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Keep us posted Bev!! Can't wait to hear how the x-ray looks!! Question, when you say you have 57% ROM in your ankle, what do you mean exactly? Are you measuring it from how far side to side you can go or back and forth? I know that my biggest challenge right now is being able to place my heel down first to take a step forward. Is this where your ROM is limited?
My ROM was measured by my PT. He said I had 57% ROM. This is due to ankle not moving back and forth, ankle will not move very much up and down and ankle will not move very much up and down. I am thankful that I am able to walk but ankle is just so stiff feels like it needs to be loosened it is so stiff and tight just cannot move it and it drives me nuts. I am hoping that my OS can enlighten me on whether this ankle ROM is because of injury and I am hoping that its scar tissue built up and adhesions that is keeping it from moving. I sure would like to see 90-95% ROM hopefully tomorrow will educate me on this. BEV
thanks M2y and NCG09..i really appreciate all the input that im getting. its exactly 1 week already after my surgery..the swelling on my foot is almost gone and the swelling on my leg is also easing. i havent tried walking again on stair since i came home, because my flat is a walk up aprtment with no lift and im on the 4th floor so im doing all my walking on my room and going to the bathroom. i do my exercise evry morning and before i go to sleep. it's very painful at first but it gradually ease up. my ankle and knee is still a bit stiff and i cant bend it the way i want it but everything going fine so far. i will have my appointment again with my PT in a weeks time. i hope that by that time i will be more mobile and more confident to walk around.
by the way my leg is not cast. its just the rod and the screws holding my bone straight. i ask my OS about this and he said that i dont need a cast anymore because having a rod and screw on my leg is more stable.
to everybody this a great thread and it really helps me on my confidence and patience. i hope that everybody is getting better and doing well on their recovery.
hey! havent been on this in a while. exactly 8 weeks now since i broke both my tib/fib and got an IM nail and 4 screws inserted. have been weight bearing from the start. this apparently is the newest way as it ensures more blood flow to the injured area. Been able to get around on 1 crutch mainly lately and on no crutches around the house. about 2 weeks ago I seen I was loseing a lot of muscle on my thigh. got advice to buy ankle weights. They are brilliant. The weight can be varied and my muscle is almost back to its normal size. Gonna get a physio session for the 1st time this week mainly to see what i will be allowed to do as I already have about 95% movement in both my knee and ankle.
Took very little of the advice I received from the doctor as it was a different one I seen each time. Infact last time I was there the doctor said to start putting weight on it even though I was told to put weight on from surgery and I walked into his office with 1 crutch!! Instead I found different sources for advice and found them very helpful!
For those newest to this the best thing you can do is accept what happened and hold no grudges. Get a few boxsets that you intended to watch and go out sumwhere most evenings!
I never let it affect my social life. If anything I have never went out as much and the crutches are a great conversation starter! Its easy to feel down about it and believe me Ive had my moments but think positive and make the most of the situation!
Hopefully everyone is getting better, and hears to a speedy recovery!! (hopefully 6 weeks until sports with the help of the physio!!)
nice to hear that your doing well on your recovery. i think we have the same situation as my OS advice me to start putting weight on my bad leg 1 day after surgery. first day it was 10kg and the following day its as much weight as i can take. right now im 1 week post op and continuing to walk 3 times daily to loosen my muscles. its still very stiff and painful at first but gradually ease up as i go along. my ankle movement is still limited(I cant put my heel on the first few minutes but after a while it loosen up).i can bend my knee maybe 60 70 percent as before. my OS target is to get me off the crutches in 1 months time.
i want to ask how was it on your first few weeks after your post op?
nice to hear that your doing well on your recovery. i think we have the same situation as my OS advice me to start putting weight on my bad leg 1 day after surgery. first day it was 10kg and the following day its as much weight as i can take. right now im 1 week post op and continuing to walk 3 times daily to loosen my muscles. its still very stiff and painful at first but gradually ease up as i go along. my ankle movement is still limited(I cant put my heel on the first few minutes but after a while it loosen up).i can bend my knee maybe 60 70 percent as before. my OS target is to get me off the crutches in 1 months time.
i want to ask how was it on your first few weeks after your post op?
for the 1st 2 weeks or so I kept my leg elevated as much as possible and iced fairly often. I didnt do too much walking those 2 weeks and sleep wasnt the best as I had to keep my leg elevated.
After that I walked a lot with the crutches putting almost full weight on my foot. This walking was very slow and frustrating but taking your time and walking properly was the key. Like others here the blood rushing to the foot is very painful after elevation for a few weeks but as of the last fortnight it is rarely a problem.
Best of luck with the recovery. Feel free to ask any questions. Keep me posted on any tips. Im going to the physio now Friday who used to work for a few premiership teams! I'll let you no if he has any further tips
Today had my 8 months post op appt with OS. He took an Xray of ankle. This was the first xray since hardware was taken out due to rejection on 4/30/09. Everything is healed up even the holes where pins,plates,screws were however after a battery of movement tests and fact that ankle only has 57% ROM he has decided to put me back in therapy for another 18 sessions with an aggressive PT person he has set up for me through hospital and he will monitor the progress ....then after I am done with those 18 sessions six weeks after I finish he will see me back to assess the progress and whether ankle stayed losened up. OS is only guaranteeing 70% ROM back however because of my drive the motivation possibly 80% so because of the extent of closed pilon fracture injury that will be the best I can expect and nothing can improve that so I will except it. After the got done with all movement he did the ankle was very sore all day. I got a pair of those Sketcher Shape up tennis shoes and they are so wonderful. Cannot believe the difference. Those shoes take all the pressure off of the fibula area. I am planning on ordering a regular pair of black princess style. Can go on Sketchers.com to see all styles and they even make them for the male foot. They cost me $99 at Shoe Carnival however shoe carnival does not carry the regular style or sandal style shoe only the tennis shoes. They are so worth it.
Glad to hear Linnj that you walked alone. What a great accomplishment? Everyone keep up the good work. My first aggressive PT session is this Friday afternoon. Bev
I fell July 11th and broke my tibia and fibula in about 10 places. I was moving from tx to al the day I fell and I had to remain behind for 2 surgeries over 6 weeks. I started with an ex fix and then had excessive swelling so I had to wait 4 weeks for my internal fix. While I was in Texas all I could think about was getting home to my husband and two small children and now that I am home I am an emotinal wreck! All I do is cry. I am so frustrated that I can't care for my children the way that I want to and that I am so dependant for the simplest of needs. My mom has moved in with us temporarily to help and I don't know what I would do without her. I am so grateful for all of the support so I feel so silly for crying all the time but I just feel like such a burden on my family. My new ortho doc here in AL did ex-rays a few weeks ago and said the work my original doc did was excellent and he wishes he could claim the work as his own. Then in his next breath he told me that my injury was very nasty and that I will require additional surgery in the future to get my bones to heal. I asked if there was anything I could do to assure no extra surgery and he said no. I sobbed all day that day. They took my short cast off and put me in a boot but it was SOOOO painful that I had to go back in and they cut all of that extra padding out that supports your ankle since I am non weight bearing anyway. I am still swollen and my two 8 inch incisions go down by the "balls" of my ankle so the pressure from the boot was excruciating. I really have stopped wearing my boot unless I am up moving around b/c it is still painful. I have a lot of numbness still on teh top of my foot and on both incisions...normal???? My foot still swells if I have it down so I keep it elevated as much as possible. They told me a 6 month recovery??? I'd like to hear stories of quicker recoveries and anything you did to speed up the healing process. Diet and nutrition??? What excercises could you do to help the rest of your body stay in shape. I go back the end of sept for another ex-ray and that will be about the 8 week point frommy last surgery. They said I would be non weightbearing for 8-12 weeks. I am so ready to start therapy and heal. I am only 32 and I just want to be back to normal. Any advice on the emotional aspect? I don't want to go on anti depressant but I can't stop crying and I am not a cryer!!!!! But this is so frustrating!!!!!!!!
for the 1st 2 weeks or so I kept my leg elevated as much as possible and iced fairly often. I didnt do too much walking those 2 weeks and sleep wasnt the best as I had to keep my leg elevated.
After that I walked a lot with the crutches putting almost full weight on my foot. This walking was very slow and frustrating but taking your time and walking properly was the key. Like others here the blood rushing to the foot is very painful after elevation for a few weeks but as of the last fortnight it is rarely a problem.
Best of luck with the recovery. Feel free to ask any questions. Keep me posted on any tips. Im going to the physio now Friday who used to work for a few premiership teams! I'll let you no if he has any further tips
im walking at least 1 hr during morning, after lunch and before going to sleep. every morning my leg is really painful from all the blood rushing to my leg. i havent tried icing my leg that much, is it ok? my girlfriend is too afraid to put ice on my bad leg. my leg is now showing signs of bruising. it is still swollen, but not so much anymore. do you also experience the bruising?
my appointment with the physio wont be till Wednesday of next week, i'll keep you posted. any advice from your appointment will be gratly appreciated. Thanks
I fell July 11th and broke my tibia and fibula in about 10 places. I was moving from tx to al the day I fell and I had to remain behind for 2 surgeries over 6 weeks. I started with an ex fix and then had excessive swelling so I had to wait 4 weeks for my internal fix. While I was in Texas all I could think about was getting home to my husband and two small children and now that I am home I am an emotinal wreck! All I do is cry. I am so frustrated that I can't care for my children the way that I want to and that I am so dependant for the simplest of needs. My mom has moved in with us temporarily to help and I don't know what I would do without her. I am so grateful for all of the support so I feel so silly for crying all the time but I just feel like such a burden on my family. My new ortho doc here in AL did ex-rays a few weeks ago and said the work my original doc did was excellent and he wishes he could claim the work as his own. Then in his next breath he told me that my injury was very nasty and that I will require additional surgery in the future to get my bones to heal. I asked if there was anything I could do to assure no extra surgery and he said no. I sobbed all day that day. They took my short cast off and put me in a boot but it was SOOOO painful that I had to go back in and they cut all of that extra padding out that supports your ankle since I am non weight bearing anyway. I am still swollen and my two 8 inch incisions go down by the "balls" of my ankle so the pressure from the boot was excruciating. I really have stopped wearing my boot unless I am up moving around b/c it is still painful. I have a lot of numbness still on teh top of my foot and on both incisions...normal???? My foot still swells if I have it down so I keep it elevated as much as possible. They told me a 6 month recovery??? I'd like to hear stories of quicker recoveries and anything you did to speed up the healing process. Diet and nutrition??? What excercises could you do to help the rest of your body stay in shape. I go back the end of sept for another ex-ray and that will be about the 8 week point frommy last surgery. They said I would be non weightbearing for 8-12 weeks. I am so ready to start therapy and heal. I am only 32 and I just want to be back to normal. Any advice on the emotional aspect? I don't want to go on anti depressant but I can't stop crying and I am not a cryer!!!!! But this is so frustrating!!!!!!!!
I am so sorry for your horrible accident. I think if you go back to beginning of the original blog your will get more support reading everybodys experiences. Crying is good but not to the point that crying gets your body emotionally down and affects your injury for healing. You are going to have enough to dwell on. Need to try to channel that pity party you are having for yourself to your injury that needs your emotional support. Try to channel your thoughts to the computer I played alot of pogo games also I channeled my pity party on writing things down keeping a dairy it always helps me to write things down to cope with things. Be so thankful you have someone there that can help you. I remember in the beginning just getting to bathroom was such a challenge that was 8 months ago so you are just beginning your journey and it does help to just write to us vent on us here we will be there for you in thought and spirit and know we are only a blog away. God Bless you and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I did everything to help speed up the recovery process but it just didnot happen your injury will heal at its pace. I in beginning ate alot of fish,yogurt,icecream took vit d,vit b12, ate healthy and lost pounds in process. So just be patient keep yourself occupied. You are just beginning the healing journey so keep foot elevated, iced, take pain pills and know we are here for you. Bev
I fell July 11th and broke my tibia and fibula in about 10 places. I was moving from tx to al the day I fell and I had to remain behind for 2 surgeries over 6 weeks. I started with an ex fix and then had excessive swelling so I had to wait 4 weeks for my internal fix. While I was in Texas all I could think about was getting home to my husband and two small children and now that I am home I am an emotinal wreck! All I do is cry. I am so frustrated that I can't care for my children the way that I want to and that I am so dependant for the simplest of needs. My mom has moved in with us temporarily to help and I don't know what I would do without her. I am so grateful for all of the support so I feel so silly for crying all the time but I just feel like such a burden on my family. My new ortho doc here in AL did ex-rays a few weeks ago and said the work my original doc did was excellent and he wishes he could claim the work as his own. Then in his next breath he told me that my injury was very nasty and that I will require additional surgery in the future to get my bones to heal. I asked if there was anything I could do to assure no extra surgery and he said no. I sobbed all day that day. They took my short cast off and put me in a boot but it was SOOOO painful that I had to go back in and they cut all of that extra padding out that supports your ankle since I am non weight bearing anyway. I am still swollen and my two 8 inch incisions go down by the "balls" of my ankle so the pressure from the boot was excruciating. I really have stopped wearing my boot unless I am up moving around b/c it is still painful. I have a lot of numbness still on teh top of my foot and on both incisions...normal???? My foot still swells if I have it down so I keep it elevated as much as possible. They told me a 6 month recovery??? I'd like to hear stories of quicker recoveries and anything you did to speed up the healing process. Diet and nutrition??? What excercises could you do to help the rest of your body stay in shape. I go back the end of sept for another ex-ray and that will be about the 8 week point frommy last surgery. They said I would be non weightbearing for 8-12 weeks. I am so ready to start therapy and heal. I am only 32 and I just want to be back to normal. Any advice on the emotional aspect? I don't want to go on anti depressant but I can't stop crying and I am not a cryer!!!!! But this is so frustrating!!!!!!!!
The early stages are rough and quite depressing. It is just a matter of time and patience and soon you will get better. Try out another website that many of us also frequent. Many stories and friendly people there too
I broke my tib/fib/ankle about 3 months ago and walking without any support now. Have a IM mail and screws
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Instead I found different sources for advice and found them very helpful!
