What to expect...help!!!

Hi Melissa! Congrats! I can tell you about my ankle since I started walking on the 8th of this month. It's been 2 weeks and 2 days now. I quit crutches the day I got the go to walk but I also had some nerve problems related to their use so I was happy to be done with them. I used the boot and the even up for 2 days and then tennis shoes. PT started that same week as well.

It did not feel good to walk for awhile but it is imperative to move and do my exercises. I am still icing at the end of the day, if not a little bit in between. Swelling still is a bit of a problem and I always kept an eye on my incision because sometimes the swelling would cause minor weeping. I am moving more than most per PT and had some increased discomfort the other day so I stayed off it for a couple. It's fine now-the normal discomfort. I've been walking everyday since I have been able. Days 1 and 2 with the boot were about 0.5-1mile and after that in tennis shoes about 2 miles. I am really working at it hard though. My follow up appt is Sept 5 and I would really  like to go back to work. Listen to your body. I still have to be conscious that I follow through with my step on the affected side and not roll off like I want to. It is still difficult to go down stairs as well but it is getting better. I had hip pain for a little bit as well from lack of use and PT gave me exercises for that too. I still get some pitting edema around my ankle bones but less purple foot I still take ibuprofen for inflammation and a pain pill at night when I ice and I'm good. 

Everyday almost I've woken up it feels like I'm starting al over again. Yesterday was actually the first day I felt like I was actually getting a little better, which was good because when I had the increased pain I got discouraged. In all actuality, I should have just taken a pain pill because when I did I felt better but I still took a couple days off anyway. Every day I do it all over again. I hope this helps and I hope you do well. I got pretty teary eyed when I went for my first walk. It was a beautiful day and it felt so good to be independent again ??

Hello and congratulations!

Although I didn't have surgery- I did break my fibula badly with a spiral fracture. This was 5 and a half weeks ago. (I was told I'd be in a cast for 8 weeks) I sneakly managed to get my cast off early with a promise to the doctor that id be careful (he said I was fine to FWB and start walking). I often read many many things on the internet that said it would take weeks and weeks to be walking and completely back to normal which put a lot of doubt in my mind before getting my cast off. Let this be a positive little note that it's not always as hard as it seems- I was walking the same day my cast came off with only a little stiffness and a little annoying pain on the heel of my foot (because of my flat feet and due to not walking for a while). Putting your foot flat on the ground took a little while to get used to again but bearing full weight did not hurt me. 

Have a look for some ankle excercises on the internet and do them little but often. Don't push yourself too hard but also don't be worried about a little swelling etc the next day. Expect to have a bit of a limp when walking and an extra bit of soreness when walking with no shoes on. 

I just started walking about 1 1/2 weeks in boots, they were very uncomfortable but was able to do it, I think the uncomfortable part was the hardness not necessarily the ankles.  Now I am in my shoes and the first 2 days I was in a fair amount of pain, but now I am finding it easier to walk, I find I am limping and my foot is tight and my ankle is swollen but I can still walk and it feels great to get around.