Cast off and now with boot and starting to weight bear

Also, when do you start to wear a shoe on your foot?

Begin with wiggling your toes.  Try flexing your ankle up and down and side to side. Be gentle; if it hurts, stop.  Your physiotherapist will guide you through a series of exercises.  The rough part is over. And it is scary to think about putting weight on your foot.  It will feel strange at first, but standing will gradually feel normal again.  I fell on Sept. 7th, had a trimalleolar fracture.  I have been mobile since the beginning of Christmas and am now trying to fine tune balancing on my injured ankle.  So have faith and best of luck!

Just try sitting with your foot on the ground gradually increasing a bit of pressure or use crutches to help weight bearing.

Once you’ve done it once or twice it’s like riding a bike 

I didn't have physio as I was becoming more mobile very gradually and consultant thought that physio might push me further than I was ready for. She called it early days which was a blow as I was four months post op. I tried to wear my own shoes after around 12 weeks but the foot is still swollen. I have bought two pairs of inexpensive ankle boots that are a size bigger and that's working well. I also have some skechers but the weather hasn't been suitable yet. If you've been told you can full weight bear then do that but with the support of a crutch or stick. It's very scary at first I know. Hope all is well.

No word yet on when to put a shoe on. It's so swollen. The compression socks fell like they are cutting my circulation off. Did u where them?

Congratulations on your recovery. There is another key exercise that will help you when you put pressure on your ankle and it’s the tennis 🎾 ball. Roll the tennis ball under your foot twice a day for about 3 min . The bottom of your foot will feel like a bunch of needles under it but the tennis ball will work great to eliminate that .....

Hi tina!  I went to Rehab clinic yesterday for my ankle reflexes since i can't move it after 4 weeks of post op with screws and plates and skin graft. They taught me to move the foot upward and downward holding it 30 seconds for 5 repetitions. 5 repetiotions upward and 5 repetitions downward. I have to repeat it at home for at least 3 x a day. Mine is only a mold under my foot and wrapped with bandage so i can remove it to clean the wounds and to do the reflexes. Next week I have to see the PT 2x a week. I' m afraid to move my ankle so it had a very little reach. Hope there will have an improvement next week

Additional NWB exercises that are good are circles with your toes (both directions) and writing the letters of the alphabet with your toes. You PT will give you more exercises and also let you know when you can start weight bearing ones. Good luck and I hope you have a speedy recovery!

Standing in the darn boot was the hardest thing for me (6 months post op)...but I eventually found my center. When I first strapped my boot on I was told to try standing and rock back and forth gentle. Kind of like dancing with yourself. It works!! You are both working on balance and starting to put some weight on it gradually. I used a walker and a cane at first and then eventually crutches. Hang in there! It gets better I promise!!