How to deal with the pain of a trimalleolar fracture.

Posted , 5 users are following.

Hello everyone,

I had surgery on 09-21-18. I fell down multiple steps at a business and have a trimalleolar fracture. I had a cast on for 2 weeks and now I am in a boot cast and its been 8 weeks since the accident I am in physical therapy now and only been there 3 times. It does help but I am still in a bunch of pain from it and as I walk. The colder the weather is, it gets worse. I am 50 years old and dont know if it will get better. My therapist said it might never bend again like before cause of the wire and plates with screws. I was curious if anyone had any recommendations on the pain , besides naproxen and will it ever go away. Please let me know if anyone has gone thru something like this and if it gets any better.

Thanks.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi i surgery for same injury plus tibia fracture, i was in cast for 6 weeks then nothing not even a boot. Im still only weight bearing with 1 crutch on good side. I still get a lot of swelling and pain but can feel it improving and getting a lot more movement in my ankle, although i had quite a bit of movement when had cast removed i used to move ankle as much as pos in cast. From what i've seen on this site and some really good facebook groups it looks like it a no pain no gain situation the more you do the better it gets. wishing you a speedy recovery you will het there

  • Posted

    My daughter had a bad tri mal fracture in January. She couldn’t really walk without a noticeable limp until probably July, maybe August. She was good enough to play competitive volleyball in the fall for her school, but she will admit that her ankle bothers her every day. We are actually going to restart her physical therapy on Monday, because she still lacks mobility. I think in my head I’ve gone to the point where I can believe that it won’t hold her back from things in life, but it will also never be the same if that makes sense. so it can certsinly be livable but i think people who have experienced ir will always feel it

    • Posted

      I limp also and never had such a painful experience . I am on a bunch of naproxen med and ibuprofen . It hurts me to walk a bunch. I do believe that things will never be the same for me neither. My therapist even told me it wont ever be like my other left foot. I still haven't drove a car since my accident 8 weeks ago neither. I wonder every day if my pain will ever go away or lighten up. I do exercise here also from therapy. I already realize I will never be the same again, that is why I wont go back to work where I had the accident at.

  • Posted

    Hi Kim, having had a similar fracture and surgery, I'd say you are still in early stage of recovery and to have pain us normal. I am now 8 months post my accident and am almost pain free, have full movement in my ankle and can walk a lot. But months ago I thought I would never recover and was feeling very low.

    Yes, recovery takes time but be a patient patient, stay fit, follow any exercise regime your physio give you and have self belief.

    Good luck.

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