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

Hi Sue

I have just had my cast removed after 8 weeks and have the same problem. The pain in my heel when i try to walk is absolute agony. Just wondering how long the pain continued for you? And if you are ok now?

Hi this is week 11 for me now after fracturing my ankle and tearing all ligaments in foot. I came out of walking boot a few days ago and on two crutches still. The heel pain is real bad for me also and the whole ankle hurts alot when trying to walk. My knee is also giving me grief now.

Hi Sharon. I am so glad to hear that you have pain under the heel - that sounds awful. I don't mean I am glad that you have pain but you have written exactly descrfibes my situation. I had my plaster off last 6 days ago and have a walking boot. I am in agony with the pain under my heel and nearly at the point of phoning the hospital to ask for advice. Now I realise others are going through similar pain - which hopefully will gradually get better - I feel hopeful.

james, 

you shouldnt feel the plate in your leg. i would be very very careful trying to walk on your leg just coming out of a cast. If im correct, and have been thru the cast, 2 plates, 3 screws, i expereinced that i felt like my leg was being electricuted, and sharp pain and thats all normal. I wouldnt think that you would be able to put any weight on your leg just coming out of a cast. I would talk to your dr before you try to attmpt weight bearing. 

good luck

Hi Susan, I was so relieved when my cast came off! Having a walking boot on instead seemed to open up a whole new range of possibilities. My consultant said that my foot would hurt when I put any weight on it and he was right! However, you need to push through it to help it to heal. The difficulty is judging the difference between ‘good’ pain – a bit like after going to the gym, you are aching but you know it is going to make you stronger in the end, and ‘bad’ pain – you have overdone it. I started gently, practising just putting it down to touch/brush the floor as I walked through with the crutches, then a little later the same day I put a little weight on indoors walking from one room to another, then having a rest and did it again.I didn’t take any painkillers because I wanted to be in tune with how it felt. I was nervous about doing myself damage but building up little by little increased my confidence. The next day I would put a little more weight on it, or do the same walk more times. After a few days we went outside and I walked down the road & back. The next day we went a couple of lampposts further and just increased it a bit each day. I found that it hurt less the next day each time and soon built up to a 1.5 mile round trip. I put an ice pack on it when I got back each time. All these walks were with the walking boot on. With a physio’s help I am now up to walking without the boot indoors on one crutch and I’m alternating the boot with a sandal on two crutches outdoors. I have been out of the cast for 3 weeks. I must say that going to the physio made a tremendous difference for me. She squeezed, pulled, pressed, twisted my foot with a surprising amount of pressure. It reassured me that I wasn’t going to hurt myself doing what I was doing! I did have to take painkillers after the first session, as she predicted, but it was worth it because I am now moving so much better. Everyone’s experience of pain is different but I would echo what my consultant said – listen to your body, push it gently to do a bit more each time and keep building on the progress you have made. I know it sounds weird but mentally try to view the aches and pains as your friend, a sign that everything is starting to move again and ever so gradually get back to normal & follow your doctor’s advice regarding painkillers. I certainly found that even though it hurt, the more I got my foot moving, the more I could do the next day. Good luck – the cast coming off will be your first major noticeable step towards full recovery!

Hi Susan, I was so relieved when my cast came off! Having a walking boot on instead seemed to open up a whole new range of possibilities. My consultant said that my foot would hurt when I put any weight on it and he was right! However, you need to push through it to help it to heal. The difficulty is judging the difference between ‘good’ pain – a bit like after going to the gym, you are aching but you know it is going to make you stronger in the end, and ‘bad’ pain – you have overdone it. I started gently, practising just putting it down to touch/brush the floor as I walked through with the crutches, then a little later the same day I put a little weight on indoors walking from one room to another, then having a rest and did it again.I didn’t take any painkillers because I wanted to be in tune with how it felt. I was nervous about doing myself damage but building up little by little increased my confidence. The next day I would put a little more weight on it, or do the same walk more times. After a few days we went outside and I walked down the road & back. The next day we went a couple of lampposts further and just increased it a bit each day. I found that it hurt less the next day each time and soon built up to a 1.5 mile round trip. I put an ice pack on it when I got back each time. All these walks were with the walking boot on. With a physio’s help I am now up to walking without the boot indoors on one crutch and I’m alternating the boot with a sandal on two crutches outdoors. I have been out of the cast for 3 weeks. I must say that going to the physio made a tremendous difference for me. She squeezed, pulled, pressed, twisted my foot with a surprising amount of pressure. It reassured me that I wasn’t going to hurt myself doing what I was doing! I did have to take painkillers after the first session, as she predicted, but it was worth it because I am now moving so much better. Everyone’s experience of pain is different but I would echo what my consultant said – listen to your body, push it gently to do a bit more each time and keep building on the progress you have made. I know it sounds weird but mentally try to view the aches and pains as your friend, a sign that everything is starting to move again and ever so gradually get back to normal & follow your doctor’s advice regarding painkillers. I certainly found that even though it hurt, the more I got my foot moving, the more I could do the next day. Good luck – the cast coming off will be your first major noticeable step towards full recovery!

Thank you much for your reply! I had the cast removed after 6weeks and into a moonboot.

The doctor was unhappy about my decision, and only wanted to remove it after 8weeks. I promised to be nwb for another week, but then I have to start walking (for work purposes).

His main reason for the unhappiness, is that I took 3weeks the fall to see him. But i told him that I was not in severe pain, didn't even need painkillers.

Anyway, I thought to remove the cast because there is almost no pain in the area (where there was pain before). The pain now only feels like stiffness in the muscles or ligaments.

My biggest worry now is - what will happen if I start weight bearing, with the moonboot? As I said, there is almost no pain, so the temptation ia real!

I know, it is so frustrating isn't it!  I expect it will hurt when you start to weight bear though. If it was me, I would play safe and follow your doctor's advice. One extra week nwb might feel like an age now but if it gives everything a better chance to knit together in preparation for when you do put weight on it, it will be worth it. No set backs wanted! Is it your ankle or your foot that you have broken?

My ankle. The back bone, don't know what it is called.

I will resist the temptation to weight bear. Fortunately this week I am still full-time in the office. Travelling from the week after.

Thank you for chatting with me about this.

Thanks for chatting to me too! It is nice to have someone to talk to who is going through something similar. I know it seems a bit strange that I wrote about my foot fractures on a broken ankle post but I identified so much with the headline about cast is off…now there is pain, I just had to write something! Following the physio’s advice I have been walking in just a sandal using one crutch, around the house, for the last 3 days. I was worried about slipping on the wet ground with all the rain we’ve been having so I waited until yesterday to do a short walk outside in a sandal with 2 crutches and it really hurt! However it feels a bit better today and I seem to be getting the rolling action of my foot a bit more smoothly –still painful every time I put weight on it though. I’m going to try to get another short walk in this morning and see what happens. Are you still managing to avoid the temptation to put your foot down? The idea of going travelling after this week sounds a bit daunting. Do you think you’ll be able to cope ok with the boot then? 

Hi Helen,

Thank you for a very detailed description of how you've dealt with your recovery after the cast came off. After fracturing my fibula (right above the ankle) slightly over six weeks ago, my final and 6th cast (yes 6th cast, have anyone experienced so many cast changes??) was removed 3 days ago. I had a very difficult cast period as the casts were either too tight or too loose, causing lots of pain/swelling.

After the final cast removal I was told to slowly flex my toes and ankle, building up to where I can put weight on my foot and go down to one crutch. This sounded so easy, but too my dismay it seems only like the start of the real problem. That same night and ever since I've been dealing with excrutiating pain and lots of swelling, causing my third sleepless night in a row. I've been back to the hospital twice and was told that this is normal and to continue building up the muscle slowly. Before reading everyone's comments on this thread I thought this type of pain could not be normal, but feeling better now to hear I'm not alone..

I have another appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks, and then he will decide if I should see a physiotherapist- something which I want to do anyway but having to wait for a referral I can't do so in the mean time. Thus, your advice is really helpful, especially the part of mentally making the pain your friend and pushing through day by day. Take away message being patience and perseverance.

Happy to have found this forum!

[In the mean time I'm wearing an elastic bandage to help reduce the swelling, a brace and I also have the supporting shoe]

Hi Claudia

I’m so glad you found my comments helpful, I’m often told that I go on a bit so I wasn’t sure if I’d put too much detail in! I am really sorry to hear that you are going through so much pain. Like you, I thought that when the caste came off things would be easier, only to discover how wrong I was! It is 11 weeks since my caste came off and I am now walking without crutches or a stick – well it’s a bit more like hobbling/limping but I’m getting quicker and  moving smoother as time goes on. Every step still hurts but not nearly as much as it did (the first time I went for a walk with crutches wearing a sandal it hurt so much I thought I was going to be sick!) It is now a different sort of pain, more of a strong ache or a tight pulling sensation as the ligaments, tendons etc sort themselves out. I wear compression socks & trainers to help with the swelling. I still sometimes use an ice pack after longer walks, I’m up to 4.5 miles now! I also occasionally use a pad that heats up in the microwave to help with the stiffness which is a real problem, especially first thing in the morning. It really helped me when the physio got the flexibility back in my foot, so flexing your foot and toes should definitely help you too. You could also try slowly rotating your foot in a circular movement, while sitting down keeping your leg still. I’ve also heard people recommend gently tracing the letters of the alphabet with your foot. I hope the next 2 weeks pass quickly for you and that the physio referral comes through. Be kind to yourself and take things slowly, things will get better. 

Hi Helen,

I thought I'd quickly check in!

I stopped counting the weeks, but according to the date on your last comment, i started weight bearing less than two months ago.

Funny story - up to last week I was still wearing an ankle brace. I thought it was a good idea, obviously. Then a personal trainer saw it and told me to take it off. Why? Apparently i was pampering the ankle too much and that was why it was still hurting so much.

Within a few hours the pain under my foot and to the side of my leg disappeared! It was from walking 'funny' to 'protect' my ankle.

I was so amazed! A week later and I am walking fine down the stairs and need no painkillers anymore.

So, you can take pampering too far, which is the part i find funny

That's great news Susan, I am so pleased for you! 

Hi Helen,

Thanks for responding and all your helpful tips! I especially like the idea of a heating pad. I had a small victory today being able to put my foot down completely, albeit in the bath under running warm water but it still felt good

Well done to you too on making good progress, it certainly is a 'taking things one step at a time' process. All the best with your recovery! x

Thanks Claudine, those small victories are so important x