6 Weeks Post Ankle Surgery...need help!!!

Let me reply to concern about first putting weight on foot...YES! Surprising how that is. When I first put weight on my foot when I was released to partial weight bearing, I had my husband there in case it broke again. It didn't.

The amount of weight should have been determined by ur doc. I started at 25% then was released to full weight bearing as tolerated (WBAT). Physical therapy may also be driven by ur healing status. I was surprised to see on early on some forum writers started. I began after I was WBAT. My doc prescribed 12 contacts for PT which may have continued if I pushed for it. Very dissatisfied with clinic I was at, and tired of wasting my money and time for things I could do at home. I am a strong advocate for massage, which I did not get at the PT clinic although prescribed by my doc. About 20 years ago I broke my other ankle and massage by physical therapist, in my opinion, made all the difference. I was able to get some additional PT @ another clinic and did get 2 sessions of massage. One worked on scar tissue. The other really pin pointed place in my foot and resulted in a small pop. Therapist also said all the little bones need to get back in place. Best wishes in ur recovery! Lisa-

Hi Ellie,

So sorry for your injury!  I started Physical Therapy 2 weeks after my surgery cast came off, when I was still nonweight bearing.  I had almost zero range of motion, so my doctor wanted me to start working on that as soon as possible.  I am a firm believer in the physical therapy.  It has really helped me a lot.  They guided me in what to do and they encouraged me to do it daily at home.  Unlike "Danas Mom", my physical therapy sessions do include massage and always end with a squeezing ice treatment that feels wonderful and helps reduce swelling.  The amount of physical therapy sessions will depend on your insurance.  For a month I did not go to PT until I got my insurance strightened out.  My doctor had cleared me to get out of the boot and bear weight as tolerable.  I went into my PT without the boot or a crutch, very confidently.  My PT immediately told me that I still needed to be using the crutch.  It had never occurred to me that I looked like Quasimoto when I walked without the crutch.  I still needed time on the crutch to learn to walk correctly so I won't have a limp the rest of my life.  My Physical Therapists know what they are doing and I trust them to get me back to normal.  Without their guidance, I might be doing something which can impeed my recovery.

I forgot to address your questions about the boot.  Follow your doctor's advice on that, because it all depends on the injury what will be required.  I had a bimalliolar break (the tibia and fibula were broken.)  They displaced and I required surgery.  After I got out of the surgery cast (3 weeks) I was non-weight baring for 7 weeks and was required to wear the boot 24 hours a day.  Then I had another 6 weeks in the boot were I could bare weight as tolerable.  I then was allowed to remove the boot to sleep.  The doctor told me to start with crutches and ease off the foot if it became too painful.  Let your body tell you if you are doing too much.  I found that massaging the bottom of the foot helped with that tingling feeling you are getting.  Good Luck with your recovery.  It is a long road, but you will get there.

On the long road, what u may find surprising is how quickly u get to some destinations. There are those times of "will this ever end?" But I have to tell you, once I started recovering, I would find myself doing something without thinking twice. My clearest example is my cane. When I was first able to use, it was my security blanket. Not more falls for me! And then, one day, I started walking away without it. Once I was to my car before I realized my security stick had been left in house. The recovery is also mental, not just physical. Do what u can to keep ur mood up. But allow ur moments of self pity. This is a hard injury to recover from. And that's when u pat yourself on the back for all the progress u are making! You'll get there. Remember to be kind to yourself. Lisa-

Hi Ellie

I am at week 8 after 2. Breaks and lots of hardware. My doc seems to be conservative. At 6 wk's with a boot he has me 50% weight baring for 4 weeks. I have a pin through the sesimoid bone which will break when full weight bare, so he wants ligaments and tendons to heal. I have PT 2x week. PT does lymph drainage , massage, heat, cold electric stem and I work my ankle on a Pilates reformer, wobble board, foam roller and slant board. I'm beginning to feel muscles in my calf firing. Internal pins near my medial malleolus are irritating. I hope to have hardware removed in 1 year.

Good luck with your healing.

Michelle

I was anxious about weight baring. It takes time to trust your body and your strength. I wouldn't rush anything and listen to your body.

However one week on I am getting about really well, and can get about in the house with one crutch 

Thank you for sharing your walking experience. I'm so glad that it just took a wk.

I am still partial wb at wk 9 and look forward to FBI in a week. Evidently the emergency ER put a pin through one bone that is stabilizing and will break when I weight bare. Creepy thought but doc says it will be ok.

Enjoy the freedom of walking!

Hi Ellie,

It is very possible to be walking correctly by July 4th, and I sincerely hope that you are able to.  But not all of us can get there in that short of time.

Before you stop using the second crutch, make sure your gait is correct.  One week after I was out of the boot, I had ditched the crutches and was walking unassisted.  One visit to my PT changed that.  I was walking like Quazimoto and didn't even realize it.  My bad foot was turned way out and spaced about a foot from the other.  I had been walking without pain, but when I tried to walk correctly, it hurt.  I ended up on one crutch for another month.  I am now crutch free, but still have to consciously force my foot inward or my gait is wrong.  I still have a noticable limp, accept right after I get off the treadmill.  

Recovering from a broken ankle is a very long process that affects us both physically and mentally. Noone but some who has experienced it can truely understand.  Stay strong and I wish you a quick recovery.

Hi steffg - I am just thinking about what you gave said and I am walking on the outside edge of my foot and heal so need to address that

i have just been doing my exercises and pouting my toes is excoriating 

I see the physio on Thursday so will discuss how much I should or shouldn't be doing 

trouble with me and I guess most of us is we want full mobility yesterday 

this forum had been amazing - good luck everyone with your recovery 😁

Steffg and Ellie

I completely agree regarding the gait and posture thing . I decided to walk round the supermarket the other day with both crutches in my boot instead of being pushed in my wheelchair. My husband pointed out that I was walking with my bad foot pointed outwards - as soon as I tried to correct it the pain was shocking. Since then I've noticed that as the day goes on I tend to do this but I keep trying to correct it as soon as I do. Another thing I've had is pain in my right wrist that comes and goes but is really painful - Google pointed out it's bad posture with my crutches. I've been tending to lean forwards and am hanging on with both hands far too tight. Again making a conscious effort to sort this out.

And yes I am also very impatient to walk normally again . I seem to shift between being really positive to getting morbid thinking it's going to take months and months. We go to Spain on July 30th which will be 14 weeks since my injury. I was hoping to be a lot more mobile than I am now .

Tomorrow is the day my Dr wanted me out of my boot. I'm dreading putting my weight on the foot without the safety net of my boot. Got to go shopping first to find some suitable footwear as nothing fits 😭

hi Ellie I snapped my tibia and tibia and ankle last year 14 months ago. I felt physically sick when I went out for first time. there is light at end of the tunnel. I wasn't allowed to put my foot down for 8 weeks. I was very apprehensive about doing this but once I got out on my crutches I soon got my confidence back the next challenge was driving my car. I tackled this 4mths after my op. I had a rod put through my tibia and screws in my ankle. my consultant has discharged me. I went back to work 6 and half months later. I was very uncomfortable for a while. my legs still swell now. I have a inflamed Achilles tendon in my good ankle. things will get better. all the comments I got on here were very positive and reasuring . they were very helpful. best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Hi everyone, well I am 14 weeks into recover which was going well with

physio ,  still limping, but getting about without any aids

howeber I now have severe pain in the base of my foot, physio thinks it's either tendon problems or Plantar fasciitis has anyone else had this as a result of a break ? And have you ant tips currently rolling my foot across a rolling pin, the pain is so bad at times I could scream 

so no heels for me for a while longer 

I'm 18 weeks post op and I'm back to mostly normal besides not being able to run at all.  I have pain from my tendons on top of my foot and when I feel around the top of my foot I have a soft squishy mass there.  My PT says to message it, but it's more tender doing so.  Soft tissues it definitely the worse thing and longest to recover.  Maybe try a compression sock for your PF.

?Any one else have a soft mass under skin near a tendon?