Thread: Recovering from ankle surgery: Month 3....still a few questions

im a smoker dont worry about that they will xray your lungs for the amnesia and youll be fine thats the least of your worries, you have a long road ahead and strength and courage will get you through this. Just dont be stupid and do what the doctor says trust me.

Originally Posted by Hoodlike

I'm having ankle surgery on 02/24/2012 Im a little scared from reading these post I think I'm only having one plate and two screws put in I'm a smoker and read about the risk of surgery from been a smoker is any one a smoker who had surgery? And how was the healing process?

just hang in there it will get better just find something to do to keep your mind busy half the battle is mental trust me i know. Do things that will make you feel better whether at home or out of the house, but you have to stay productive mentally or your going to break down i learned the har way from this and i think we all have to, to completley understand.

Originally Posted by lct4914

I had foot and ankle surgery in aug. 2011. Theht bone in the back of my left ankle for some reason became deformed and shredded my tendons. The surgeon had to reconstruct the bone then remove all the torn tendons. He had to reattach what good tendons i had left. I was in pt for a month before surgery then for 3 months after surgery. Was off work for 3 months. Its been 5 months now and still walk with a limp and terrible pain. I was told the pain is from fatigue. My tendions are still very tight and im still very unbalanced. Also my calf muscle died and they said it has to be retrained. I just had the worse cramp in that muscle that made me scream for awhile. It was the most painful thing ever. Now i cant walk. Im so depressed. Im 56 years old but act younger. This is awlful.

Im not older im 24 also and broke one ankle bone tore the other way out of place and tore my ligaments and tendons throughout my ankle foot and partially up my leg, the pain even at 8 months and 2 surgeries is still there, in a walking boot now with a feeling of not being normal yet. I know this injury will effect me for life and that sucks because im very active with sports and some sports might be gone for life. Sorry i cant give you advice but figured id let you know that your not the only one out there.

Originally Posted by oneteaspoon

Hello all. I'm Lani and I'm 24 & from Australia. I would like to tell my story, I'll make it quick. Broke my ankle in 3 places, dislocated it and tore tendons whilst practicing falls for roller derby and it was my first every session was operated on straight away (they thought id been in a car accident & couldn't believe how banged up it was for something that had zero impact) anyways a plate & 7 screws later. 2 weeks cast, 6 weeks in total non weight baring, itS coming up 4 months post op on jan 1st and I'm still limping, in heaps of pain, n medication is starting to become lollies as I get use to them. I'm going to make an appointment with another private surgeon who operates on me before (my other ankle I injured at work n had 4 operations on, yes I have shit ankles, arthritis already setting in and I'm only 24). Anyways I'm going to get a second opinion. I would prefer not to have the metal removed as I've read research that indicates your 80% chance of re-fracturing it once the metal is removed.

I am actually really scared for my future. I cannot play sport I use to due to the pain, and a trip to the shops becomes a challenge. What will I be like when I'm 30?, 40?,70? If I'm in so much pain now, popping pills like lollies and unable to enjoy life.

Anyone hear a little older who had surgery on their ankles at a younger age to give me insight to what is to come as doctors tell me they cannot give me that kind of information.

Wish u all a merry Xmas xx

I broke my ankle and the Dr. put it as shattered in 3 places I have a plate and screws and it took months for me to get better, so you are saying you can have the metal taken out ? I haven't even thought about it.

I am 42 and had a broken ankle it will be 2 yr in january it took months to get better have a plate and screws and I am fine on rainy days it hurts some but not unbearable.

Help!! I'm almost 6 months post peroneal tendon and ligament surgery. (cut overstretched ligaments/resewn/groove carved into ankle for tendon to live) Was fine after PT done, started running, biking, skiing, working out and wearing heels again...and now...it hurts worse than before the surgery! Doc said I could've had more micro-tears in tendon, could they be opening up just now? I DO NOT want another surgery, does anyone know if 'infra red' treatments actually work for this stuff? Ugh...it feels like someone is stabbing me behind my ankle with a pair of pointy scissors...help!

At least I didn't break mine, though. I feel for you, miss 24 year old. Ugh.

I broke my calcaneous (heel) bone in seven pieces along with a severe lumbar compression fracture about 2 years ago in a climbing fall. 10 pins, a plate and four surgeries in the foot, and a box fusion in the back connecting L2-L4 but only one procedure. The back was more spooky at first, but has healed really well. The foot has been more difficult. No weight bearing for 3 months, then "as tolerated" which essentially meant increasing periods of time with some weight trying to increase the weight. it was the most painful experience of my life and lasted 6 months. I skied again after one year, more poorly than usual, with some pain but not bad. Am now back to skiing as poorly as i did prior to the fall with minimal pain. I did A LOT of rehab, weights, PT, walking, general fitness etc ... and stayed with it regardless of pain and I think that paid off. One thing to be careful of is getting a severe case of tendinitis once back weight bearing. It's tempting to try to do too much, and at one point my ankle blew up like a cantaloupe and was back on crutches for 6 weeks. So, do a lot, but keep it rational. After two years, I'm not going to run any marathons, but can climb, ski, bike etc ... well enough to be ok. Heel fractures may be a bit different than higher ankle problems.

Its worth it to check in with Healthboards.com. There is a forum for nearly any ailment/disability with lots of people who've gone through it.

I "shattered" (doctor's description, not mine) my ankle in May of 2004 and I still have a plate and 7 screws in there. The tibia was split at the back up about 3", the fibula, he said, looked like two toothbrushes (too many fragments to piece back together) and broke off the medial malleolus. There was no weight bearing on it after the first surgery until 2 weeks after the 2nd surgery which was in August. My spouse and I were cutting down a tree and it landed on my head and shoulders causing a "gymnast's dismount fracture". The darn thing still hurts every day and I now have a job where I have to stand all day so it is HUGE by the time I get home from work.

For two years I suffered with terrible pain an inflammation in my right ankle and my foot was floppy the doctor said, I tried everything boots,braces,orthotics nothing helped so I had surgery this past January 22/2013. I had a plaster cast for 8 weeks then a boot for 2 weeks, and on my 8 th week of PT,
My surgery was lateral ankle stabilization,ankle arthroscopy and ankle was anchored. I just went back to work on 4/23/2013 which I have put in 6 days 6 hours a day, I work in retail Iam a shift supervisor and the employees really keep me moving the whole time, I am pain free for about 2 hours then the next four hours terrible pain and stiffness tonight I could hardly drive home with using my foot with the gas and brake pedal. Today the doctor said maybe try 4 hours per day, my question is will it ever be pain free? And how long do you think it will take. I never get to set at work.i am afraid I will over excerpt and have to have another surgery. Hope someone can help.

Kaybear - it's way too soon after surgery to draw any conclusions, and in fact it is reassuring that the first two hours of your shift were pain-free. As a general rule of thumb, one can expect to continue improving over the course of a year or so, but obviously this is not a hard rule. You have every reason to stay positive and best of luck.

Just got home from PT, working at 4:00-10:00 tonight, at least I have a rest period before work. I just want to be 100%