After cast removed

Hi Lou,

My situation was a little different to yours as I needed surgery and was in a cast for 8 weeks after surgeryand had the airboot for 5 and the last week or so I haven't really worn it unless my ankle has been painful.

Without the boot was odd at first as it almost feels like my foot/leg was naked but have been out of the air walking boot for 5 or 6 weeks now. My issue is range of movement in the ankle. Due to being in a cast for so long my achilles was seriously stiff and also muscle loss in the entire leg.

I have needed physio for range of movement and strength but I am sure everyone is different in their needs.

You will hopefully be lucky ( and I will have my fingers crossed for you ) and you can just pop a pair of shoes on and walk but in all honesty you might need to give it a bit more time.

Hopefully you won't have lost much muscle/range but while not being a doctor I assume that there is always some after the period of time non weight bearing!

Good luck and I hope you get the cast off and it goes really well!

Apologies I forgot to add.

I have found that it more comfortable wearing shoes than having bare feet, I think it provides some additional support

Good luck

Hi Lou! I broke my fibula at the ankle but no surgery. My experience was also a little different in that I was non weight bearing for 5 weeks. Hopefully you haven’t experienced as much muscle loss since you have at least been partial weight bearing for some of that time. Like Freddy one of my biggest issues was the mobility in my ankle. I hadn’t moved it for 5 weeks and it was all locked up. I am now at 8 weeks and after 3 weeks of stretching my ankle I have gotten some of my movement back but far from all. After my cast I was moved to a boot for 2 weeks but allowed to take it off and stretch my ankle. I have now been in a stiff ankle brace since Friday which does not allow my ankle to move when I walk but I still take off the brace and stretch it in the evenings. We can hope you’ll be able to just take off your cast and go but I think it’s more likely that you’ll have a few more phases to go through before you’re there. I wish you the best of luck as you heal!

Hi lou! I broke my fibula with ligament damage last month requiring surgery. I was non weight barring for 6 weeks.

After my cat was removed I was placed in a air cast ankle brace and told to weight bare as tolerated. The immediate pain I felt walking was my bottom heel! Which lasted for days my making it hard to walk on. Also i had alot of stiffness still do but it improving every day I'm not doing any physio either I'm stretching walking on my own..I was able.to walk with a limp unassisted without the crutches on my 5th day with my brace!! Hopefully you'll have a speedy recovery!! Good luck to you!

Sounds like you are doing very well and healing quickly.  Pumice stone should help with your dead skin.  I think physical therapy would be helpful just so you know the right way to proceed.  It took me longer for a simple 5th metatarsal break.....4wks. NWB cast, then 4 wks. high boot, transition to walking with walker.  Continued good luck to you.  

Hi

Have you recovered ?