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PWB after surgery gone wrong?

Posted , 4 users are following.

nat59569
nat59569

Hello! Maybe someone of you can help, im getting scared. I broke my tibia/fibula and syndesmosis three weeks ago, and had surgery with 11 screws and a plate two weeks ago. My doctor and physio said I should start partial weight bearing right away even with pain, 15-20 kg tops. Physio showed me how to walk correctly, basicly forced me the first day. This, plus exercises, helped, I felt better everyday, to the point where I did not need pain killers and could stretch my foot as far as the healthy one goes. However two days back, I walked maybe an hour in total, and I am afraid I overdid it or maybe put too much weight on the foot. Because now there is a stabbing pain if I turn my foot a spesific way, and there is also a painful hard bump on the inside of the ankle. Also the leg is stiff and sore in general, and im on painkillers again. I called the doctor, but he has not answered, and they told me I should go to the emergency room if it gets worse/I dont feel my toes. Has anyone stepped too much on the foot while partial weight bearing? Did you have pain that went away, or did you need a second surgery? Thank you 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • robR
    robR nat59569

    Posted

    I had surgery ORIF (fix broken fibula and displaced tibia/fibula) surgery five weeks ago. I was told to do zero weight bearing for six weeks, but I had read and done a lot research on weight bearing after surgery, so I started an independent rehab program (ask your ortho before taking this risk) and I'm now walking 90% limp free (no walking boot) and my gait improves daily. My biggest judge of whether things were progressing well was pain (other than some soreness and stiffness there was minimal pain). I wouldn't worry, take a few days off of the weight bearing and RICE as much as possible. Maybe wear a walking boot if you have (with no weight bearing), but number one, ask your ortho or your physical therapist for their opinion.

    Good luck to you!

    • nat59569
      nat59569 robR

      Posted

      Thank you! Yes hopefully the pain will go away otherwise ill head back there. Happy to hear about your recovery! 
  • heidi20884
    heidi20884 nat59569

    Posted

    What the heck? It seems like I’m reading more and more on this forum of people WB just a couple of weeks after surgery!  I’ve been advised and read that it takes 6 weeks for the bones to heal....why is this? I’m in the U.S. and realize some folks are in the U.K., perhaps that’s the difference? 
    • nat59569
      nat59569 heidi20884

      Posted

      Yea I don't know what is best. I'm in Norway, here apparently you don't need a cast if you have surgery, physio said that since they are "fused together" one can turn and put some weight on it immediately. However now I wish I didn't get that advice :D He said before they adviced 3 months of crutches, now they say recovery usually is as short as 6 weeks (well before whatever I am experiencing now happened) 

    • robR
      robR heidi20884

      Posted

      I’m in the U.S as well. It really just depends on your ortho’s school of thought. A lot of orthos want to protect their patients, which obviously is a good thing—and it’s not to say that those that prescribe weight bearing immediately surgery after are putting their patients at risk. Either way, both roads lead to recovery—routes are just different.
  • heidi20884
    heidi20884 nat59569

    Posted

    Trust me when I say I am envious,  as I’m 5 weeks post op had ORIF surgery w/two plates, screws, a tightrope fixation with no cast and I can WB a little bit and flex my foot but am afraid to push it any further than I have but when I leave my house (I can drive cause it’s my left foot that’s injured) I wear my cam boot but I notice I swell within a couple of hours depending on how much time I spend upright. I won’t see the orthopedic doc until May 29th which will be 3 days shy of 8 weeks post-op, hence my frustration, as I’d like to start therapy sooner than later too!! 
  • Nhenhe
    Nhenhe nat59569

    Posted

    Hai nat..i just got high ankle injury (grade 3 since i need to go to operation and got syndemosis screw) and broke my fibula, now im at 3 weeks post operation (same with you) still at cast and not wb at all..my doc said that at week 8 need to get 1 operation to remove my syndemosis screw before i start to wb.

    I read lots that every doctor have different kind of method in how to treat patient with syndemosis screw, some said it can start partial wb at 4 weeks. My advice.. if its really swollen and pain..better rest it, the bone during 3 weeks po is not healed yet, better rest it.

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