Broken Ankle And Surgery Recovery (Page 15)

HEY melsinki,

I would suggest you work on your diet to help heal the bones and soft tissue. Add extra protein to your diet, and real fruit, fresh as you can get it, so that the vitamins are more abundant.

Also, give your body upper body rests so that all your healing energy is focused to your leg.

Good luck healing!

AH

Hi melsinki

Sorry to hear your news. I searched for bone healing food and find some really useful sites. For the last 7 weeks I had cut out red meat all together and ate lots of fish, chicken, almonds(everyday, at least two handfuls), skim milk, plenty of apples and just drank water. It really helped my healing.

Thursday last week I went back to the hospital for my 6th week check up, Doctor said its all good news. Bones has fused well and physio said i can start to put some weight on it still using both crutches. Lots of stretching exercise as well. Hopefully I will be able to ditch the crutches soon. I finally was allowed to wash my injured leg and sleep in bed without my cam boot. It feels so good.

I also found rubbing vitamin E oil really helped too( only do this when you have proper scar, don't apply it on open wound). Twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Buy a bottle of vitamin E capsules, much more economical.

Doctor also said the fracture of my tib and fib was low near my ankle which is why i can weight bear so fast. It will get better melsinki.
Cheers
L

Hi and thanx u both for ur advice, i will be improving my diet in order to heal faster, i am also giving up smoking as i know this slows down the healing process, i jjst hope in 4 weeks time there is some progress, dont think i can take anymore bad news, you dont realise how this sort of injury can effect your life so bad, i have had moments of despair and bouts of depression, my family and friends get me through as im sure u probarly both know, cant wait to get cast off and start my road to recovery, good luck to you both in ur healing and rehab, take care and thanx once more x

Hi MelSinki
I also heard smoking is bad for bone healing but don't know why. So I went searching for answers. Apparently our bones are nourished by blood like the other organs and tissues in the body. Bones get all the nutrients, minerals, and oxygen through the blood stream. Smoking elevates the levels of nicotine in the blood and this causes the blood vessels to constrict. Nicotine constricts blood vessels approximately 25% of their normal diameter. Due to this constriction of the vessels, decreased levels of nutrients are supplied to the bones. In this way smoking affects bone health. So you are definitely right about removing nicotine from your system.
Good luck healing.
L

i'm at the end of the 5th week post op. i decided to jump ahead and start bearing weight on my foot gently. first time i did it, i didn't feel any pain, but my range of motion was totally nuts.

i remembered to walk with full roll of the foot. this felt kinda good, and many of the tendons and ligaments in the foot were crying out.

the next day was painful. but i massaged my foot well, and began taking EFAs/Omenga3 + 6 supplement in flax oil and seeds. i continue to take a multi-vitamin every couple of days. i also have been adding extra whey protein to the diet, including various nuts and flax seeds; extra wheat fiber cereal, fruit. and yes, some cake and cookies too. so far it has been really good in minimizing the ankle joint pops and cracks i was getting and i am tolerating my walks and flexion/inversion exercises.

i try and walk around a few blocks every day, and am returning to some gentle yoga exercises like down/up dog, to loosen the calcaneal (achilles) tendon, as well as the fibularis and extensor tendons (i looked it up because i was curious). in addition, the bursal sacks located over the actual malleoli are swollen, and tender to touch. still, i take a shower (i still like sitting down in the shower chair) and i use the warm water to soften the tendons. then i apply lotion on my foot and akle, and begin deep friction of my tendons there as well as the bursa.

next week i will try using therabands to start adding resistance to some of these exercises, but slow to do that just yet.

i am due to visit the hospital again on friday 7/23. i think this is when they were going to clear me for rehab. i was NOT going to wait THAT long. so, i'll just be walking there rather than wheeling myself there.

been very positive minded and that has helped. the pyscho/emotional aspects are also vital -- to FEEL yourself coming back to life and to SEE yourself regaining your life is immensely helpful for all the right nutrients and nervous system responses to focus on your recovery.

i have taken the best of what i have learned in my physical therapy job, and in massage school, and applied it to myself.

mind-body-spirit: often neglected and seldom discussed in a hospital setting.

i have experienced great relief by cracking the ankle joints with rotations, and i thought i would post here some information about that process so people can benefit:


"What makes your knuckles pop?

If you've ever laced your fingers together, turned your palms away from you and bent your fingers back, you know what knuckle popping sounds like. Joints produce that CRACK when bubbles burst in the fluid surrounding the joint.

Joints are the meeting points of two separate bones, held together and in place by connective tissues and ligaments. All of the joints in our bodies are surrounded by synovial fluid, a thick, clear liquid. When you stretch or bend your finger to pop the knuckle, you're causing the bones of the joint to pull apart. As they do, the connective tissue capsule that surrounds the joint is stretched. By stretching this capsule, you increase its volume. And as we know from chemistry class, with an increase in volume comes a decrease in pressure. So as the pressure of the synovial fluid drops, gases dissolved in the fluid become less soluble, forming bubbles through a process called cavitation. When the joint is stretched far enough, the pressure in the capsule drops so low that these bubbles burst, producing the pop that we associate with knuckle cracking.

It takes about 25 to 30 minutes for the gas to redissolve into the joint fluid. During this period of time, your knuckles won't crack. Once the gas is redissolved, cavitation is once again possible, and you can start popping your knuckles again.
As for the harms associated with this habit, according to Anatomy and Physiology Instructors' Cooperative, only one in-depth study regarding the possible detriments of knuckle popping has been published. This study, done by Raymond Brodeur and published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, examined 300 knuckle crackers for evidence of joint damage. The results revealed no apparent connection between joint cracking and arthritis; however, habitual knuckle poppers did show signs of other types of damage, including soft tissue damage to the joint capsule and a decrease in grip strength. This damage is most likely a result of the rapid, repeated stretching of the ligaments surrounding the joint. A professional baseball pitcher experiences similar, although obviously heightened, effects in the various joints of his pitching arm. But assuming you haven't signed a multimillion dollar contract to constantly pop your knuckles, it hardly seems worth the possible risk to your joints.

On the positive side, there's evidence of increased mobility in joints right after popping. When joints are manipulated, the Golgi tendon organs (a set of nerve endings involved in humans' motion sense) are stimulated and the muscles surrounding the joint are relaxed. This is part of the reason why people can feel "loose" and invigorated after leaving the chiropractor's office, where cavitation is induced as part of the treatment. Backs, knees, elbows and all other movable joints are subject to the same kind manipulation as knuckles are."

Yesterday was the second week of my rehab. In the first week I was allowed to walk with the aid of both crutches and only stretching exercises. This week I was told to walk with the aid of one crutch but the injured leg in cam boot or walk with both crutches and not in cam boot.
I was hopping whilst using one crutch instead of walking. This made me very frustrated and sad. So the physio explained to me that the bones are happy to bear more weight but its the other things like muscles nerves tendons etc that is not ready.
She has warned me to be patient and one step at a time. For if I rush it before it was ready I could delay recovery time.
So yes there is progress but its still very frustrating to not be able to walk.

LGT: i totally experience the same thing with the tendons and muscles.

in fact, before this i never really "knew" the balls of my feet. i knew the heel (calcaneous/talus) but, the last small little ball right behind the little toe hurt like ...

Hey I was just cleaning out my emails when I noticed this thread. I broke my Fibia (Spiraled and tibia evolved the bone tip) while playing ice hockey. My ortho didn't suggest surgery since the displacement was within the range. I had 7 weeks of non weight bearing cast, then straight to PT and the ankle brace. It took me almost a week to just be able to walk some. By week two I could walk with a cane. I did my four weeks of PT and put on my roller blades at 11 weeks. I was back on the Ice in 12 weeks.
Now the having said that. I am just now getting to about 80% strength in the ankle on the ice. I only in the past month have been able to walk downstairs without a rail to hang on to. I still experience pain in the ankle and must ice it fequently. I went to a specialist at about 20 weeks who x-rayed and found a bone chip and expects ligament damage. This should have been addressed by the first ortho. I have opted to wait on surgery until the winter.
My point with this is: follow your doctors orders, work hard at rehab, ask a lot of questions. If you are active make sure you see a sports injury ortho not a general ortho. Keep a positive attitude and good luck. 47 year old hockey junkie.

Hello,

I suffered a spiral fracture of the left fibula, an inch above the talus, on June 20th. I did not have to have surgery (thank god) and was put in an aircast. I used crutches for the first three weeks, started weight bearing that week, week four was doing a little more, and this week have been without crutches. I am not experiencing pain except sometimes at night - I hate sleeping (not sleeping) with the aircast.

I am a runner and a cyclist and yesterday put my bike on a trainer with a flat pedal and spun for 20 minutes, then did some core exercises and light weight training. It felt great but I decided not to do that every day, but instead do it every other day for now.

Next week is my follow up appointment with my ortho. I have a scheduled century ride at the end of September that I am really hoping to do. I want to start running again in November to train for a half marathon in February.

While this has been a major bummer in some ways, it has definitely humbled me and taught me to appreciate some things I was taking for granted.

On July 4th I broke my ankle playing basketball.It wasn't cool cause the bone come out the one side and it was touching my calf. I had to wait a whole week just to get seen. The pain was just crazy. I had my surgery on the 12th.After the surgery the first two days the pain was done over by lots of meds but, was taken off quick to help me heal faster. I had 17 staples. Also, I have 2 plates 8 little screws and 2 big screws. I went back to the docs for the first time 10 days later and got a sweet boot put on. Now I have to wait a month to go back. Can't wait for a new update.

Week 6 update: went to the orth. today for my 6 week follow up and had x-rays taken. It all looks good - I am on the right track and things are healing. Yay aircast! Doc said I had to still use the aircast, but could use it less and less each day (by one hour) until I am completely weaned at 2 weeks. Also, I no longer have to sleep with the thing. Yay!

I just took the 3 dogs for a walk, each in turn, 10 minutes each. I could walk fine except my calf threatened to charlie horse a few times. There is no muscle left there. Also, when I push off from my toes it feels a little sore/strained. So I have to go easy. Then I came home and put it up for about 10 minutes and now I will put the boot back on and do chores. I think that I was a little disappointed about having to keep wearing the boot, but very encouraged by the Doc's positive reaction to my x-rays. So I will keep doing what he says.

7 months post break now..back running etc and tried preseason last week, but my ankle is still giving me so much bother i can run in a staright line but changing direction is sore and uneven ground is a nightmare. it was coming on leaps and bounds but over the last couple of months its just felt the same. can't seem to get full range movement back. I was optimistic about everything for a long time but at the moment its getting me down a lot
anyone else still experiencing a lot of stiffness/pain 6 months+ down the line?

I am at 10 weeks since surgery for spiral tib break and fib break at talus ... 2 plates and 9 screws... still not weight bearing. Reading all these stories of FWB at 6-8 weeks makes me so jealous. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled with how quickly so many of you are healing. I guess my breaks are bad, and I have to be patient. Tough to do, but seeing my day of accident x-rays was eye opening ... the spiral break on tibia looked like a huge piece of bone was almost removed from tibia. Happy healing!

o here is my week 7 post ankle break report.

I spent the weekend with less and less time in the air cast, as instructed. Saturday we had an event to do and i was literally on my feet the whole day. By the end of the day I needed to put both my feet up. So I spent Saturday evening alternating between the boot and ice with elevated foot. Sunday I did my chores in the boot, as it keeps things stable and I had a lot of odd chores that with my limited range of motion would have been harder. Sunday afternoon I didn't put my foot up for as long as I'd wished to, but was mostly in the kitchen cooking in shoes, so wasn't moving around too much. It was stiff last night.

But I did notice that in and out of the shower was almost normal, shaving legs and all that business - could put full weight on that leg while standing. Good!

Today was my first physical therapy appointment. I limped in, which of course was noticed by the PT, and he immediately said we had to break me of that bad habit. Was I limping because it hurt? No, not really. I was limping because - well, I didn't know I was limping! So he did the assessment with the student who is interning with them. They checked my range of motion and it was pretty good! I have trouble pointing my foot downward, and some issues with side to side. Pulling up doesn't seem to be a problem so much except it does pull on the calf which is weak from 6 weeks in the boot. He showed me three stretches and gave me stretching homework. And then I went on the treadmill and they worked on getting my normal gait back. I had thought I had been walking heel to toe, but in fact I had been planting my foot like one would a cane. So I walked for ten minutes the "correct" way, and then did some stretches, and iced. And went on my merry way. I go back Wednesday. I had to bring my car in today, so I had to go out once already to move my car; walking up the steep hill was no problem at all, and I was able to heel-to-toe as much as one can on a steep grade. I do have some pain under my toes and along the outside of my foot (owie!) when stepping off on that foot. Walking downhill is more tenderfooted. I decided to take a set of urban stairs from one road to the next and walked downstairs for the FIRST TIME IN SEVEN WEEKS WITH BOTH FEET!!!!! (holding a railing but not leaning on it...) Very exciting.

The PT did a very deep tissue massage on my calf which felt at points like a wasp sting! Youch! He said it was my muscle all balled up.

THE GOOD NEWS: I'll be running by November.
THE BAD NEWS: No bike off the trainer yet. That totally sucks, but I will obey.

Goals for this week:

Do my PT exercises as instructed and walk normally or not at all.
Last few hours with boot - probably during barn chores only.
3 days spinning on stationary bike

Progress!

Hello everyone...I broke my ankle on July 1st, when trying to move a log on a hill. I can't remember the details of what broke, but it was trimalleor (sp?) with eight breaks, including the tip of the tibia or fibula. That day is still a little...fuzzy. I had to be rescued by the fire department cause I couldn't get out of the gully I was in. Doc did surgery same day, with what I call scaffolding: a plate with holes drilled in it, secured by five screws on that, plus another six. Yes. Eleven screws. Apparently I broke it really well. I had percosets for the pain, which about on July 6, I quit taking. I got a cast on July 9, and was NWB for that time.

August 2 I got the walking boot, and was told it was pain based weight bearing. I spend about four to five hours without the boot on, so that my skin will get some air, and so I can do my flexing exercises. I can feel the scaffolding on the right side of my ankle and see it as well. Oddly the incision on the outside of my ankle is healing much better than the inside leg incision.

I do have a few questions...Does anyone feel like there is something akin to electricity shooting through their foot? I get mine mostly at night.
Also, I assume this frightening thing call my skin will go back to normal after it sheds off, and it will go back to my usual pale state.

I have started to try and hop about with one crutch and the boot. And while I will never be able to carry a fully glass of water that way, it is a bit of progress. I go back in September, and I hope to drive soon again. I have a manual, that is very stiff on the pedals.

What's really getting to me is this...funk. A sort of depression as life goes on outside my house, and I see little of it. Days blend, with the difference being how hot it is. I know it'll get better, but right now, it's rough when you have to keep up a brave face.

Hello everyone. I am new to this site. I have had a rough 3 weeks. Three weeks ago drop a large creek rock on my right big toe, smashed it and broke it they had to sew my nail back into place. Than a week later in the yard limping because my toe still hurt triped and fell and my left ankle rolled under me popping so loud my friend hear it break. So a week later surgery they put in a ankle plate and 5 screws. I also torn everything when my ankle popped out of the joint. NWB now for almost two week doctor only wrapped my ankle in a very tight ace bandage. Foot still swelled bad and shooting pain at my ankle site. Never take pain pills and have been on vicodin off and on each day. Im 44 and a little over wieght and doctor told me i wasnt old so prescribed a walker. That worked for about 2 days until i slipped in the bathroom (floor was wet from hubby ~ugh~) so he went and rent a wheelchair for me. Have a appt tuesda which will be 2 week and 1 day after surgery not sure what the plan is my doctor is older and always seems to be in a hurry. We own our own remodeling business so i am out everyday and the last 2 weeks have drove me crazy. Anybody got any ideal you think i will be NWB?

Hello Macandljc,

Sounds painful...I can sympathize . Each doc is a little different on what they want for being NWB and coming off of it. Mine was more than happy to let me go WB four weeks after surgery/break. I am only now getting around with a single crutch occasionally (three weeks after I was told I could weight bear), as I don't have a walker or wheelchair. I sometimes even don't use the crutch, if I have the desire, like vacuuming! All depends on how well you heal bone breaks, really. I hope it goes well, and that your doc will let you start weight bearing soon!

Hi Fellow Broken ankle sufferers: I just found this site about a week ago and it has been so helpful to read of others in the same or similar positions. I broke my ankle on July 18, had surgery about 10 days later and got my first hard cast about 2 weeks ago. I say, first because it had to be replaced a week later because it was too tight. It has only been in the last couple of days that I have not experienced ongoing pain. What a relief! My next appt. with doctor is on Sept. 9 and I am wondering if I will get a WB boot at that time. I'm hoping that I will--I feel so confined. It would be nice to walk across a room on my own!

Broke my right talus, non displaced fracture, ten weeks ago (on the fourth of july). No surgery (lucky), but non weight bearing for the last 10 weeks. This past Saturday, 9/4, I miscalculated my last step going down my stairs and landed with full weight on my right foot. It hurt and i fell down both because my muscles in my right leg didn't know what using that foot means anymore and also as a reflex to get off the foot immediately. I've been icing my ankle, but I'm freaking out right now. I had been feeling really good before this, feeling fairly confident that my bone had fully knit. My ankle has reswelled since this accident on Saturday. Any thoughts, or comments? I'm praying that I just did a minor sprain on the ligaments and tendons, that are so atrophied and have forgotten how to be used. Should I be really worried? What are the possible consequences of skipping physical therapy and jumping right into a sudden, full weight step down a stair?