Cast is off..........but now there's pain.

hmmm chocolate, problem is, I've put so much weight on since I broke my ankle, I'm trying hard not to succumb...:-) 

I hadn't been back on here for a while and missed your experiences Tosh, good to see  you're on the mend though, sorry you've had to go back to 2 crutches.  I had to do that for a while, mainly because of my shoulder pain, plus I was walking a bit weird on one crutch.  Back to one now, but it's better to walk correctly on two than walk incorrectly on one.  

Denise

Great ideas. And yes, I will look for the exercise tips. I do find myself getting out more each day (as you can tell...!) but I'm going slow at this. I guess because I know my ankle is still broken so I don't want to eliminate all the healing.

Why would you be back on crutches are all the healing you have done?

Teri

Hi Tosh....I tried to link to the website you mentioned but was unable to. Could it be because I'm in the States?

Anyhow, I did find other sites and one of the ideas was writing out the alphabet with your foot, in capitals, small letters and italic.

Thanks for this idea of getting exercises!

Teri

I was just wondering was you all in pain with your cast on. I ment to be getting my cast off on Friday and my dr wants me to start weight bearing hopefully I will get a removable cast but it will be 8 weeks since I had the screw in my ankle and it's still sore don't really fancy putting any weight on it. Also how long did it take for you too start driving? Thanks

Mine was very painful Jamie, I was told to try and weightbear two or three weeks after the break, but it was far too painful.  I started weightbearing about a week before the cast came off, it was still painful.  I was sent for physio immediately after the cast came off, it was still swollen and painful.  In fact, I still get pain and it;s still swollen, although it's much improved.  I've only been off both crutches about a week, and I didn't start driving until then.  I'm currently at four months.  

Thanks for your reply..God I've along time too go yet then I'm dreading it..just bothered incase I put weight on it and it goes again did they say how long your physio will take? My dr wants me too get my screw out on Friday even tho my surgeon said it will never need taking out unless it irritates me hope it stops in be another couple ov weeks set back

I'm eight weeks post fracture, ankle was a stable fracture but I also broke the base of my fifth metatarsal which needed a screw. Still no weight bearing, both the ankle and foot ache, back in on Tuesday to hopefully go to next stage. Surgeon told me before he operated that I will get athritis and that the screw will need to come out, so plenty more to look forward to after the weight bearing and physio.

Remember that everyone is different Jamie, speak with your physio about recovery time.  I was told that it could swell up to a year or so after the break.  Which bone did you break?  Mine was a weber b fracture, on the joint, I think the joint has been my main issue.  

Hi Jamie

my cast came off approx 8 weeks ago and was told to weight ear straight away which I couldn't do and had to wait for 12 days before my first physio appt. started basic foot flexibility exercises and tried to weight bear and slowly but surely I was able to. Take it easy as your body will tell you if you're doing too much. 

As Denise stated, everyone heals at a different rate. I too thought my recovery was too slow relative to others but depending on the severity of your injury, your recovery will take place but you need to be patient.

14 weeks aftere my triple fracture and dislocation, I can walk without crutches but even this is very slowly and I tire very quickly.

most important is to get a physio appt the day your plaster comes off and go armed with any questions you may have.

 

Mine was a Webber c dislocated my ankle broke my ankle and broke my leg the 1st week they misdiagnosed it as a broken ankle and sent me home the week after I went to the fracture clinic I thought I was just going to get a new cast on but I had to go for an emergency surgery..what sort ov things do they have you doing in physio?

Did they give you a removable boot tosh?

Hi Jamie

After the cast came off I was send home and told to wait for a physio appt.

my doctors approach was "we want you to be weightbearing straightaway and no boots, air cast or supporting"

I'm guessing your feeling the vulnerability of an ankle without a cast, supports or boot? This is quite normal and you will feel protective for the first week and then you soon come to realise that the human body is quite amazing in it's ability to recover (with help from the doctors & physio staff) and then you begin to push forward with exercises without pushing too far.

How far to push is again an individual experience based on individual pain thresholds, commitment to exercises and guidance from your physio.

trust all this is helpful.

Hi Jamie

if you look under the discussion "5 weeks after ORIF" there is a link to a PDF download from the Leicester NHS "Physiotherapy following an Ankle Fracture". This is very useful as I was given nothing when I had my cast taken off until first physio session 12 days later. 

Please push for your physio appt sooner rather than later.

Thanks tosh feel abit better reading your other page what too expect etc..I hope they don't give me the removable boot now I will just become reliant on that I best take my trainer just in case haha

Did anyone have a sloped foot after they had there cast off? Just hoping it's just stiff and will go back to normal after a couple ov days

Hi all...I know it's been a while since I've been on here. I did get the cast off and my ankle is fine.

Like you Jamie, I do have a sloped ankle, and I'm in my 4th month of recovery.

My biggest problem though isn't my ankle. It's my FOOT. When I walk, the portion where my toes bend is excrutiating. When I called the doctor two days after getting my cast off - knowing something isn't right - he refused to see me and said it was normal and to give it time. Well, that was 5 weeks ago, post-cast. I can still barely bend my toes, so walking is painful. I do go back tomorrow and I'm going to insist that he take xrays of my foot.

My physical therapist says this sometimes happens because a foot tightens up when the ankle is broken, so it pulls the rest of the foot to where it hurts. But I know my toes shouldn't hurt this bad.

Just wondering if the rest of you had foot pain after getting your casts off??

Hope you're all doing well.

Teri

Hi Jamie

Hope you're able to flex your foot a little more now and able to bear some weight? I remember trying to flex my foot/ankle constantly after the cast came of and it became an obsession but this was good as the joint was so stiff.

Have you had any physio yet?

For me it's now 11 weeks since the cast came off and I'm able to walk well but slowly. Still having to exercise everyday but it's worth it.

 

Hi Teri

How're the toes? Did your x-ray reveal anything?

I didn't have any pain when the cast came off

Tosh

it seems a lot better than it was got quite abit of movement in it now started a little bit of weight bearing over the weekend can't do to much though as my foot starts to swell up..I start my pysio on Thursday I'll let them show me what to do not sure what to do tbh Dr didn't show me how to weight bear or give me any advice

I've been doing the same thing, now my muscles (or should I say wasted muscles) are killing me.

Hi no your toes should not be sore👎 I had an ankle replacement in 2008 & left one 7 wks ago. When my cast came off in 2008 I had pain & swelling. But it came good in the end. This time seems a lot easier with walking boot. No pain . Fingers x still no pain when boot comes off permanently 👍 good luck with your recovery

Hi Teri

Yep, I'm concerned about the pain and discomfort I have in my foot across the top of ankle joint an across the base of toes on the top, it's a real hutt feeling that something is not right, so next doc appointment will be an interesting one.

Honey I am just about 5 wks since triple break in ankle and have plates am having dreadful Sharpe shooting pains down the sides where the scars are . Did you have this at all ? Getting worse every day. Off to hospital Friday and plaster off again for x rays and then assume back in plaster. Leg elevated all the time but just wanted to know if normal or not ? Thankx Carol