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Bruised/swelling/warm feeling under scar months after orif surgery

Posted , 3 users are following.

ziggyp
ziggyp

Hello all,

I had orif surgery on my right ankle at the end of March 2020, after breaking and dislocating it while ice-skating (I was just standing there talking to my coach and tripped backwards somehow - I'm told I need to work on this story to make it sound more like I was landing from a triple somersault, still need to work on that drama - though trust me to do this just as lockdown hit, I think that's dramatic enough, and having xrays and surgery in a deserted hospital was a very weird experience!). After it happened I came on here a few times and it was really encouraging and informative to read about other people's experiences. I had a metal plate and 7 screws fitted.

It took a lot longer than I thought to recover from. I broke my toe three times before (on the same foot - maybe I should trust my left leg more) and the recovery from that was quite quick, and I naively thought ankles would be the same... How wrong I was! It took months to be able to walk normally again for more than a few minutes after the boot came off, and a lot longer to be able to walk downstairs normally rather than like a toddler putting both feet on each step slowly. I didn't get any follow up after the surgery, and no physio at all, because of lockdown. But eventually I was able to function more or less normally again, I am wearing heeled boots again (nothing unreasonable, just a block heel), I can walk downstairs and dance around the kitchen while cooking, and I can wear my walking shoes (which didn't fit for months) and walk for hours in the countryside with my wonderful partner...

It still hurts at times, mostly the tendons and soft tissues and my toes and it doesn't worry me too much as any pain goes away and I am pretty much functioning normally with an occasional 'ouch'.

Until four days ago, when I got out of bed and the top of my scar was really hurting, and very painful to the touch. I assumed it was because I'd started wearing a different pair of jeans with a thicker seam and the boots I'm wearing must have pressed the seam too hard on the scar site, so switched to leggings when going out of the house, and my usual barefoot and loose pj trousers when in. It felt better instantly and I can now touch it without it feeling that sharp level 6 out of 10 pain. I thought, so far so good, it's just going to be fine now. But although I haven't worn those trousers or boots or put pressure on it for 2 days now, and it doesn't look particularly swollen or red, it feels hot to the touch, and not just the top of the scar now, the heat has spread to the entire length of it. If it goes on of course I'll call my GP after the weekend, but I'm curious to know if anyone has experienced this too? Months of struggling, then significant recovery, then suddenly heat along the scar, that can definitely be felt to the touch?

I'm not worried but would appreciate other people's opinion about whether they ever experienced this too.

Thanks in advance 😃

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • johann42920
    johann42920 ziggyp

    Posted

    Did you have a screw placed across the y to of your foot to repair the ligament? If you did they are supposed to snap after around 6 months. It should all heal fine but can cause initial pain (so I'm told) I had the same injury in April but I still have limited movement and continual discomfort. Also, just wondering, do you still have any bruising? The inside of my ankh is still bruised which worries me. I also have no feeling in my little toe. I'm not sure if it's worth mentioning to my consultant, would you?

    • ziggyp
      ziggyp johann42920

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply. Not sure about a 'snappable' screw, they didn't mention it at the time, it's not on my paperwork, the swelling and soreness have gone, so I think I was right about boots and denim causing the issue. I sympathise about the bruising, as I had some bruising for months, mostly on the inside of my ankle too, I did struggle with swelling, regular pain and difficulty with stairs till around August and September too, after which it started getting better very quickly, and within two or three weeks from then I could wear all my shoes again, including my walking boots which I couldn't bear to have on for months after the initial injury. I didn't think my ankle would ever look like it's normal pre-surgery self, but it looks normal again now.

  • ca04868
    ca04868 ziggyp

    Posted

    wait i broke my ankle figure skating too!! And I had this same problem!! My scar was always "tender" mainly cause its right at the edge of where the hooks in the skate is so outside edges always rubbed against it so i started wearing bungas! it worked a little mainly enough to make it ignorable but not 100% gone and then randomly one day it just started hurting! like couldnt even rub against it. I got this wear NSAID cream from my doctor but it still never fully went away. its like tolerable i guess now. I also have a plate and screws

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