Questions 4 Weeks Into a Broken Ankle
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello Everyone! This is the first time I’m posting on anything about my broken ankle, figured it was time to share my story and get some answers to some questions from people who have gone through something similar. So, some background about the injury/time line so far:
25 years old/female
12/2: A friend running jump hugs me without notice, I wasn’t braced and also wearing heeled boots. I go down and she goes down on top of it.
Go to hospital number 1, X-rays show 3 breaks and dislocation. They reset it 3 times, sending images to ortho on call. Make me practice crutching even though I said I didn’t feel comfortable (had never used crutches, by that time had been up for 30 hours and was very shaken up/out of it) I ended up losing balance and putting my weight down on the bad ankle and they still sent me home, advising me to make an appt w ortho surgeon asap. Because this was a Friday, all offices were closed.
12/4- (Monday) Finally get an appt with an ortho. Realize I cannot leave my basement apartment without excruciating pain, even with the help of my boyfriend and friend. End up having to call the fire dept to get me out and take me to the emergency room again, this time at a different hospital.
Hospital number 2 does X-rays again, conclude the bones are still out of place. Rebreak and reset the ankle (one of the worst pains I’ve ever endured). Send me home in a half cast/half splint. Schedule surgery for 9 days out.
12/13- Get to the hospital by 10am, don’t go into surgery until 5:30pm due to a delay with the doctor. They say they are unsure of the extent of the ORIF surgery they have to perform since they cannot see ligament or tendon damage in the X-rays. Turns out a ligament was stretched completely, so amongst the plates and screws they had to put in for the broken bones, they had to nails up into the bone to stabilize it, allowing that ligament to scar up and heal over the next 3 no weight bearing months. In total, they affixed me with 2 plates and 13 screws.
I stayed at the hospital for that night, the entire next day, and half of the following day until I was cleared to leave by PT hopping (painfully) on a walker. During my stay they were unable to control the pain, having one nurse outright refuse to give me any pain medication because she said “I was looking at the clock.” When the orthopedic doctor made his rounds that day and found me hysterical due to the nurse not following orders he was livid. She came into the room 10 minutes later, almost making fun of me, saying “you’re CRYING???” Later that day while being discharged she banged into my ankle/leg “by accident,” saying “wow even accidents happen here huh?” and left the room.
12/15-12/22- Spent most of this time resting at home in the splint, with leg elevated.
12/22- First check up, surgeon said everything looked good but that it was too early to take out stitches. He put me in a boot with instructions to take it out of the boot 3 times a day to start doing ROM exercises.
12/22-12/28 Rested at home with leg elevated, started to do ROM exercises day by day. Tomorrow
(12/29) I go to get my stitches removed tomorrow, hopefully all goes well. They said I will start physical therapy after that.
So, at the moment my main questions are:
-As I am NWB for 3 months, what types of exercise will I start doing in PT next week? I find it hard to believe there is much I could be doing besides simple ROM that I was told to start doing at home already. However, I am happy and eager to do anything that will help recovery- just want to have an idea of what to expect.
-While each day has been filled with new sensations, I’ve started to experience an ache in the Achilles area. I am wondering if it is from too much exercise, has anyone else experienced this?
-I purchased a knee scooter today, have any of you had any success using one? If so which brand/model? I am not a coordinated person and have had inner ear problems my whole life, so crutches did more harm than good for me.
-Christmas Eve I started having intense stomach pain, which for substantially more intense after eating or drinking . Have you guys ever experienced this while injured? I was thinking it was from laying down so much, maybe causing some digestive issues. I found taking an anti acid in the morning and gas-x in the evening along with sitting fully up before, during, after eating (about 1 hr for something that would take 10 min to eat) has helped.
-My doctor suggested that I start doing ROM exercises at home (alphabet, pointing up and down, pulling on the heel with a scarf or towel to bring it up, toe wiggles). This was only 13 days after surgery and I thought it was early, but followed directions. I have made some improvement since starting (about 5 days ago) but I have not been able to do the alphabet at all. Was this an issue for any of you? Should I be more flexible at this point?
Thank you for any and all input, I really do appreciate any input.
Happy New Year!
0 likes, 3 replies
rose71920 coll45445
Posted
Hi Coll,
So sorry about your accident. Terrible time of year for that to happen to you or anyone! For the record that nurse should have been fired for doing that to you! That is terrible. I had an accident a year ago Dec. I went to the ER and was told to go home and I would be on my feet with in a few weeks. Never happened. Three specialist in my area refused to do much of anything just saying it was a grade 3 sprain and I would heal.
BTW. I'm a 54 yr old women. And my accident was tripping off my slippers! LOL Sounds funny now, but I won't wear slippers ever again! LOL
When I fell I my right ankle spun all away around and I landed on my left foot crushing my bones near my big toe. Not fun.
Fast forward months I finally had a ortho look at my X-rays and saw me with in 10 days! YEA.
Found my left foot had post traumatic damage that needed quick repair/ and 2 months later found torn ligament and tendon.
The recovery isn't so horrible. I did have my husband get me a scooter! With a basket to carry my things. it worked wonders. I , too , have inner ear problems and lose my balance a lot and or get dizzy so crutches were out of the picture. I also have a cane and I had a walker. All of it isn't easy being NWB but needed.
i was in my cast for almost 5 weeks and then a brace. Doing my ROM !! UGH.. this is tough. But I am pushing through it. The alphabet is the hardest! And I am having a hard time crunching my towel!
Stomach ache .. yes! nauseous , yes... for me it was from the pain in the beginning. If I tried eating it was horrible. I had a lot of ice pops to soothe myself! The pain meds will make you a bit upset at times.
All I can say is your on the right track!
Keep doing what your doing and we'll all get there!
Take care,
Rose
christina80204 coll45445
Posted
kpower coll45445
Posted
Hi Coll,
So sorry fate dealt you this blow. Join the Club.
You didn't mention where your bone breaks were or their severity (except that they were in 'ankle'
, so it's hard to guess your bone healing time and prognosis. If surgery is required (as in your case) that tends to prolong recovery because of additional tissue trauma due to surgery, scarring, and so forth.
If there are no complications bones usually heal on schedule without many surprises. Since you are non-weight-bearing for 3 months that means the doctor is playing it very conservatively. If you are having any problems mending bones I would suggest a PEMF devices to accelerate bone regeneration in your fractures.
As your broken bones heal, the follow-up x-rays will show extent of progress. See if your doctor can get you safely to partial weight bearing as soon as possible. Some weight bearing and resulting movement and exercise that weight allows will speed your recovery.
Too bad about your encounter with nurse from hell. Generally, if I were in a very vulnerable position like that (as a patient in hospital) I would be as nice as I could to a person like that. Unless she was an ogre most people would chill out and not be so spiteful. But of course you were in duress and it's hard to be diplomatic in such a situation.
Don't be overly concerned about difficulties with range of motion exercises. With all the soft tissue damage you probably sustained it's advisable to take it easy and go slow. But be persistent despite the pain and difficulty. These exercises, done appropriately, are your ticket to graduate to weight-bearing later on with fewer problems.
As to what physical therapy you will do soon, I'd say that is up to a competent physiotherapist, if you are referred to on. If your case is challenging the therapist will tailor exercises specifically to your needs.
If you are taking pain killers be aware that studies have shown that NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) have been shown to have a negative impact on articular cartilage, and can have side effects on the gastrointestinal tract as well.
I can understand your problem with crutches-- I was afraid of them too at first but later learned to use them satisfactorily. But primarily I relied on a wheelchair to get around when I was NWB-- it was great and very safe mobility but gave less chance for exercise than a walker or knee scooter.
My experience and understanding is that soft tissue recovery (muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons, etc etc..-- good grief the ankle is simply packed to the gills with this squishy stuff) is usually the limiting factor in how soon and how well you recovery to normal walking, etc.
You can find in some of my past posts on forum tips on what a successful ankle rehab strategy might entail.
Good luck to you.