ORIF Bimalleolar Fracture Ankle Surgery
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi All,
I came here for advice regarding a recent bimalleolar right ankle fracture which required ORIF surgery. I also sprained my left ankle pretty badly.
on 5/31/19 I tripped on the back porch steps and fractured my right ankle and sprained my left. I was sent home from the ER in a splint and reported to the ortho that monday. the ortho reset my ankle as it was completely shifted and i fractured my tibia and chipped my medial malleous.
on 6/12/19 i had surgery and was placed into a splint for 2 weeks. after the 2 weeks splint was removed and i was put into a boot and told to begin PT asap & begin partial weight bearing
I began PT on 7/9/19 which was 4 weeks post op. I was full weight bearing around 5 weeks in the boot with crutches and just recently started weening off of one crutch.
My therapist mentioned I should be farther along at 8 weeks post op as well as my doctor. I just am confused as most people are not even full weight bearing by 6 weeks and ive been since 5 weeks. I was cleared from the boot and told to start getting used to no boot. I still experience a lot of pain especially on the inner side of my ankle as that is where the long screw is.
I am just curious what others thoughts are on how agressive it seems both my doctor and therapist have been regarding expectations at just 8 weeks post op.
I had one plate, 7 screws on my tibia and 1 long screw on my medial malleous.
any insight would be helpful as I am becoming frustrated and still in a lot of pain
2 likes, 11 replies
Anklesurgery
Posted
Also,
my left ankle the sprained ankle still hurts pretty bad and i believe its because ive had to put stress on it due to my right ankle so this also impacts me because I have a lot of pain in both
Roberta265 Anklesurgery
Posted
My opinion is you're doing fine. I had a calcaneal osteotomy (flat foot surgery), gastro recession and removal of toe hardware .
MY surgery was 6/26. I've been weight bearing in my boot for 3 weeks and will be 7 weeks post op tomorrow. I'll transition
to my shoe in 8-10 days. During therapy, my therapist has me walking in my shoe, which is excruciating for me. She also wants me to balance on that foot for 10 seconds without holding on. I can't even do it for one second. As in your case, my therapist says I should be able to do it by now. We all progress at our own pace and in my opinion, we're doing great. Think how far we've come in these few weeks.
Anklesurgery Roberta265
Posted
Thank you for reassurance its just extremely frustrating because I've come so far and feel as if I was being pushed since surgery and I know my body and how I feel, somedays I'm hurting after being in my boot just for an hour, other days I can go all day. This has been one of the hardest times in my life and just hearing you are doing good vs. negativity really impacts someone.
I hope you feel better soon! and we all definitely heal in our own time. I am 28 so I think maybe they believe I should heal faster.
I noticed that excruciating feeling went away once I began full weight bearing in the boot. I was doing a lot of balancing as well and also step ups etc. trust your body, you will know when you are ready to transition.
I pushed myself too hard with weening off crutches in the boot I dont think I was ready just yet but due to pressure I just sucked it up.
Kaymac68 Anklesurgery
Posted
Hi, I am 20 weeks out and same here, they keep saying I should feel no pain, but I do too, in the inner ankle also. I have another appointment with the surgeon next Tuesday, will see what he says.
Anklesurgery Kaymac68
Posted
Wow 20 weeks. Thats what I am afraid of, I know its the screw that is bothering me and its funny because ever since I had surgery thats the same area that bothered me then as it does now.
I hope you feel better and everything goes well. Hang in there!!! **hugs
Kaymac68
Posted
i really think its the screws
Anklesurgery Kaymac68
Posted
I would consider having them removed once you are able
Kaymac68 Anklesurgery
Posted
i also had my cast off at 5 weeks
Anklesurgery Kaymac68
Posted
Cast off and then boot?
Kaymac68 Anklesurgery
Posted
yes, but basically only for a few weeks, they said i could walk on it, I think I should have been more cautious, but they said it would be painful and you just have to work threw the pain, so thats what I did, at 12 weeks they were saying there shoukd be no pain and no limp anymore just swelling, here i am at 20 weeks no progress, its very frustrating, feels like its never getting better
Anklesurgery Kaymac68
Posted
ah yes so very similar to me. but theres definitely something going on because you should be feeling better by now for sure with minimal pain. im so sorry! i hope some answers show up once you see your doctor and maybe if not a second opinion?
i told my therapist today that my doctor was not happy yesterday and she said although i still need help getting my rom back im still doing pretty well. i asked the other therapist and she tested me and said she has no idea what the doctor is talking about and that now that im transitioning out of the boot it will losen up more. I sure hope they are right. just seems like back and forth. but I felt pretty good in therapy today with two sneakers on