Ankle ORIF
Posted , 12 users are following.
Hi,
I had ankle orif surgery on august 17th.
I had a surgical cast for a week and then a hard cast and was moved to a walking boot on the 29th september however, i was told i wasnt allowed to walk or start weight bearing.
I would just like to know other peoples experiences?
I will be back to see the doctor on October 20th. No signs of being able to weight bare.
How long did it take other people before they started to walk again? and was it difficult ?
1 like, 149 replies
leanne46572 georgia05996
Posted
Hi Georgia,
Im a few weeks behind you, trimalleolar fracture and dislocated on September 11th, surgery on September 20th. 4 weeks post surgery today. I have 2 plates and 10 screws in total.
Although i can't help too much i can tell you what i was told / expecting to happen.
2 weeks post surgery i went back back for cast cutting off, stitches removing, and moved into an aircast boot. After an xray I was given the go ahead to start range of movement in my ankle. At the moment this is only pointing up and down as far as can manage- which really isnt far /much at the minute. my foot doesn't sit properly in the boot, the heel rides up so i already know im gonna need extra work to stretch that properly when the time comes.
I am back in 2 weeks for another check up and x-ray and was told that provided the bones were healing properly i will get the go ahead to start party weight bearing then....
maybe you will be given the go ahead on October 20th? good luck! let us know how you get in.
Thanks, Leanne
georgia05996 leanne46572
Posted
Hi Leanne,
Thanks for getting back to me!
My time has finally come, xray today and now I can start 50% weight bearing!
I've now been put on the waiting list for physio and will hopefully be able to walk with the boot off in 5/6 weeks. Long but amazing!
The doctor said that most people have a screw out at the 12 week mark, the screw that goes right through the ankle but i'm not too sure I want to go ahead with that, what do you think?
pat21095 georgia05996
Posted
I was 7 weeks after surgery before I got the go ahead to start bearing some weight. Now I am 3 months out. The bones have healed. I am still having trouble walking.
georgia05996 pat21095
Posted
Oh no! Did you have any of the screws out?
Are you still having physio?
pat21095 georgia05996
Posted
I have had minimal pt on site but I have been working the regime. My last visit the x-ray was a little different angle. One of the screws went all the way through the tibia with 2 threads showing between the tibia and fibula. The surgeon will be back from family leave in a few weeks. At next appointment we will talk about removing the hardware.
leanne46572 georgia05996
Posted
ive not been told this (about screw removal) to be honest... but guess there's time, and i have heard others mention it in other posts. it was mentioned at some point in time in my 9 days in hospital that i could have all the hardware out in future but its all a bit of a blur now! I have done lots of reading on it and some mention about a screw snapping at some point...ouch and i think ive already come to the conclusion that when the time comes ill get them removed as looks like couple cause more trouble in the future- and im guessing it will be no where near as bad as the initial surgery. Where are you based? do you think you'll have it removed? The waiting list for physio isnt great for you either. Have you dared try anything today? gosh its a nightmare going through all of this isnt it?
georgia05996 leanne46572
Posted
Well I wasn't told about screw removal until my last check up Wednesday, they want to take the long screw out (the one that snaps). I asked if it would make a difference and the doctor said no, even if it snaps. So, for now, I'm going to keep it in! I can't cope with anymore time in hospital hahahaha.
I'm based in Wythenshawe hospital. How about you?
I've been trying to weight bare today but i'm so anxious with it! I either think i'm doing too much or too little I don't know where the line is haha and they don't really tell you much, they just expect you to know.
It's such a nightmare! How is your pain?
leanne46572 georgia05996
Posted
I'm in West Yorkshire, was treated at Huddersfield HRI. Shouldn't complain too much but i found info difficult to get out of them at times too! it's so hard to think about anything else, especially when we're sat/laid around for weeks on end.
i cant believe that there's a waiting list for your physio- did they say how long? When i read that last night i got in touch with an old friend today who is a physio and asked him to help me, when I'm told i can get moving i really want to push. He's been very informative today giving some range of motion exercises to do and i already feel a bit better knowing i have the start of some kind of plan. My pain is much better now, i did stop all meds 4/5 days after surgery. The worst i found was 1-3 weeks post surgery when i was getting awful nerve shooting pains, thats definitely calmed down and my ankle does feel a lot more sturdy and less vulnerable so i guess that's a good sign things are healing as they should. Still quite swollen on one side but improving every few days. My whole foot is bruised a deep blue and that just started coming out this last week, but since that the numbness is improving also. Its one thing after another!
How you finding the healing/ pain side?
I envy you been a bit ahead but can also imagine how intimidating it must be knowing how far too push! i guess you can ease yourself into it can't you, i really hope you aren't waiting long for physio!!
Keep me posted
georgia05996 leanne46572
Posted
They didn't mention how long it would be for physio, they just said it depends! I've been trying to get the ankle moving myself but it is still so swollen and stiff.
Don't worry about it being swollen still, mine is still very much swollen (still cant see my ankle hahahahaha) I think thats partially my fault because I haven't been resting as much as I should and have been going to work since literally 5 days after surgery. So if I can recommend anything I would say make sure you REST as much as you can and keep it elevated most of your day, it will def speed up your healing process.
My healing process has been hard because one of my scars wasn't healing and had to go on antibiotics for it. This just caused it to constantly sting, which it still does but not as bad. But other than that there isn't much pain, just a few twitches and aches. I'm completely numb around one of my scars also.
It's a sigh of relief knowing I'll hopefully have the boot off completely in 6 weeks but I'm not looking forward to learning to walk again, so much hassle!
anna29420 leanne46572
Posted
Hi Leanne!
i see you mentioned nerve pain, how long did this last? I'm 5 days post op today and the nerve pain is the worst, fine when im resting but when i use my crutches or scooter i get tingling pain in my heel and outside of my foot the rest of my pain is fine! i hope it eases off soon!!
leanne46572 anna29420
Posted
Hi Anna,
My nerve pain eased around 4 weeks post surgery. Dont get me wrong I still have a few pangs but its no where near as bad. I was prescribed amitriptyline from the GP for it but was too scared of coming off it to take as described. If you are finding it too much to handle you should contact the doc to discuss further. Codeine or oxycodone won't help as its a different pain killer you need.
I was moved into a boot 2 weeks post surgery when the Stitches were removed and found this to help as i could take my boot off and physically touch my heel and foot. My heel was completely numb following surgery and feeling is just starting to come back better, Im 5 weeks post surgery today. Keep going!
anna29420 leanne46572
Posted
ah thanks!!
im okay when im resting or sat but seem to get the shooting pain and like a numbness/nerve ache in my heel and outside of my foot when im stood, although this isnt all the time! it seems to come and go. i had a nerve block behind my knee so unsure if thats the cause. i feel cramping too and just want to rip this cast off!! haha
ill contact the GP if it gets any worse, i havent needed any pain relief since day 2!
I have a 4 month old so resting all the time is difficult!
leanne46572 georgia05996
Edited
oh no, what a nightmare-I really hope you're not waiting too long for physio!! guess im lucky everything healed ok on the surface then at least, poor you!
What exercises have you been doing? Ive just started circular movement this last few days and mine is soooo stiff- not so bad with up and down, but im so reluctant on the circular stuff. its stiff but hey ive made a start, the movements are very wonky and jerky.
We need to remember this is clearly a long journey we're going on and its a marathon not a sprint 🤣
although geeze.... getting upstairs to the toilet on my backside so many times a day, i certainly feel like ive run a marathon!
keep in touch, be great to hear how you're getting on and when EVENTUALLY we're both up and about in some fashion!
this site is a godsend for this!
georgia05996 leanne46572
Posted
Hi Leanne,
I finally heard about physio today and what a nightmare!!
At my appointment the other week I was told I can start weight bearing and my next app will be december 1st and my doctor said up to then you can go from 0% wb to 100% ready to take the boot off on the 1st december. I asked him if I would get any help with that because I have no idea how to do that right and he said yes I would have physio up to the 1st december.
I rang physio today who gave me an appointment of january 7th???? NEXT YEAR!
Over a month after I get my boot off and start walking???? how does that work..
I called the hospital and the fracture clinic who haven't really done much but hey ho...
to make matters worse, my physio appointment isnt even at the hospital, its over the phone.... the nhs is going crazy
I'm thinking of going private for physio who can get me in next week...
Adam_ georgia05996
Edited
that's not good and i went private from the start, had my op private and if i have any issue i text the consultant secretary and i get a reply within the hour. my physio which starts in 2 weeks is the after care and also private. from all the stories i hear I'm glad i had private cover
georgia05996 Adam_
Posted
I think I may have to go private for it also. However, I've never had to go private for anything.
January 7th will be 21 weeks after I first broke my ankle and i'm no doctor but I think thats a crazy time to wait??
Adam_ georgia05996
Posted
Yes that's not right. i go private all the time now as i cant wait. my break might be different to yours, i broke mine 6 weeks ago, had surgery just under 2 weeks later (had to wait for swelling to go down) and had cast on 2 weeks post op. I'm now 4 weeks post op. physio booked to start in 2 weeks time as NWB for 6 weeks. just had 1 plate 7 screws on fibula break. thankfully i didn't need the screw through ankle.
i can move foot forward, backwards and make small circles and been doing them ROM exercise 3/4 times a day since I've been in the boot which was 2 weeks post op
what break did you have?
georgia05996 Adam_
Posted
Hmmm i'm thinking about it!
I had a trimalleolar fracture, ended in surgery
1 plate and 9 screws.
my surgery was pushed a few days due to complications in the theatre and then 2 weeks back slab cast 4 weeks normal hard cast and over 4 weeks in this walking boots with another 5 weeks to go.. started wb wed 20th october..
I'm meant to be having physio now until 1st dec in time to have my walking boot off (or so the surgeon said) but after my call to do it sounds as though i have to learn to walk myself.
So confused and every person I speak to seems to tell me different?
Adam_ georgia05996
Posted
So your break appears to be different to mine. if I've read right you were NWB for 10 weeks?
After 10 weeks of NWB you have been given a boot and told to WB but not given any real instructions?
I'm finding there is a lot of information out there and it can be contractive, I've taken the approach to trust my consultant etc but if i felt something was off then I would raise my concerns etc.
anna29420 georgia05996
Edited
thats crazy!! I cant believe that
I'm actually a physio myself and for ortho/fracture/post op patients we have to see you within 2 weeks of receiving the referral (unless stated otherwise for example if you were still non weight bearing)
if you have any questions feel free to give me a shout