Ankle ORIF

Hi Lynn,

In terms of the swelling that will improve in time, can take up to a year but the swelling and colour you're experiencing is normal, especially if it resolves with elevation?

For the numbness/hypersensitivity massage is good and also massaging with different textures and temperatures (such as warm and cold flannels/cloths etc) this again should resolve in time, nerves take a lot longer so usually that's the last part to resolve. I had the same but on the outside of my foot and with regular massage it is improving slowly - physio will show you how to do this if you ask them about desensitisation massage. Exercises will help too!

May be worth asking about a compression for the swelling if you're finding it is happening a lot 😃

If you are concerned about anything though definitely contact your surgeon/fracture clinic as they know more specifically about your surgery etc

Hi Lyn, I second everything Anna said!

With regards numbness my heel, half one side and my little toe were totally numb for weeks/ months... in fact it's only just started easing off now 9 week post surgery. Things do take time unfortunately which is the hardest in this horrible situation we all find ourselves in!! Now im WBAT, the bottom half of my leg from calf all the way down the whole of my foot goes blue, orange, all sorts of weird and wonderful colours, but this did also happen when i was showering quite early on. I really hope you heal well, and feel free to ask whatever you like.. it's kept me sane this whole time, so good to speak with people going through the same thing, keep us up to date with how you're getting on. Take care

Hi Lynn,

Firstly this isn't a private chat at all so feel free to jump in.

of course we can only offer our experience and every thing seems to be different for everyone.

what you have described does not seem unusual, in terms of breaks, sounds like you had a bad one.

keep going and wiggle your toes, point your toes as much as you can up until you go to physio, 4 times a day, me doing my own ROM exercises before physio has really helped me gain movement back quickly.

I have been PWB for just over a week now, I put about 35% through my bad leg at moment. My surgeon & physio have a see how you go approach but looking to FWB within 2 weeks. i walk around my flat with 1 crutch and now and again with no crutches just the boot.

Keep positive you will get there, I'm 40 and very athletic so know how it feels to not be doing what you want, when you want

Adam

Hi Lynn,

Welcome to the group! 😃

It's nice to share your progress with people who are experiencing the same thing.

I get swelling still and I'm 14 weeks into this so don't worry, so much so that my shoe won't fit on still and I have my final appointment tomorrow haha. But everyone is different it seems! I think elevating and resting seems to be the only thing that calms it really.

Thank you to all of you!

It is so nice to hear other people's experiences and to hear that I'm not on my own with some of the strange experiences that I'm going through!

I went out for dinner with my cousin last night (first time I've seen her in 3 yrs as she lives in the US, so I was determined!) and by the time I got home my toes were like little stuffed chipolata sausages and my ankle was twice its normal size, including the current swelling. Wow! It just felt all sorts of wrong. The positives were that I managed to safely navigate some steps, both up and down, without any help and felt quite chuffed with myself and my new skills!

This morning I put my boot back on and walked on it again and it seemed to settle down and I have been sat with it up most of the day, watching Grey's Anatomy (it makes me feel better when I watch other people's catastrophes, even though I do know it's all made up!!). I have looked up some physio exercises (thank you for the advice Adam) so have spent the time gently moving/pushing my ankle as much as possible and it does actually ease up. I will keep working on this to help my ROM.

Thank you again for your kind words of advice and reassurance. I will keep posting and updating on my progress and look forward to reading your achievements too.

Lynn

That's great Lynn!- little gains are what matters and i also found stairs much easier to navigate when you can put some weight through the bad one. take care and keep in touch

How amazing is greys anatomy!! What season are you on? I'm half way through watching the whole thing again hahaha

Great news! Sounds like youre getting on really well!

my 6 weeks appt went fine, allowed to FWB as tolerated and wean crutches and boot as i feel able, saw the physio and given some exercises but shes happy for me to do my own rehab, allowed to start back on my spin bike.

Expects me to be walking normally by 6 weeks but we shall see how it goes

So far feels good to weight bear just odd sensation as part of my heel is still numb, but can live with that as no pain/swelling as of yet

that's great adam! well done to you! sorry i didnt see your post, i answered on a different page- not the easiest to navigate is it this site?! I've had a much better week- around 50% with 2 crutches, nearly down to 1 but managing up and down the stairs in my house which is just the best 😊 dare i say I can now finally begin to see some light at the end of the tunnel.... hope ive not spoken too soon there...

You are so lucky in terms of the swelling- i still have a monster swell site on 1 side of my ankle which flares up daily but i guess i hope with time that will get better.

well done to

sounds good to me, great to hear, I'm FWB around my flat and similar getting no reaction really so both doing well by sounds of it

It's ok and yeah this site is a bit difficult to make sure all comments have been replied to when there are a lot of comments.

Physio said swelling just depends on how someone body reacts. we will get there

I found the crutches made it more awkward so I'm FWB without them at home and it feels good!

Keep us posted how you're getting on!

Hi everyone,

Sounds like you are making really good progress @Adam_. Fantastic!! And great that you aren't suffering with any swelling. It will feel amazing to be back in normal footwear!

I had my first physio session on Monday. It went really well and they took all the normal baseline measurements regarding ROM so I have something to work on. Also working on transferring more and more weight onto my right foot. Yesterday my foot certainly let me know it had been given a good workout but today is fine again, so exercises for me today! I am the same as you @anna29420 in that my heel is still quite numb and it feels very strange when I put weight through it. I am still bum shuffling up the stairs @leanne46572 so brilliant that you have reached such a milestone. Like you, I still have swelling around the ankle bone, but good to know that this seems normal.

I was amazed how much of my reluctance and tentativeness to put any weight on my foot has been psychological. With the physio beside me I was able to gently transfer about 75% weight onto my right ankle. With him telling me that my ankle is reinforced with heavy duty metal, it's not going to crumble underneath me and supporting me while I did it, I suddenly realised that I cannot be frightened of the first "twinge" as I put weight onto that foot. I think that sometimes the medical experts don't take account of the mind in recovery times and underestimate the difference it can make to our progress. My physio definitely gave me much more confidence.

Anyway, seems we are all making great progress and thank you for the updates. xx

I can't say i found the crutches difficult in any way but I totally enjoy not using them, i even went out for dinner last nignt in just my boot

i think its more i got annoyed with them because i couldnt carry anything haha, ive been using a scooter whilst NWB so havent used them at all really

ahh amazing!! im going out for lunch today and just going to go in the boot

tried weight bearing at home without and its just feeling weak, hows that bit going for you?

sounds like youre doing amazing @lynnie1972, i definitely think the Psychological aspect is a massive part of recovery, And unfortunately that is the bit that is most forgot about especially when it comes to consultants. but it sounds like you have a great physio, I’m sure you will keep progressing from now onwards.

when I started weight-bearing on Monday I initially couldn’t do it, and then one of my physio friends came round and with her encouragement I am now walking on the boot without any crutches. It seems a little bit of Reassurance and motivation from someone else makes the world of difference. keep going!!

So only started physio 2 weeks ago but i have been walking around at home with no boot and feels ok, gets stronger by the day. Don't get me wrong doesn't feel back to normal but feels better etc.

next big steps for me are walking without boot in trainers which i should be able to do Monday.

Driving which i think will be end of December early Jan and same for running

Hi Everybody! My name is Chesney and I broke my ankle October 24th. I am at 6 weeks post break! I had my surgery October 27th and they put in 10 pins, 2 screws, and a rod. I had a surgical cast and then a softer one and I am currently in an Aircast boot! I am on strict NWB until they can't see my fracture line. I have noticed my skin on my entire leg is so flaky like I can barely rub it and it looks like it snowed! I have unimaginable nerve pain and I have meds but they don't do much. They have cleared me to take a shower but I am terrified on how that would work out being NWB. I don't use crutches because I had a little stumble but caught myself and that scared me to use crutches so I use a wheelchair to maneuver around and my mom has been such a big help! my concerns are like right below and behind my knee I will have crazy pain did anybody else? and it feels like I have something on the bottom of my foot but my mom has looked and nothing is there could it be a layer of dry dead skin or skin trauma? this is my first broken bone and of course it happened my senior year of high school! I am very new to all of this and any help/suggestions/recommendations send my way! Thank you all!

Hi Chesney, welcoming to the group! i cant offer much advice on the pain behind the knee as this wasnt something i suffered- keep up with the ice element and meds if needed. The pain underfoot could be nerve related, try looking up some nerve pain desensitisation techniques maybe- they certainly wont harm. With regards the skin, a vitamin e cream is what i would recommend, that will get better quite quickly for you hopefully. Get yourself a shower stool sorted so you can sit and be as comfortable as possible in the shower.

i hated the crutches too and survived with an office chair downstairs while NWB, others recommend a knee scooter. When you get the all clear for WB the crutches are a lot easier when you can put your foot down. I know it may seem that nothing is getting better but trust me it is and it will all get better! Ill be 11 week post surgery on Monday and things are just starting to come together for me, you must also remind yourself that it's not a race, everyone's recoverys are different. Take care and be kind to yourself! keep up to

how we doing everyone?? I've had a really good few days- since tackling the stairs there's been no stopping me. Down to 1 crutch in barefoot, socks or trainers and Friday started teeny tiny hobbling baby steps around without any support.... I suddenly thought my foot felt strong enough and just did it. Physio yesterday said things so go fairly quickly now. Ill be 11 weeks post op tomorrow! excited to see what this next few weeks brings now. Hope you're all seeing progress too!

Hello Leanne,

I am definitely realizing that it's not a race and this is a process. I will be looking into that vitamin E cream thank you so much for that! I had no idea what you could use on something like this. i am planning on getting a knee scooter when i'm on partial WB ! i just don't want to risk it being NWB. i'm definitely a scaredy cat i just dont want to chamce messing up anything before its fully healed! i have tried the nerve desensitisation i really like plastic forks just softly rubbing and tapping along my leg and microfiber cloths! Thank you so much for getting back with me!

Great progress!! Sounds like you're flying through it now 😃

Ive been able to weight bear for a week, started just in the boot no crutches and managing at home to walk without anything, until today! The boot is irritating me and making my ankle ache/stiff when I'm wearing it, its like its dragging my ankle down, and when I'm walking in it its like my ankle want to move naturally as I'm almost back at full range, but because the boot stops this its getting annoyed, so Ive been out of it more and using 1 crutch when at home, then trying to tolerate the boot whilst I'm out and about just whilst it gets stronger. Putting it down to weakness and ligaments etc working overtime to support, hopefully the next week my strength will continue to progress! Returned to driving with no issues, so having that freedom again is great. just taking each day as it comes

Oh gosh, i hated the boot from day 1! Ive not worn it since given permission to weight bear. Its taken time and like you said the soft tissue etc was the problem but this last week or so it's sooo much stronger. No more pains or pangs from the foot or heel which is another milestone I guess. Anna you're doing amazing! driving.....wow.... I'm really missing that... I miss my car ☹️ hopefully soon though!!

Hi Chesney,

First and foremost the flaky skin is fairly normal, I had that but now mine has gone as soon as I could take it out the boot etc

I would get a Limbo (Big bag kinda thing and bath) that's what I did. I was also NWB 6 weeks post op and and then started to PWB - I'm now 8 weeks post op.

So personally try to get back on the house with regards to using crutches, It is good for mental well being to be able to get around even if you are NWB. So you mentioned you in Senior year at high school. You are young so you will heal and you will heal well. For example I am 40 and this is 6th bone I've broken (all be it the worst break) so if I can overcome it then I know you will my friend.

anytime you need to chat, then we are all happy to