1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Ankle Problems

Open wound fracture bimalleolar right ankle

Posted , 4 users are following.

teena57622
teena57622

I am in my third week post surgery. I had a skin graft since the broken bone damage my skin. I'm not instructed properly if when should i move my foot up and down. I can move my toes but not my ankle. It seems heavy and tight. 

When should i move my ankle?

2 likes, 21 replies

21 Replies

Next
  • alison08796
    alison08796 teena57622

    Posted

    Hi Tina, my name is Alison, I am responding to the feeling of tightness you mentioned. Also just feeling alone with your injury. I too, have that strange feeling like the skin is being pulled very tightly over the wound area. I’m going on 8 weeks but am behind in healing. So I’m just saying the tightness is normal. As far as moving it back and forth, that just comes with time. I could move my toes also but now can move the entire foot. It started with only the toes but expanded as the weeks went by. They give you ball park time  lines, but each individual is different. Ice it, rest, and keep it raised is my advice. Good luck and keep in touch! It’s lonely out here!
    • teena57622
      teena57622 alison08796

      Posted

      Thanks Alison. You're message really helps me with my so much thought that i will not be able to move my feet and walk again.  All i need is patience. The doctor said on the tenth day post surgery that i should move my feet up and down so i was disappointed that i can't move it. Am worried if i do it i might be back in the hospital for confinement.  On contrary, what if i dont move and help myself this might get stock.ed. Anyway, tomorrow will be my check up and i'll go to Physical therapist also to answer my questions.  Thanks again . Hope to hear from you again

    • alison08796
      alison08796 teena57622

      Posted

      Hey! I’m so happy my message helped! It can be so scary not knowing and not having anyone to compare with. It’s like we all stumble (ha) along cause each case is so different. I had the same fear of never walking again, and still am afraid I will not get better. Even though it is obvious the body is healing. Good luck on your check up and let me know how it goes. Sometimes the fear is so great. Like yesterday I put so much weight on my foot but today it is inflamed a little from doing that. But at least I could put the weight on it. Did your bone come through the skin? I also got that tight feeling back again today a bit. But not nearly as bad as in the beginning.
  • alison08796
    alison08796 teena57622

    Posted

    I too leave appointments unsure exactly what I should do and when. For example, weight bearing is all relative. Yesterday I was out and was forced to do more weight bearing than I have ever done before just because I fell off my knee scooter but I was fine. It was scary but I knew I was in the time frame of weight bearing. Today though I had more pain than normal. When you are able to move your foot the way you want to, it will move. 
    • teena57622
      teena57622 alison08796

      Posted

      Hi Allison! Do you go to work? Me i'm an office worker and i cant imagine going to work with my feet bandage and swelling when not raised.  Also, i dont have plan to buy knee scooter, i use walker. I afraid to use crutchers. In the previous shared experiences some report to work as early as 6 weeks and even earlier. They must have a very early healing. 

    • teena57622
      teena57622 alison08796

      Posted

      Hi allison, your fracture is also both sides of your ankle? Mine is both sides of my right ankle and had a skin graft on the open wound. I thank God my donor site is healing alrady no more pain after 3 weeks of traumatic pain especially when cleaning and pulling out yhe gauze.do you have skin graft? 
    • alison08796
      alison08796 teena57622

      Posted

      We had just retired when I broke my ankle. We are full time RVing. I have a walker too but I tend to over do things a bit. No I never could have gone to work. It’s too uncomfortable. The foot has to be raised and iced and it turns a weird shade of purple when it’s down too long. It would have been miserable! It still is.
    • alison08796
      alison08796

      Posted

      I still have a bit of a scab, my wound isn’t all healed yet and I’m going on eight weeks. But I had a old school dr. Where we were when I broke it. Now I’m getting care somewhere else. I don’t see how a dr.  can say in 10 days you can do this when everyone heals so differently.
    • alison08796
      alison08796 teena57622

      Posted

      Yes I had surgery on both sides of the ankle but no skin graft. Why did you need that? I had terrible pain but now just intermittent pain. 
    • alison08796
      alison08796

      Posted

      Oh, skin graft cause your bone punctured the skin? OUCH!!
    • alison08796
      alison08796

      Posted

      Hey Teena, how did your appointment go today? Personally I’m so tired of this injury!!! 
    • teresa93024
      teresa93024 alison08796

      Posted

      Hello. You said you still have a scab after 8 wks. Me too. Question? Do it ooze? I have one spot that wanna ooze. It's mainly where my ankle was/is rubbing on my boot. Any advice?

    • alison08796
      alison08796 teresa93024

      Posted

      No my scab is just a scab but when it does scrape I use bandaids and bacitracin ointment to keep it from rubbing. I think it helps it heal more quickly and puts a barrier between the boot and the scab.
    • teena57622
      teena57622 alison08796

      Posted

      Hi Alison, it's only kn my 4 th week and i'm so tired of my case. Hay, how much more if i'm already on the eight week but at least you can already move your foot unlike me. 

      The rehab doctor made her program for my case and gave it to the physical therapist. Yesterday was only heir evaluation on how far i can reach to move my foot up and down. It's quite disappointing that very little  that i can move my ankle. Next week is the start twice a week is my schedule. 

      Hope time is near that i can move my ankle. This really bothers me a lot

    • teena57622
      teena57622 alison08796

      Posted

      Yes i got open wound caused by the broken bone. They got a donor from my legs which is also traumatic especially when dressing. Even when moving thre is pain. So glad that on the 3rd week there was no pain
    • teresa93024
      teresa93024 alison08796

      Posted

      Hello. I wanted to use the cream but they told me no. I just don't know what to do cause I don't want no infection

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.