2 weeks post op after surgery for broken ankle...what to expect
Posted , 15 users are following.
So 2 weeks ago I was carrying my 3 month old and going outside. I stepped on some uneven ground and fell, breaking my ankle in 3 places and also dislocated it. I had surgery the next morning and have had it in a cast since then elevating it always unless I go to the bathroom. However it still aches and I get some shooting pains in the side of my foot. I am only taking Tylenol now and have my first post op appt tomorrow. They'll be taking my cast off and removing my staples and doing xrays. Will i have another cast put on? I'm also terrified it's going to be incredibly painful...anyone have advice?
0 likes, 64 replies
sandra81957 melissa49122
Posted
Hi Melissa. I'm now 15 weeks dwn the line, after 3 casts and airboot. I also felt the boot digging into my wound on out side if my ankle. Plates n pins both sides of ankle. I'm now 2 weeks out of the boot and told I can now start to FWB and walk in shoes. Easier said than done. First.... Can't get any of my shoes on dues to swelling and the Shape of my heel. Had to go into granny dapers a size larger than normal. So ugly. I still get lots of pain and swelling, which hinders me a lot with the walking as it's so painful. Physio is hard work as I'm now in the gym riding bike and treadmill also on mobile trampoline learning to balance and to try and go onto tip toe. PAINFUL. Sill walking with crutche and by the end of the day need to use 2 as pain has gone through the roof. This is the hardest thing that has happened to me ever. I have days where all I do is cry n shout to myself. Spend a lot of time alone. Feel like hell at the Moment. 😔 😔 😔 😔 😔. Everything your experiencing I have been through some of which I still get. Pain swelling and burning, all of which I've been told is normal for some. Trust me to be in that group!! 😢 😢. Hope your one of the lucky ones who gets through this without many problems. Age can be a hindrance too I'm 60 so don't think that helps. Sc
melissa49122 sandra81957
Posted
Hi Sandra,
So sorry to hear that you are still having so much difficulty!!
I'm 32 years old and pretty healthy for the most part so I'm hopeful that will work in my favor. Pain wise I'm pretty good and it gets better daily it seems. When I do have pain it's more of an achy feeling in the ankle bone than anything else. The sharp shooting poke pain is annoying but not unbearable at all.
I've been flexing my calf muscles on the leg with the broken ankle. Does anyone know if this will help prevent muscle wasting?
sandra81957 melissa49122
Posted
melissa49122 sandra81957
Posted
sandra81957 melissa49122
Posted
You can undo the velcro over the top and do it until it's comfortable for you but must have some support so make sure it isn't too loose. Good luck sx
jenni_24876 melissa49122
Posted
melissa49122 jenni_24876
Posted
Hi jenni,
Oh I'm so glad to hear the fear is worse than the actual Pain!!! The break was so painful I feel like I'm just traumatized and scared to ever feel that again. I'm 32 years old and I've had 3 kids, had brain surgery, ruptured appendix, was stabbed when I was younger and the break was, by far, the WORST pain I have ever felt. I'm scared to feel that again.
Will i get another cast today or a boot? And what is the shoe thing?
Chestnut17 melissa49122
Posted
The shoe thing "even up" is to keep your body aligned when walking in the boot. Many people complain of hip and knee problems from being off center walking in the boot. This thing gives you an even gait. They can be found on Amazon.
becky7624 Chestnut17
Posted
I forgot to mention the Even up. I had one and it was great for wearing with athletic shoes. I don't think it works well with regular shoes, but I've mostly stayed in athletic shoes since my surgery.
melissa49122 becky7624
Posted
Did you find the boot extremely uncomfortable? I just had mine put on today and I find it feels like it's digging in to my bone on the top of my foot and it's very painful...
becky7624 melissa49122
Posted
I didn't have any problems with that, at least not that I remember. You might loosen it some and be sure you're wearing socks.
jenni_24876 Chestnut17
Posted
Im in Australia and some of the mobility supply shops have them. A bit pricier than amazon. I saw them in gmobility a few days ago. About $45. Here. Amazon I think we're $2o. Or 29. Something like that. Is investment for best healing.
Chestnut17 jenni_24876
Posted
Agreed.
I'm not trying to have compound injuries, this one is like the gift that keeps giving. I'm probably going to order it when I find out that I can walk. The reviews on Amazon are good even if you buy it somewhere else because people tak about their experiences with it-for instance, you still may need the right height shoe with the even up. Tennis shoes mostly I believe, as someone staed here also. I look at heels and laugh now. I probably have a phobia now since I was wearing them when I fell.
sandra81957 melissa49122
Posted
Hi Melissa. I'm now 15 weeks dwn the line, after 3 casts and airboot. I also felt the boot digging into my wound on out side if my ankle. Plates n pins both sides of ankle. I'm now 2 weeks out of the boot and told I can now start to FWB and walk in shoes. Easier said than done. First.... Can't get any of my shoes on dues to swelling and the Shape of my heel. Had to go into granny dapers a size larger than normal. So ugly. I still get lots of pain and swelling, which hinders me a lot with the walking as it's so painful. Physio is hard work as I'm now in the gym riding bike and treadmill also on mobile trampoline learning to balance and to try and go onto tip toe. PAINFUL. Sill walking with crutche and by the end of the day need to use 2 as pain has gone through the roof. This is the hardest thing that has happened to me ever. I have days where all I do is cry n shout to myself. Spend a lot of time alone. Feel like hell at the Moment. 😔 😔 😔 😔 😔. Everything your experiencing I have been through some of which I still get. Pain swelling and burning, all of which I've been told is normal for some. Trust me to be in that group!! 😢 😢. Hope your one of the lucky ones who gets through this without many problems. Age can be a hindrance too I'm 60 so don't think that helps. Sx
melissa49122 sandra81957
Posted
Hi Sandra,
I got my boot on today. I found it super painful when the nurse was putting it on. Dis you find That? And it seems like the top of the boot is digging in to the bone on top of my foot and it really hurts. I'm very scared of my ankle I find. I'm not feeling well with this at all.
sandra81957 melissa49122
Posted
Yes I had the same. But she did seem to pull and pump it up quite a bit. Is it a air boot? I found it less painful when I Eased up on the amount of air that went in, putting just enough to feel it and not doing the boot up too tight but enough to give support. Have you been told that you can take it off while resting and while in bed? I have to be honest the only time my boot went on was when I needed to walk anywhere. Other than that it was off most of the time. Don't forget to elevate and ice as much as possible it really does help. Hope it starts to ease up a bit for you soon sx
melissa49122 sandra81957
Posted
I feel like she put it on too tight. They said I can take it off to shower but I'm too scared now. The pain today was unbearable. I was finally feeling better and only taking Tylenol for pain. Now I'm back on narcotics. I hate the boot but I'm too scared to take my foot out.
Janey_2017 melissa49122
Posted
Melissa, you are having a rough time and we are all rooting for you. If it feels like the boot is too tight- take it off, and then you can readjust it. Only you know what feels right for you, the nurse was just guessing. And it may feel too tight because your circulation is being pinched, so you must not ignore it. You said you had surgery so I presume like me you have a plate, and that is great, because the bones are being held together by metal, super strong, so you can't do any damage by taking off the boot and readjusting it. I ended up cutting off one of the soft flaps (there were two) that go over the top of the foot, as I also felt it too tight and painful, and that made a big difference ( I didn't throw it away so I could sew it back on if I needed to). I had horrible tingling even when elevated at your stage, but the physio told me to rub my leg gently with a light cloth, and massage cream into the leg, to help the skin be less sensitive and that made a massive difference. I took it off for showers an undid it at night as I felt more confident knowing that my leg was resting in it, but as I was not moving, I didn't need it Velcroed up.
I am sure that you having post natal depression that is being made worse by being immobile, is actually not helping you to deal with the ankle as you are also feeling anxious about the ankle, and anxiety is another face of depression. Please do consult your dr, to see what can be done, tablet wise but have you also thought of joining an online support group for PND- they may even have one on this site. As I know with the ankle, it is so helpful to know you are not alone, and you need to be talking to other mums who understand you as well.
Thinking of you, and screw up your courage to undo your boot ( or get husband to) and then adjust it till it feels more comfortable, and then gently stroke your leg to see if that can ease the tingling ( I did it every hour,and within 3 days it was much better).
Best wishes
Jane
becky7624 melissa49122
Posted
I just remembered that the nurse who showed me how to put my boot on emphasized that it's important to keep your foot at a 90 degree angle when putting on the boot or it would cause problems later. When you put it back on, be careful of the angle and see if that helps. Good luck!
jenni_24876 melissa49122
Posted
Hi honey. Oh I feel for you. The darn boot gave me more pain than rage break. Regardless of which way on how much padding how loose or how tight. I cried for days in agony thes refused to even look at it. Told my dr who got it X-rayed and sent me back to surgeon who said don't wear it because it is there to support you not hurt you. My pain was nerve pain. I could not even have a bandage on without agony. No trouser leg (cut the bottoms off pajamas. ) Couldn't have blanket or even a sheet. So you do need to talk to your dr. I've been off work since 24 march and don't have little kids and do have a very supportive husband so I could take it easy and not lift and not under any stress to walk fast so was safe without boot or should we call i a torture chamber for the foot.
sandra81957 jenni_24876
Posted
That nerve pain is hurendus. I still can't have sheets over my foot. 14 weeks post op. But for you not to be able to even have trousers touching then yours I'd bad. Poor you.
😔
Still have a lot of nerve pain on top of my foot and in my toes, annoying. I just can't walk without crutche and more often or not have to use the 2 by the end of the day. Just want to be able to put one foot in front of the other without shuffling because of the pain. . It's s really getting me dwn. Sx
christina80204 jenni_24876
Posted
I'm
Having digging pain from boot ! So you are saying don't wear boot when sitting around. It's miserable! What about it not keeping foot at 90 degree angle? I may have misread your post .
jenni_24876 christina80204
Posted
No you read right. I tried to persevere with the boot for about 1 and 1/2 weeks and the pain was worse than any pain I'd ever felt. It was kill my self or hurl the boot. So hurled the boot Saw my doctor and she was worried about me not supporting ankle and I got X-ray and went back to surgeon 4 weeks earlier than my appointed time. He said bones had knitted and to not wear boot at all if it caused pain. And really I had no intention of ever having it on. And to LWB until I thought I could Fully WB I rested with my foot in position at end of couch and bed so it was kept in position by me not boot.