Is it normal for ankle still to be numb 9wks after surgery for severe dislocated & fractured ankle
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I severely dislocated and fractured my left ankle on 23rd December last year, I was taken to A&E and they put it back in then put in a pot and admitted. I had fractured it in 3 places I believe. I was given paracetamol and codeine plus oramorph every couple of hours until I was operated on (luckily) the next afternoon which was Christmas Eve where they made incisions on both sides of my ankle and put a plate with screws on my fibula and then I think pins and screws on the other broken sections. I was discharged on the 28th december with a plaster cast and crutches. I had to inject myself daily with Heprin and still needed to take codeine and paracetamol as the pain was intense. I have been back twice to have a review once on 10th jan to check the wounds were healing and to fit a fibreglass cast. My ankle was still very swollen at this point and very numb at both sides and on top of my foot. My ankle felt like it does when you first notice your getting pins and needles - that fat feeling and if you touch the area you can't quite feel it, it just feels a little like a bit of pressure be placed there. I went back on the 9th Feb and they have given me a walking boot to use when walking but I can sit, sleep and bathe without it on. The swelling has gone down on the inside of my ankle and on top but not on the outside. I am still numb on the outside and more so on top of my ankle. The sensations that I get are like someone slicing through my nerves in my ankle over and over - sometimes it can continue for 15 mins on and off, this pain is worse than the pain I had when I had done it or even the pain after surgery. Is this normal and if so how long can I expect to experience it?
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rockin1shoe Yorkiegal81
Posted
I hand ankle and foot surgery 11/30. My skin does not feel normal anywhere on the bottom of my foot. It is partially numb and when I first started adding weight I had excruciating electrical shock and pins and needles to the point I almost passed out. I barely have that now after working thru adding pressure slowly onto my foot. Today at 12 weeks I graduated to full weight bearing in sneakers. I feel like I am trying to walk on someone else's foot. It feels foreign. The sensation is not fully there on the bottom of my foot and it is very odd to not have the same feeling I have in my other foot. My doctor says it will resolve and in the last 4 weeks I have seen improvement. He says the nerves have to wake up and reconnect the feeling sensations with my brain and it takes time and is very common post foot and ankle surgery. Massage is so important and pushing on pressure points on your foot and rubbing different textures onto the affected areas to help reacquaint your foot with responding to sensation. It can be u comfortable and painful but the more you do this the faster it will begin to respond and start to feel more normal. I don't know how long it takes but when I get there I can let you know how long it took me.
Yorkiegal81 rockin1shoe
Posted
margie41357 Yorkiegal81
Posted
I'm 10 weeks after surgery and my toes and ankle still numb. I have that nerve pain your talking about and my doc said it should gradually get better. The numbness can last for a long time, even up to a year. I can't weight bear yet and have to go back to get my plate out as he said it's rubbing right up against my ankle bone. Have you tried Physio for your foot, I've heard they give good advice on the nerve pain and massage apparently helps. My nerve pain is worse at night. I hope it gets. Enter for you soon. Take care!
Yorkiegal81 margie41357
Posted
No my consultant hadn't said anything about physio. When I asked whether I would need it he was really vague! Ive just started this evening with a shooting pain in my shin so don't know what that is all about. My nerve pain is always worse at night. It stops me from sleeping! Hope your recovery improves.