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Depressed Devastated on the recovery of my ankle

Posted , 7 users are following.

sri2179
sri2179

I met with an accident last year Nov 2016. My ankle fracture was at my fibula and tibia area it was operated with a plate and 9 screws. Initially i did not feel anything as there was casting. After 3 weeks i had my first appt stitiches and casting were removed and my doctor told me to rest with no weight bearing till the next appt. During this period of time i was devastated   

seeing my ankle swollen and skin peeling off. It was so sore and i hardly walked. On my 2nd appt x-ray was taken and thank god my bone was recovered, hence doctor mentioned that i can put full weight bearing and walk. That was a shock to me. During this period my physio was not much as my ankle was too swollen. I became worried of how i am going to walk with the walking frame. When i got home i tried and i could not feel anything coz my ankle was swollen. i could walk but not stably. After 2 weeks my better leg started giving me trouble i could not walk was too painful. i could only stand at one place for less then 10 mins. i was limping throughout. I became even disapoointed. My operated area felt like burning sensation. and it was so stiff that even i did my reflexes it hurt me badly. I cried in silence but i wanted to walk badly. Now its like 3 months and the improvements is so slim and i am still sitting on the wheelchair to move around. When will i be able to walk even keeps recurring in my mind as per normal. Anyone there going thru the same situation? 

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • amber.douglas
    amber.douglas sri2179

    Posted

    I have a fairly similar situation... I fractured and dislocated my ankle and snapped my tibia in half... when I was able to walk, which I really couldn't until about 7 months after my injury, my ankle would swell to close to the size of a tennis ball... I found out I developed osteoarthritis... for the last 6 years I pushed through constant pain, swelling, and sometimes a burning pain... I found out a few months ago I had end stage osteoarthritis... they gave me shoe inserts to help, which they really did...my limp improved a little, it probably would have been more if it wasn't for the fact that I had very little cartilage in my ankle... I had an ankle replacement almost 3 weeks ago... I'm only 23... maybe your problem is similar you might have arthritic fluid building up, they need an mri to check... or its as simple as needing the special shoe inserts

    • sri2179
      sri2179 amber.douglas

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply I wish you speedy recovery and how are you now coping with walking ? I will try to request for a MRI in my next appt and see if I have any other complications. At present moment this walking issue is killing my patience.
  • cass17
    cass17 sri2179

    Posted

    There was 2 or 3 of us going through this about the same time a year ago. We all noticed big positive changes at about 12 weeks. If you are not up on at least crutches at this point I would talk to the doctor and see if he/she feels you are at the place you should be for your injury. I had 3 breaks in the tibia and fibula.. have a plate and 8 screws and then 3 long screws on the other 2 sides. I'm 63. It is a hard injury to go through especially if you are used to being very active. I'd defintitely talk to your doctor... but know that it does eventually get better.  Keep us informed.

    • sri2179
      sri2179 cass17

      Posted

      Thank you cass17 for the reply. are you able to walk normal now ? I am like limping perhaps I am a heavy weight person that is the reason I am limping a lot. I can't walk straight. I will try to talk to my doctor soon in my next appt

  • valerie65786
    valerie65786 sri2179

    Posted

    My foot operation wasnt the same but I had navicular bone removed on Dec 28th 2016 and my tendons had to be cut from that bone and reattached with a corkscrew to another bone. I was 2 weeks in hard splint, 4 weeks in non weight bearing cast and now it has been 3 weeks in a boot. I started PT on Feb 23rd. Just doing range of motion excercises. Very painful for me to try to put weight on it. It is a very slow healing process when ever the foot is involved because the blood flow is so slow in the foot. I too get so frustrated as I did not expect it to take so long. Some days are better than others but I guess I just need to be more patient. Dr. did actually tell me it could take up to a year for a full recovery. I had this same surgery 22 years ago on the other foot and dont remember it being this difficult to walk afterwards.
    • sri2179
      sri2179 valerie65786

      Posted

      Thank you Valerie for your reply. One year I will go mad now alrdy sitting on the wheelchair makes me feel Super bored. I jus want to walk but the only trouble is my better leg getting weaker and when I start to walk I look so ugly walking like a chimpanzee😱🙈 I hope I can walk soon without limping

  • Clover17
    Clover17 sri2179

    Posted

    I had a similar operation in October last year, so I'm now at four months post operation and I am still using crutches to walk. The physiotherapy strengthening exercises have helped and I am gaining strength slowly which is enabling me to bear more weight and rely less on the crutches. I have another physio appointment in two weeks when they are going to assess me without the crutches. I understand your frustration, it can take a long time to recover. If my assessment is positive then it will have taken 5 months for me to walk without crutches...

    Wishing you all the best for your recovery.

    • sri2179
      sri2179 Clover17

      Posted

      Hi clover thank you for your reply.. which hospital are you consulting right now ? I am given a walking frame to use. Without walking frame I limp a lot but still able to walk for 5-10mins. I tried aqua exercise like walking in the pool which I am able to do. How far have you walked so far and while walking do u tend to sit ? Are you using any wheelchair to move around. ?
    • GreenOlive
      GreenOlive sri2179

      Posted

      Sri,

      walking in the pull is a great exercise. My PT highly recommended it. He said that it reinforces correct movement while re-building the muscles.

      I have been walking in the pool for three weeks now. I walk about an hour each day. I started walking in the chest high water and progressed to walking on my tippy toes in waist high water. It helped immensely. Not only it helped rebuilding the muscles, but it also reduces swelling. Just keep at it. It will be better soon.

    • Clover17
      Clover17 sri2179

      Posted

      Hi Sri, I'm with North West London NHS. I was given crutches so initially it was quite difficult and involved increasing my upper body strength. I'm able to walk with the crutches for 30 minutes or so before taking a rest and sitting down. I can walk for a little while without them, but like yourself I have a limp. The physiotherapist recommended I didn't walk without crutches until I've increased strength in my muscles. The reason being walking for any length of time with a limp can cause difficulties in other parts of your body due to uneven weight distribution. I've never had a wheelchair, although it may have been useful in the early days.

      ?Sounds like you are enjoying the swimming. I haven't ventured into the pool yet, but look forward to being able to do so soon!

    • sri2179
      sri2179 Clover17

      Posted

      Hi Clover I am from Singapore and yep been in the pool twice alrdy and it feels much easier then to walk without the walking frame. But I Guess I am using the wheelchair more when I am at home... I need to stop that soon so that my legs does not get weaker.. when I walk without the walking frame I tend to feel pain at my hips do u get the same feeling ? Previously I needed a chair to sit to get showered but now I cld stand and do my shower but need to hurry in 10mins if not my legs gets stiffed..oh my I wonder when will all this be over 😣

    • sri2179
      sri2179 GreenOlive

      Posted

      Hi GreenOlive did you undergo a similar surgery as mine? What are the challenges you faced when you started walking ? Are you able to stand in one place for more then 15mins. If I did my hips and the back of my legs gets cramped and I need to sit asap. Do you have the same ? Did you limp after your surgery ? Sorry have to ask so much questions😣 I am feel Super stress of when can I walk straight and steady juz like last time before my accident😔

    • Clover17
      Clover17 sri2179

      Posted

      Hi Sri, sounds as though you are making progress. Sometimes it's a balance between exercising the muscles and resting them! My experience is that you need to do a bit of both. Yes, don't forget your stronger leg also needs to be exercised. I find I get pain in my lower back when I'm walking without crutches, as well as pain in the affected foot. I haven't noticed any particular pain in my hips though. Hope this helps..

    • sri2179
      sri2179 Clover17

      Posted

      Oops it's lower back clover not hips I typed it out wrongly so I Guess its all abt balancing and also on our own weight bearing and moving with both legs with equal strength... clover I wish you speedy recovery too. Hope we can overcome this ordeal soon and get back to our normal routines as per normal. Cheers

    • GreenOlive
      GreenOlive sri2179

      Posted

      Yes, it looks like I had the same surgery - ORIF - to repair trimalleolar ankle fracture. I am 10 weeks post surgery right now. Yes, I can stand for 15 min and walk for 30 min or so. I am a swimmer, but I can see that walking in the pool helps more than just swimming.  I started with walking in a chest high water and progressed to waist high water in three weeks. I mostly walk on my tippy toes while in the pool. This is per recommendation from my PT. I walk 8000 - 10000 steps a day with half of it in the pool. I still have a little limp, my ankle swells at the second half of the day. I take ibuprofen twice a day and ice my ankle for 30 min or so before I go to bed.  I do not use any help as crutches or cane. 
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