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Ankle ligament surgery

Posted , 5 users are following.

00julianne00
00julianne00

Hi, i had ankle ligament surgery on 26th oct i was in a cast for 2 weeks no weight bearing then into a moon boot (which i think was pretty fast). I have to stay in the moon boot for 4 weeks and gradually start to put weight on and do the exercise they have given me but its absolutely killing me & my ankle is still so stiff i can barely move it. Maybe I'm being to hard on myself as its not been that long but i feel like i haven't improved.

When i go back to see the surgeon in 4 weeks time they expect me to be walking with no crutches... that scares the hell out of me!. I haven't seen a physio yet as ive to wait 4 weeks. I just need to rant lol!!

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • melissa91009
    melissa91009 00julianne00

    Posted

    Hi. I had two lateral ligament reconstructions and an arthroscopy for extensive arthrofibrosis and a talar dome lesion. (8mm). After surgery I was in agony. I was having endone because of the pain! After the cast came off (9 days) I was in terrible pain. I was crying and it too, me a few weeks to be able to use it at all. It's all normal and it will get very swollen and very painful. Just take it easy. Moving it slowly and carefully and don't let them push you. Movement is very important though. 

     I had to be in my moon boot longer than usually due to hip surgery and post op bleed after hip op. I now need further ankle surgery due to scar tissue build up in my ankle 😧. Take it easy ??

    • 00julianne00
      00julianne00 melissa91009

      Posted

      Sounds like you had alot done & more to go poor you! Hope you are getting better, since i posted 3 days ago i am feeling alot better my walking is improving but not so good with the exercises my ankle is still really stiff. I think i done to much walking yesterday as ive been in alot of pain today. But feeling alot better 😊

  • Ankle_Surgery
    Ankle_Surgery 00julianne00

    Posted

    I was in same situation, I called doc sooner, and he managed an appointment and said he is upset that I’m not trying enough!!! I was 6 week in cast and he said I should be with no crutches in less than 2 weeks. Actually I tried to walk more and reached to the goal. Movement is very important though.
    • 00julianne00
      00julianne00 Ankle_Surgery

      Posted

      Wow that pretty tough that he said you weren't trying enough! Thats pretty fast to be walking without crutches but thats good you got there in the end 😊 my walking has came on heaps I'll be down to 1 crutch soon. The exercises are hard as my ankle is so stiff but I'll get there 😊

  • keeponsingin
    keeponsingin 00julianne00

    Posted

    Wow, very different from my experience!

    I was in a cast for 6 weeks following my surgery and was NWB for the first 4!! (also never had a boot) But as soon as the day came that I was allowed to throw my crutches away, believe me, I did. It took a little while for me to be able to walk, and yes, it was painful, but it was also liberating! I went on a trip to Target with my mom and sisters and my mom thought I should use my crutches and I said no, I can do it...and I did, because I had the willpower to do it.

    I'm not saying that you're weak or anything, just saying my experience was not at all like yours. But, at some point, you do have to put on your big girl panties and just go for it.

    I'm also [assuming] that I'm quite a bit younger than you, and we all know that younger people tend to heal faster. I was only 16 almost 17 when I had my ligament reconstruction...so pretty damn young for a surgery like that.

    • 00julianne00
      00julianne00 keeponsingin

      Posted

      I could imagine as i cant wait to be walking without crutches they are a dam pain! Its amazing what we can do when we put our mind to it! Its true what you said tho as i tried 1 crutch today (maybe to early) but it wasn't that bad so i am getting there ive put my big girl pants on & gave myself a good talking to 😂.

      Thats probs why you healed faster as you where young, I'm 29 😊

    • keeponsingin
      keeponsingin 00julianne00

      Posted

      Yeah. I'm 26, so I'm not actually that much younger than you, just was a lot younger when I had my surgery...although I could possibly be facing a second one...I don't know. I go back to the ortho on Friday and he better order an MRI cause I pretty much told them to last time (6 weeks ago!), and I have a feeling I've done some pretty good damage...but hopefully I'm wrong! However, upon first examination my doctor said "hopefully we can fix this without surgery", so even he wasn't sure from the very beginning.

    • keeponsingin
      keeponsingin

      Posted

      Yup...facing a second surgery sad Either in January or February, depending on my OS schedule.

  • jana89782
    jana89782 00julianne00

    Posted

    I will be having surgery for my ankle soon, told my doctor that I'll have to do early next year. Since you all are familiar with it I'd like to know what to expect. I have two ligaments that are torn, the one next to it is sprained. I have a tendon on the back of my foot that's torn length wise, scar tissue and I am missing the groove in the fibula, I know she wants to repair the ligaments and tendon, remove the scar tissue and drill a little groove. All of that sounds scary, what's the extent of your injuries that lead to surgery. How bad was it?

    • Ankle_Surgery
      Ankle_Surgery jana89782

      Posted

      First of all accept the fact you are different from now on, REALLY.

      Two, never hurry for surgery, BUT that does not mean you are free to go, YOU HAVETO were special shoes (Boots) for ALWAYS.

      Then you would say ok I prefer to have surgery sooner then, But ACTUALLY it doesn’t change anything that much!

      If you can wear boots from now on, and forever, never go for surgery, at least give it a try for years, then if you have to then consider the surgery.

      So you have two options, wearing boots for ever & always or surgery and both of them should be with acceptance of that you are not going to be the pervious person ... really, just accept that... But not scary at all, Just do not hurry... DO NOT HURRY...

    • keeponsingin
      keeponsingin Ankle_Surgery

      Posted

      I'm gonna have to disagree here. If surgery is going to greatly improve the quality of your life, do it ASAP! Two, always wearing boots isn't a plausible answer like Ankle Surgery seems to think it is.

      When I had my surgery, I was only 16, almost 17, and we decided to do it ASAP because the quality of my life just sucked. My surgeon told me that my walking would always be screwed up if I didn't have the surgery, and that I would never (NEVER) be able to run or dance again, and I was a runner and dancer. So when this decision was made, I was still in school, so we scheduled the surgery for as soon as possible after school got out, and I couldn't be happier that I had the surgery. Yes, I am different, but in a very, very good way!! I wouldn't ever hesitate to tell someone to get this surgery done because it made my life 100% better.

    • Ankle_Surgery
      Ankle_Surgery jana89782

      Posted

      I also had two ligaments that were torn, "Tearing of CFL is noted and there is tear of ATFL as well." But I was totally happy in boots... I wish I have given it more time before surgery... everything I said is true, everything keeponsingin is saying is also true! "My surgeon also told me that my walking would always be screwed up if I didn't have the surgery", and also you would better never be able to run hard or dance aggressively again..., and these are true! But yet it does not change my suggestion!!!

       

    • keeponsingin
      keeponsingin Ankle_Surgery

      Posted

      I did not say "aggressively" because that wasn't the case. It was get the surgery or not be able to do those things at all!

    • 00julianne00
      00julianne00 jana89782

      Posted

      I sprained my ankle 2 years ago & continued to walk on it for years it done so much damage. My mri showed i had stretched & torn my ligaments & because everything was rubbing together i had created a cyst & alot of fluid, after months the pain got so severe i could barely walk i needed surgery asap. The surgeon said my ligaments were some mess & he had to tighten with screws. Before the op i got a nerve block (no pain after for up to 18 hrs) i couldnt feel a think afterwards. The recovery is exhausting my partner was my slave for 10 days 😂😂 (then he had to back to work) the first 2 weeks i just rested. Not going to lie the recovery is painful but take your painkillers like clockwork!! Hope it all goes well 😊

    • jana89782
      jana89782 00julianne00

      Posted

      I guess that's my biggest fear, current partner does absolutely nothing to help me out when I need him to, last surgery for an ectopic pregnancy and nothing. I'm planning on moving back into my own place early next year and my parents live 5 hrs away. I know this is something that would need help with. Sorry just venting now, thanks for the info on your experience however

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