Fall on NWB cast
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi all, I had surgery 4 days ago to pin a multifragmental proximal fibula fracture. I came home yesterday with a non weight bearing cast on but this morning I lost my footing on the Zimmer frame and had no choice but to put weight on the injured ankle. The pain has now increased even when elovated. Has anybody had a similar experience? Maybe just a bit swollen and expect the pain to ease off shortly or would you recommend calling the hospital. Any help would be much appreciated, I'm slightly panicking that I have done damage within one day of coming home 
0 likes, 22 replies
nat55157 laura31945
Posted
sonya25416 laura31945
Posted
Hi Laura. I'm 10 weeks post op and managing to get around with just a stick. Like you I had a few 'wobbles' when using the Zimmer frame and on 3 occasions I had to put some weight on my bad foot to steady myself. I also wondered whether or not I'd done more damage but fortunately hadn't.
Your foot is bound to be more swollen and painful after the incident but try and keep it elevated as much as you can and use an ice pack (or frozen peas) to reduce the swelling. If there's no improvement after a couple of days or the pain gets a lot worse, then get some advice. If you're in the UK, ring NHS111, which I did after I walked a bit too far after my cast came off. I was referred to A&E and had an examination and an x-ray just to put my mind at rest. If you've done any serious damage to your foot I think it will be apparent if the pain and swelling don't go down.
It's not easy, but things will get better. Try not to worry too much.
laura31945 sonya25416
Posted
Thanks Sonya. I have been lying down with it elovated for the majority of time but it's still quite painful up there and have to keep moving it around. Can I put ice on top of a cast just wondering if the cold would go through. Like you say, I think I will give it until tomorrow and if still this painful I will give 111 a call. Thanks again for your advice 😊
sonya25416 laura31945
Posted
Jenni's reply made me laugh too.
I forgot you have a cast on but ice on any toes sticking out might help. I'm surprised you weren't given crutches, my hospital gave me 2 crutches, the Zimmer frame, loads of painkillers and the dreaded daily injections for the following 6 weeks! As you say, they're probably hoping your local hospital will take over. I borrowed a wheelchair and whizzed around the house, even managing some dusting as I passed things. It was a godsend. I only used the Zimmer at night to get in and out of the bathroom. They are difficult to move around with - like Jenni, everything jiggles about when you hop. I didn't find the crutches easy to use either when I was NWB.
Hopefully you'll get sorted out soon with your local hospital and your foot will be ok this weekend. You could always ring the hospital to see what they suggest.
laura31945 sonya25416
Posted
Thanks Sonya. Yeah I was surprised too, they initially had some crutches for me and put them next to my bed but when physio came they took them away saying they didn't want me to use them until I go back to my hospital in 2 weeks. As I wasn't at my local hospital to have the op, I'm not sure who to call. I'll give the Ice a couple more hours and then ring 111. It's like a strange sensation in my cast, as though waves are going through my foot - so strange!
jenni_24876 laura31945
Posted
Those darn frames are treacherous. I was shown how to use it by a pysio who was about 12yrs old flat chested and only thing that jiggled was her ponytail. She did carry a clipboard very skilfully and she said just jump with it,,righty O I'm 60 overweight with boobs and could not jump before the agony of a broken fibula and fractured tibia. The stupid girl. My husband almost choked. We bought a wheelchair and used it until I mastered the crutches. If I'd used Zimmerframe I'd be dead by now. I would go see my gp if I were you. This injury is debilitating enough without adding daily stress. And do yourself a favour and google Even Up Shoe before you go to a moon boot or air boot. Walking even and not limping will put help prevent secondary injury. I hope you can find a sedate hobby to help mentally cope with this.
laura31945 jenni_24876
Posted
Hi Jenni, well you have just brightened up my day! Laughed so much at your post 😂 The zimmer is lethal, they said I can't have crutches until I go back in 2 weeks but I don't understand their reasoning for this....strange! The hospital gave me no where near enough painkillers so I'm going to try get a home visit appointment this week. I fractured my ankle 120 miles away from home so I'm guessing their hospital just gave me the minimum and expecting my local hospital to pick up the rest. Thanks again for your advice 😊
jenni_24876 laura31945
Posted
I'm glad I gave you a giggle. We need as many as we can get. Oh I had so much fun to start with. Casts applied by interns that looked grand with stethoscope around neck whilst on the phone getting instructions from surgeon on how to apply a cast. Omg then he smashed wheelchair into my foot but I felt so much better when he said he was"sorry ". They said go home see surgeon in a week here is a bunch of highly addictivepainkillers. But failed to say oh yes these will bung you up like concrete you will vomit till nothing's left in you. And you will get hives in places you never knew you had. A week later and 3 more poorly applied casts was operated on by a skilled surgeon but an anetheisist that took 4 TRYS to get spinal in. My nervous system bounced off the walls. I swore he told me off so I swore more. Anyway after surgery things got really bad at hospital(to witch I will never return to not even to visit) next day after a hell night of sitting in a wheelchair all night being unable to move even to clean up the pressure messes from spinal block (not pretty) errors with medication ,my husband walked in to a jabbering mess of a wife and them saying she will be here for a week , he used his best terminator voice "she is to be coming home to me NOW." He only had to look at me and smell me to know of the neglect. I'm so glad he knows me so well and will always remain my hero for taking me out of that disgusting place. I'm week 26 now doing ok. Back at work getting use to my new normal. I still carry a cane if I'm in public but only to hit people if they get too close to my leg. You need to have a voice you need to see what's available to assist healing. Take stool softeners so you don't get butt bound and then need laxatives that will have you running. I'm very lucky my husband set me up for independence or I'd have gon mad. I'm already tipping that scale 😂🤣😂🤣😂😅🤗🤗🤗hope you have a good night and sleep well
Zeldas jenni_24876
Posted
machelle1961 jenni_24876
Posted
nat55157 jenni_24876
Posted
Can you please keep posting I have tears through laughing, I'm waiting on third surgery on ankle. Hurt 4 years ago I cannot walk very far and in pain all the time so a laugh is good ...
sonya25416 jenni_24876
Posted
Jenni, you're a real tonic. You should come free on the NHS x
It sounds like you've had a terrible time at this hospital and it's a good job your husband was strong enough to stand up to them. Your description of being bunged up had me laughing so much I nearly wet myself. It brought back such painful memories of my own experience and I certainly wasn't laughing then. When I got home from hospital the first thing I did with my supply of Codeine tablets was to flush them down the loo. Evil things.
Hope your recovery continues to go well and take care.
PS ... whereabouts is this poor excuse for a hospital, just so I can avoid it ?
diane_41179 laura31945
Posted
I would call the doctor. Better safe than sorry! And keep it elevated above the heart! The higher the better and ice it for 20 minutes at a time several times a day. But please call your dr or the hospital. Take it easy and don't rush yourself. Good luck and speedy recovery!
laura31945 diane_41179
Posted
Thanks Diane I'm going to keep icing and elevated on and off for a few hours and if no better I'll call. It's just the last thing you need when you've only just come home isn't it 😢
MSK2017 laura31945
Posted
I'm sorry this happened to you. I would call the surgeons office. They should have an answering service who will have their on call person call you. I live in the states so where ever you live may do things differently.
Each week I have to go to see my surgeon and I'm asked if I had a fall so I'm sure it's very common. I'm clumsy without a broken ankle so I've used a wheelchair and knee scooter. I would be dead using crutches.
Hope you feel better soon.