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cant walk or move my ankle :(

Posted , 9 users are following.

gemma74500
gemma74500

I broke my ankle in 2 places late November, after an operation to put a plate and 5 screws one side and 3 screws the other, I was in cast for 7 weeks, had it removed 5 days ago and i still can't walk properly, I can walk on my tiptoes using my crutches but not on the sole of my foot, I believe this is because I cannot physically bend my ankle enough to make the movement, is anyone able to help or reassure me? I feel like everyone I've asked has got up and walked in like 3 - 5 days and I'm worried as I can't, I am not having any physiotherapy as of yet as I thought I would just try on my own but now thinking of getting some as I don't know what to do, does physiotherapy help? Or is it better to do it alone. Please help

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • synelg
    synelg gemma74500

    Posted

    Gemma - from what I've learnt from this site and from a friend who did something similar 14 months ago, walking at your stage is laughable.   It's going to take a LONG time.   My friend who broke her ankle 14 months ago and who is young and very fit told me she was still using one crutch after 7 months.   Go read a few other posts here gemma - you'll get the idea.  I broke my ankle 29th December - got screws and pins and still in cast.  I don't expect to be walking anytime soon.   Others will chime in here soon - it's a great site and everyone here is really supportive.   Take care.   XXX
  • Majikthyze
    Majikthyze gemma74500

    Posted

    Hi Gemma,

    You gotta get to see physio if not  yr GP.

    It doesn't sound good.

    I have been lucky so far.  Op for TAR was last Feb.

    Paul

  • Gill1111
    Gill1111 gemma74500

    Posted

    Hi Gemma, in the same boat. Broke my ankle beginning of November. I have four plates fitted. Just started physio two weeks ago. Once cast was off I literally froze, seemed as though I had forgot how to walk. Ankle like yours is so hard to bend.

    i do think you should go for physio as they give you exercises to help loosen up the ankle. Not be a quick fix but at least with their help you will be able to see an improvement.

    good luck

    • jannie26408
      jannie26408 Gill1111

      Posted

      Well said, same as you. Trying to just unlock ankle......slow and steady. Take good care Gill....👣
  • jannie26408
    jannie26408 gemma74500

    Posted

    Hi Gemma 

    sorry to hear of your accident. Mine was surgery Nov 28 for 2 breaks, plates and screws. I'm not even close to full weight bearing yet. Physio for coming up three weeks which I recommend highly to get started on your recovery. There from what I see no one time for any of us to know when we'll be doing what we think. I thought I'd be further along, but I'm not so I know it's hard but we're all in the same boat, so take good care of yourself and I'm trying to go day by day and see small changes daily, small but steady. 

    Keep on 👣

  • MsCamboot
    MsCamboot gemma74500

    Posted

    Hi Gemma !

    I don't know who you have been talking to but sorry I doubt very much they know NOTHING about broken ankles. I'm now 51/2 MONTHS POST SURGERY !Pates and screws all over my ankle as I shattered the lot with a dislocation. Surgeon said the worse end of the spectrum of ankle breaks. I have only JUST got rid of the camboot/ moonboot and that was walking with a crutch sometimes. I have had a very bad, long, hard road and still recovering. I'm at present walking very, very slowly in shoes and sometimes with a walking stick. I have a folding one. Most of the time I'm anxious in crowds as I feel I'm going to get bowled over. I have a very demanding physical job and still not back at work. I can't squat only bend over from my waist, I still have pain and especially after walking only a short distance, my ankle still swells, my ankles are different colours and the one recovering is slightly different looking, I still haven't full moment and physio and do the excercises, I can't go up and down stairs as I once did. I can't yet drive and I certainly can't run. The positive is I have come a long way through the tears and depression as I was very fit and active and I'm believing to get back to my previous level of fitness. I'm sick and tired of ignorant people who expect you to be up and running now. They know nothing about ankle breaks and I have to show them my X-ray on my phone so they can see my ankle is covered in plates and screws. I did show one young lass and she told me she couldn't read X-rays !!! Haha neither can I but anyone can see I wasn't born that way. That's stupid at its best. ! Don't even talk to people who haven't been through this because they can't possibly understand. You WILL get there but everyone is different with different degrees of breaks etc. Just be patient and let your ankle take all the time it needs. Be good to yourself and you will recover. All the best to you.

    • gemma74500
      gemma74500 MsCamboot

      Posted

      They didn't give me a moon boot, I had my cast taken off and the doctor just told me to stand up and walk on it I told him I couldn't and he asked me why, like I was supposed to be walking, he's signed me off for another week but that is it, feels like he's expecting me to walk in a week, also have a friend who went through similar experience and she's told me to sack my crutches off and just walk but I physically can't, the thought of it petrifies me sad my ankle feels like it's locked and if I move it il break it again sad don't know what to do as I have mixed messages sad 
    • MsCamboot
      MsCamboot gemma74500

      Posted

      Hi Gemma !

      Go and see another doctor for a second opinion. That just doesn't sound right to me. There was no way I could have got up and walked after I had my cast off. In fact it would be dangerous. One doctor told me to go home and take off the camboot and walk. I went home and fell !! I was in agony . I crawled to my mobile and had my daughter come over and take me for a X-ray as I thought I'd broken my foot. I couldn't weight bare at all and was back on crutches. I didn't break my foot and all the metal was still in place in my ankle but the pain was horrible. My leg was too weak and wasted to weight bare. I commenced physio and was not allowed to walk unaided until my leg and ankle got stronger. I'm still doing exercises to make them stronger.keep me posted Gemma

  • margaret00431
    margaret00431 gemma74500

    Posted

    Hi Gemma ,I broke both my ankles on the 14th July one the outer bone and the other all 3 bones so pinned and plated ,everyone's different but I am still not walking without pain and swelling everyday is different ,it is a severe injury and I am glad to be walking again ,I have finished my physio ,and just returned to work but struggling ,hang on in there need to talk I am here and know what your going through ,maggie
  • Pinoyboy
    Pinoyboy gemma74500

    Posted

    Gemma,

    i would see a PT rather than going through it on your own.  They can help you strengthen all the muscles in the efffected area.  Sometimes, we don't have the knowledge or equipment to do the same on our own.

  • Bailey12
    Bailey12 gemma74500

    Posted

    Hiya

    Don't panic. My surgery was at the end of August, 2 plates and 12 pins. I was 5 weeks in a cast and the same in the walking boot. The last few weeks in the boot I was allowed to remove it for short periods and try to flex my ankle and my toes, it took weeks before I could actually put weight on my ankle after being immobile for so long even with the crutches. I started off toe weight bearing then eventually as the range of movement returned to partial then full weight bearing. It is a really slow recovery and I'm not the most patient person but just had to accept that it was going to me longer than I thought. 1 doc told me that I would get physio almost straightaway but another told me I wouldn't until I could walk so I called the ortho clinic and asked them to refer me and I had my first session about 2 weeks later. Prior to that I had looked up some exercises online and also had access to physio thru my work. I felt as if I wasn't improving at all but eventually after about 4 months I could drive again. And I have been back at work now for the last few week just part time though. good luck with your recovery.

    • Bailey12
      Bailey12

      Posted

      Sorry Gemma forgot to add that I had 5 sessions 1 to 1 with the physio but am now attending rehabilitation clinic and have a range of exercises to try to strengthen the ankle that i do in the gym at the hospital. I am still a bit of pain in the ankle and take painkillers daily. The doctor told me that i have to understand that my ankle will not be like it was before the surgery and that I will always have discomfort in cold weather and if I stand for long periods. He also couldn't give me any indication as to when the pain would ease. 😁
  • Gill1111
    Gill1111 gemma74500

    Posted

    I came out of cast and only had boot for two weeks before seeing physio. He said to ditch boot and put full weight down. Impossible! Nearly everyone seem as though used the boot for at least a good few weeks.

    i was more mobile with boot now feel as though gone back.

  • Paulusdw
    Paulusdw gemma74500

    Posted

    Hello Gemma.

    I had broke my leg and 2 places on my ankle slipping getting out of the shower. I had surgery at the end of Sept 2015 and even though I returned to work 3 weeks ago, my ankle is that swollen I can't squat and walk with a bad limp. Be been having physio since the beginning of December and am getting frustrated on a daily basis that everybody including my gp is saying I should be fully recovered by 3 months, and totally unaided. What crap these "professionals" speak. My physio said that everybody is different and naturally recover at different levels. (My physio had metalwork as she calls it) so is patient and understanding. My personal opinion is that you should be now requesting physio (as I had to do) as the longer before you start the tougher and longer it will take to get  regain movement.

    I really understand what you are experiencing as I was exactly the same.

    I have done the exercises, massaging with e45, icing, elevation etc, and am still walking with a limp which gets worse the longer I stand. My work pattern is a 10 hour day.

    Take care and try to stay positive😊

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