As you're not in your home country, can you contact your usual doctor and ask for guidance?
If you have a fall on the crutches while you are in this initial healing phase and the ankle is not protected, this could cause significantly worse damage.
The numbness could be from the swelling. I had numbness is random parts of my foot for around the first 8 weeks but it has all stopped now that there is no swelling.
amy63849 Llamalah
Posted
Thank you for your comment and confirming that the tightness and numbness is quite normal. I actually found another post here of how she was also allowed to be mobile like me. 3 days immobile then sent home with a removable splint and encouraged to move the ankle around. I dont have a specialist back home but I will give my family dr a call. Thanks! feels so much better!
Missy1969 amy63849
Posted
Oh, I see.
A cast is not necessarily placed right after surgery, remember that your stitches have to be checked etc.
Yes, it is perfectly all right to be placed in a splint after your surgery. This splint should not be removed until you are back home and see your doctor. A splint after surgery will be removed usually after two weeks. NO getting your leg wet until the doc tells you too.
YOU SHOULD NOT BE WEIGHT BEARING ON THAT FOOT. Regardless of how you feel, stay off that foot! Use your crutches. YOU must be very careful until you can get that leg in a protective cast or boot.
If you can afford the long distance call, I suggest you contact your doctor right away! EVEN IF its just your GP.
good luck but stay off that foot :----)
Missy
amy63849 Missy1969
Posted
check! thank you!
Brokenmedic amy63849
Posted
Hi there! I'm 7 months post ORIF I spiral fractured my tibia, SHATTERED bottom of both tib, fib, ankle bones and part of my talus. I had 2 surgeries and in hosp for 18 days. I have 2 plates on my tibia and countless screws. They had a back slab after my second surgery and was sent home that way. No cast or boot which I thought was weird, 2 weeks after discharge I saw the surgeon and he wanted me to have a airboot only for sleeping to get the 90 degree angle.
I live in canada and after lots of research I found out this was normal. It helps get your ankle moving. I was nwb for 7 Weeks then 25 % of my body weight a week after till full weight bearing.
I hope this helps! I found this site well in to my recovery and cant believe how dr are so different everywhere.
STAY STRONG! The road ahead is long and lonely. 😦
amy63849 Brokenmedic
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply. This post has made me feel so much better . This is my seventh day post surgery and I feel great. Still numb and hot when hanging down my foot. I still have some minor concerns with being so free of any kind of stabelizer for my foot. I have not hit anything so far but I have to take my kids to the dr tmrw so I will equip my foot with my removable splint so I don't chance bumping into anything! NWB for me for at least 6 weeks doctor said. but I still have minor concern about walking around with my crutches and having my injured leg be kind of shaking when I walk. I hope that this type of mobilization won't move my hardward around one week post surgery. I try to be very gentle when I walk but I still can't help but feeling that it's impacting my injured ankle as it doesn't have a cast or splint on when I walked the small distance from my bed to the bathroom at home.
Missy1969 amy63849
Posted
Amy,
Remember. You are to be non-weight bearing. That means that your injured foot at no time should be touching the ground. Never. So, if you feel that "walking" is impacting your surgery area -that is because you are walking on your injured foot. You can't put that foot DOWN. Your new legs are your crutches - and they SUCK.
Therefore, crutches, knee walker, or a wheelchair are the items best suited for you.
Personally, I suck on crutches. I ended up using a wheelchair all the time. I bought one from Amazon.
However, I needed crutches to get to my car or into the bathroom - where my wheelchair wouldn't fit.
Let's face it; you normal life routines are going to change. There are things or places that you shouldn't be risking doing.
I've learned that anything can be delivered to the home. Instacart, Amazon, etc.
You must be realistic about your injury and how it impacts your life. This is the time to ask for help from those that care for you.
Goodluck,
Missy
nicole46344 Missy1969
Posted
i broke my ankle very badly as well. 5 screws and a plate. I am still in recovery. i never got a cast and it was because of my stitches. Unfortunately i had to go on a trip( a death in the family) which involved lots of driving - not me of course- and lots of movement. i used a walker and a wheelchair. the walker was my fathers from knee surgery. i rented the wheelchair for $56 a month. renting may be cheaper than buying - i just googled rent a wheel chair lol. it may be less than this if you have insurance - i don't 😦. any way - my stitches got infected due to tearing and poor craftsmanship. so now im on heavy antibiotics and bed rest. i get weird feelings all the time- im afraid it will never heal etc. one thing i do want to say - my heart goes out to those who are permanantly in a wheel chair or are missing a leg or just have less ability than most. I think of this every day and i am amazed at the strength and courage of those who are in those positions. they are brave and strong.
Willisk2004 amy63849
Posted
trust your judgement and intuition! you know better than anyone else what you are feeling and how quickly things go wrong. ( how you got here )
I would put your splint on and leave it on anytime you are mobile on crutches or out of bed and anytime you are sleeping ( you might accidentally roll over or try to get out of bed, and briefly forget about your injury. ( sounds crazy but i did two years ago, must have dreamt that i could walk normal I do not know why ) I had rolled my ankle for the 26th time and tore ligaments and tendons for the 12th time and was in a splint till swelling went down. went to get up to go to bathroom and without thinking i put bad foot down with full weight on it! Things go from bad to worse in the literal blink of an eye. Better safe than redoing your surgery and restarting your recovery!