How Long Can I Expect The Ankle To Hurt For? Doc Said 6 months, It's been 8
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I broke my right ankle falling down some steps in the summer. It was a fairly clean break, I can't remember the details of it now, but I was put in a walking cast and advised to stay off of it. I babied it but still exercised it to keep it nimble.
I had three xrays and after 6 weeks the doctor gave me the all clear. He said that within 6 months it should be mostly back to normal and not hurt anymore.
However the dang thing KILLS sometimes. I can't put any pressure on it or stand for too long or it throbs.
Just wondering how long it took you guys to heal? My ankle is even still swollen! Not terribly so but it is noticeable.
0 likes, 5 replies
lauren_31299 chickenloop
Posted
chickenloop lauren_31299
Posted
I think the doctor was just wrong, I know my grandmother broke her ankle and it hurt her for the rest of her life. Dangit.
kpower chickenloop
Posted
Hi ChickenLoop,
I had a medial bimalleolar fracture (no surgery). Now a year later, I'm about 90% back to preinjury ankle health.
I have no pain or discomfort unless I really stress the ankle (like doing deep leg squats-- that irritates a tendon that was injured and is the only holdover from my injury).
As you study this forum you will find a wide range of ankle patient full recovery times, from just a few months to years-- and for some unfortunates they never get full and pain-free ankle function back.
A timely and successful recovery involves many variables-- in fact too many too mention here. But some key factors are: location, severity, and number of bone fractures (and resulting amount of bone displacement); age and general health condition of patient; compliance with doctor's orders on non-weight-bearing, etc.; complicating diseases like diabetes; complications from any surgery required; overall amount of soft tissue damage (tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves, etc.); diet; and whether a vigorous rehab program for soft tissue strengthening and stabilization was used (and continued after most function returned).
So you see, ankle injuries are far from being created equal.
To me, the most crucial aspect of recovery is a soft tissue rehab program that is effective and is used for as long as necessary (I say for the rest of your life) to get those supporting (and oh so fiddly) soft bits back to a state where they can support ankle joint and forestall dreaded ankle arthritis from developing.
Best of luck to you, and I encourage to aggressively work on rehab.
lauren_31299 chickenloop
Posted
CarolynCL chickenloop
Posted
I am four months post Weber A fibula fracture. I have no pain but my injury was never terribly painful to begin with. I have some lingering stiffness, especially if I try to sit on that ankle (so sitting cross-legged or kneeling is still very hard for me as the ankle kind of seizes up). I'm back to hiking (with my ice cleats on for safety, of course) and am starting to tackle more difficult terrain. I also have some lingering swelling that comes and goes. I noticed a funny goose egg lump of swelling on my mid calf after my last hike (above my hiking boot line, so I guess it got stuck there). It went away after a bit. My leg tires easily, and I do have some pain at the edges of my ankle ROM when I do my circle rotation exercises. It's definitely a work in progress and everyone's timeline seems different. As long as you are making progress it's good. And definitely keep up with your home physio. Add new exercises if you get too used to what you have (see a PT if you don't have a home program and they will set you up with one - best way to make progress back to normal
).
Best of luck to you chickenloop!