Update-Broken Ankle-1 Year later
So its been about a 1 year (and a month) since I completely broke my ankle (broke every bone and dislocated it) and I’m proud to say my ankle is basically healed. I have scars on both sides of my ankle and it still swells bigger than my non-broken ankle but overall I can do everything again that I could do before I broke it. In fact I have started running at the Gym and it holds up well. Every so often my ankle will tell me if I’ve done too much by causing some pain or if the weather is changing. I still have all of the metal in my ankle as I figure that I’m going to at least enjoy the summer before deciding if I want to get the metal removed or not. Any of you out there who have broken an ankle before do you still have the metal or not? Is it as simple a procedure as the doctor says to remove it? Do I have to go back on crutches at all?
Deana,
How is everything going? I hope you are doing well! I have been progressing well, I biked 5 miles today at the Y which was plenty! Now I am wishing I could use a broken ankle as an excuse to not fold laundry…however I dont think it will work! My swelling is finally down! I really think those sutures were causing a large chunk of the swelling and now that they are all at the surface my swelling is minimal! I am still limping but working on getting rid of the limp, I have to think a little harder when I walk to try to walk the right way instead of favoring the bad leg! All in all I am healing up! I have 2 more weeks of PT then back to work! I am hoping by then the swelling will be even better and my limp will not be so noticeable! Hope you are doing great!
Hi Judy,
My boot seems much heavier than my fiberglass cast. I’m going to, starting today, count the pumps so I can get the right number since sometimes if feels fine and sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve just been pumping away and while your still sitting it doesn’t really let you judge what will feel the best when walking. Just re-inflated with 14 pumps and it feels fine sitting here so we’ll see and work up or down from there.
Hi Michelle,
I’m still sleeping with foot on a European sham (high) and a pillow and yet another pillow under my knee/thigh since without can become achy just sticking up there in mid-air. That is a very good point about still wearing at night in case of getting bumped, jumped on by kids or rolled over by husband.
My left hip is very achy today so I MUST make myself wear a shoe even just around the house tomorrow. I’m STILL using crutches at this point.
Abby,
Oh my, I hope the infection clears up soon. Sounds like you caught it early enough. I’m sure being a nurse you’ll protect it from the chlorine water when swimming.
The “slippery-ness” seems to be getting better. I was only able to get in two hours this afternoon without the boot and laying with it propped up and 5 minutes a couple of times sitting up with barefoot on the floor . . . not there yet but much better than Monday & Tuesday.
Everybody: My right foot still seems a bit bigger than left, foot, ball of foot, toes, ankle, not as bad as before . . . will my right foot/ankle EVER be the same size as my left one or will it always be like this? I’m going on 9 WEEKS as of tonight from the fall.
Let me explain my day!
I got up this morning and my ankle was looking pretty good considering it is rejecting the internal sutures and small bits of Vicryl suture are coming out of it! Then an area kinda popped open and oozed…PANIC….INFECTION….AHHHH, I called the Dr. immediately (of course my Dr. is out of town) so the other Dr. who is covering for him took 3 hours to call back. Now I am on Keflex in case it is infected and they want betadine soaked dressings on it….well the wound itself is only the size of a pin hole…so I am really not sure that the betadine soaked dressing is necessary…but the Keflex, that I asked to be put on yesterday, makes me feel better! I am glad I am a nurse because I feel like I have some inside knowledge…but it makes it really hard to be a patient! Well now that I have my antibiotics I am hoping all will be well!
Deana,
December 22 will be my two years anniversary and am still having alot of pain and swelling. However, regard the boot, it’s the safest way to go, it’s all about preventive measures, as far as the support goes and to avoid you bumping and anyone stepping or bumbing into you. Yes, it was heavy by with proper support under your leg, you won’t feel the weight as much while you are laying down or sleeping. When I did’nt sleep in my boot there was alway an accident, my kids would come in the room and lay right across my foot or my husband would throw his leg while sleeping not remembering my bad foot. You should not be coming off you bed with the bad foot first, it’s always the good foot first, the bad foot will buckle and cause you more problems. While wearing my boot I realized that my hip on the good side was being affected, so the therapist recommended that I use my cruthes for support, since I was off balance with the boot on. A sneaker with high botton will do the trick. Once you are complety out of the boot a (Fabric like) ankle brace is good along with your sneakers, preferrable New Balance. Take it easy, you have come a long way and it’s an injury that always reminds you when you are doing too much – (it make you slow down, if you want to are not) Also try to walk with the tip of the boot in a straight position, I found myself walking like a duck, I was walking with the boot turned to the side….
Deana,
I would sleep without the boot! I am sure at this point you could do that, call the Dr. and ask! I am glad u are without a cast! Sometimes I wish I had a boot! My leg hurt like crazy after PT yesterday!
Good luck
Abby
Hey Deana:
I hated the boot, too, but had to wear it for a long time. It was lighter than my cast, which was good, but awkward and I never did get the hang of inflating it properly. After a while, I just left it off at night and kept it next to the bed. That way, I’d put it on every time I got up. Not a great solution, but way better than lying awake at night.
It’s almost 14 months since my accident and, looking back, it’s really hard to believe how many steps and stages one goes through with these injuries. Keep smiling and looking forward, and you’ll do just fine!
Arrrgh on the boot. This thing is heavy. I slept in it last night, my bed is high and getting down, I go down on the broken ankle with most of weight on crutches and good foot on bottom step of the bed steps. Woke up at midnight and the top of my foot was screaming. So went to restroom and while there loosened up the straps a bit, not too much and then back to bed. I so don’t want to go back to sleeping on the couch but I don’t see how I could put the boot back on laying in bed in the middle of the night.
I took it off for two hours today and elevated it after all the walking and being up most of the day yesterday and transition from cast to boot. I put it on the floor, just sitting there with just the weight of my leg on my foot, no standing or walking, and the feeling of foot to floor seemed a little better so will do this again for another two hours after I finish posting.
Also, the rolling of the boot and the instep under my arch seems a bit high and I have HIGH arches to begin with, makes my foot seem like it is rolling to the outside. I don’t like that.
Oh and Abby, the YMCA here for family membership is 73.00 a month which is why I thought it was high for the Y or even a gym.
That pedicure and spa trip will be coming soon!
That feeling of slipping will fade, mine was like that too! I think it is because the cast was so big and the foot is so much smaller, it is just a perception thing, but still scary! I am so happy that you are doing so well. I was the same way, heading to the mall/outlets, after I could walk! I have been using a therapy band to stretch my ankle out it seems to have worked wonders! I also do the circles, and flex it alot. I just left the YMCA, I did 4 miles on the stationary bike today and will swim this afternoon when Sophia is done with school! She wants to go too! I think we are healing and moving on up pretty well! Scrub that foot and get it sparkling, tell that hubby you want a lift to the spa to get a pedicure, you deserve it!
Hi Abby
I now am the proud owner of a moon boot. Man this thing has about 6 or 7 straps for fastening and a little valve to turn and pump it with air around the ankle. This slippery feeling on the floor is so WEIRD when no cast and no boot. I did take the boot off for an hour this evening to lay down and elevate it and just to let it breathe and to start trying to flex it a little.
Go back in 3 weeks.
Only saw the Physicians Asst. today. More xrays. Said it is looking good.
Still can’t drive with this thing on. I can take it off to drive but will have to try a couple of days with it off laying down and flexing my foot up and down and TRY to maybe even do circles with my foot. Just sitting in a chair waiting to go into the contraption room where they have all the various devices to use on people . . . . setting my foot on the carpet (ewww germs) it just slid around when I moved it and felt very slippery and sort numbness/no feeling or I just don’t know how to describe it but it has been cooped up in the splint and then the cast for SIXTY ONE long days. It was sorta that same “slippery” thing right after falling when I stood up and tried to walk. It feels like my foot is on ice or slick glass it is VERY weird. They have NEVER done an MRI so my husband said maybe you have nerve damage. Gee Thanks Dear, just what I need to worry about now for the next 3 weeks.
I think I’m trying to take too big of steps, like a normal walking step, and will have to start taking 1/2 sized baby steps when I let go of my crutches.
I DID manage to walk up the steps, one step at a time coming back home into the house. I think I still may scoot down going out, down is much scarier.
Oh and we stopped at the mall and I walked, with crutches, to the Carlton store and was going to get the Wicked ornament. Was NOT impressed, especially for 27.00, and even though the nice guy held 2 for me and called me when they came in, I went over to the counter after looking at the small wall of ornaments and told them I had changed my mind but thanked them for holding them for me. It was exhausting the walk to the store, from the entrance about the middle of the mall and then clear on one end. We could have parked at Sears but that would have meant going down and then back up the escalator and I wasn’t ready for that.
Steve even offered for me to go up and he’d walk back & then drive down to Sears and get me and I said NOPE. I think my crutches were a little short having a shoe on the one foot and the boot on the other vs. being at home barefoot and cast/cast-shoe before. We did find Toy Story 3 silly banz. Two packs. The 16 yr. old LOVES TS1, 2 & 3 and so do several of her friends. We’ve gotten her a HUGE oversized TS coloring book at Sam’s before vacation, TS Band-Aids (she’s a dancer and marching band), TS Buzz keychain for her new (used) car, and now silly bandz. Funny how a little 5.99 each pack of those can still make a 16 yr. old happy. LOL Her friends were sooooooooo jealous, IF I’d known, I’d have bought several packs of each style since I had to work so hard to walk that far. It was my first time in a store in 61 days!!!! That is a long time of no shopping for a shopaholic like me.
My heel looked the worst as far as dead skin goes. I just took a shower last night, a REAL CHORE especially for Steve as he has to take sliding glass doors off, hang a shower curtain up there and we slit it to stick my foot out. Yay won’t have to do that anymore. But may try a bath tomorrow night and scrub that leg/ foot! GROSS. LOL
Anybody else experience the slippery feel of the floor with your barefoot at the time of accident and/or later when cast and/or boot were taken off?
Deana,
how was the appointment! Any good news????????
Deana,
Kindergarten was a success! She loved it! Fletcher starts this week! I joined the YMCA here today, it is 145 for 5 months! Which is not too bad! I was paying $7 each time! So this will be better, two of the stitches came out, 2 more are still causing inflammation and pain! Not pain when I walk but pain if anything touches the skin near them. I cannot wait to hear about your appointment! I hope you get the cast off! I hate casts! I am walking without a problem now, I swam for about 1 1/2 hours today at the Y and the swelling was gone when I got out of the pool! I go back to PT tomorrow! I really hate PT, it is all things I could do at home, but I have this rerun PT therapist who lectures me each time I go! I am about to request a new therapist! Let me know how tomorrow goes! Good luck!
Hi Abby,
Oh Dear! I was thinking I needed to type to you today and am so sorry to hear that you are experiencing problems but sounds like some time and patience will do the trick and no more surgery or anything invasive.
Tomorrow is my BIG DAY . . . I think.
I’ll either get:
cast off and moon boot on
cast off and nothing on
OR
worst case
cast on two more week or however long
I would be happy with either the first or second option and least happy with the last.
Not much going on here, nothing to report. Trying to pass time, a little cleaning and some cooking too. Lots of just playing on the computer and watching TV.
How was the first day of K for the little one?
Also been looking for an indoor pool to join. After hearing how much you have enjoyed it . . . the Y is EXPENSIVE these days. Also a few other options, probably the nicest and newest one is in the worst part of town as far as crime and such goes so off the list for that one. Too bad I still don’t live in D/FW Texas. I had a lifetime membership at Presidents/Bally’s and my dues were only 25.00 a YEAR. They had EVERYTHING and of course I paid pretty big bucks at that time for the privilege of that low amount by paying UP FRONT. And now no reciprocating facility here where we live so I lost it all.
So I woke up this morning and my ankle was swollen, painful, and red! Hmmmm not good! It freaked me out, so I called my friend who is a physicians assistant in the OR, she told me to come over to the hospital so she could look at it. Because why would I call the DR when he is just going to call her! So she told me my body is rejecting the suture they used on the inside, and pushing it out through the incision. So basically I wait for the suture to come to the surface and pull it out, then the inflammation goes away! Gross yes, but better than an infection! So I am sitting here waiting for the suture to pokes its evil head out so I can yank it out and be free of the inflammation!
Hope everyone is doing well!
I had three surgeries and I am doing fine right now. In January my doctor wants to take out two of the screws. It will give me more movement. It is a little sore sometimes but all in all I go hiking ride my horse and walk all over. Sometimes I limp sometimes I don’t. It just depends on the ankle.
Wendi – you say it’s a year since you broke your ankle. Did you have surgery and how is your progress now?
Very interested – I am nearly 8 months and it’s been a long haul.
Thanks.
Deana,
I put my post op pics on my facebook page, one of the scar 6 weeks post op, and one of the swelling when they took the cast off! Should give you some idea of how the swelling is! Today is a long day for me, my husband is a college professor and teaches a night class, he wont be home until 9pm, so from 7am – 9pm I am on kid duty and they never stop, so I have not really sat down too much! Fletcher and I swam this morning after dropping Sophia at school, then shopped, the dogs ran out of food so it was a necessary trip! Then back to get Sophia….now baths, dinner, bedtime! I hope to have them in bed by 7:30, then I am going to ice and elevate my foot! It is slightly swollen but not as bad as I thought it would be after this long day! I cannot wait until tomorrow to go to PT again, my ankle felt so good after PT on Monday! They used the ultrasound patches and zapped every bit of swelling out of it! It was relaxing! Hope all is well with you today! How have you been spending your time???
Deana, I only have a scar on the outside of my leg. And a tiny scar on the front where they screwed a long screw through. I have been swimming at the YMCA everday because it has been cooler here, Fletcher and I went this morning. I walk in the shallow end and swim some laps whiles Fletcher chases me around the pool! He made a friend this morning she was about 38 years old and had downs syndrome so they swam together. Sophia started kindergarten this morning so I have a bit of a break today! Fletcher starts PK next week! I hope you get those legs working soon! I am feeling really good, and trying to get back to normal, I walk with a slight limp and my ankle swells, but I am making do, trying not to overdo it!
Hang in there you will soon be back in your old shoes walking!
Hey Abby,
How are you doing? Sounds like you had a GREAT time with your PT. I’m really happy you are doing so well. After seeing pics of that scar, man, is there one on both sides or just the one side? OUCH.
Not much going on here this week. I tried walking in the bedroom on carpet without my cast shoe on so right leg wasn’t quite as much longer than left . . . and it is like I am stuck, I can’t get my left leg to go. I sure hope when they are both back being the same height I don’t have this goofy problem.
Is tomorrow the big day for school? I hope it goes well!!!!
Deana,
Pt night one was a success. It started out with some evaluating how much everything bends. Then 20 minutes of ultrasound therapy via 4 small pads on my ankle. the pads were covered with a huge ice pack. Then hydrocortisone therapy for my knee, this involved ultrasound to get the hydrocortisone into my knee. Then lots of exercises with the resistance band and some 5 pound ankle weights. I also had therapy for my wrist. Then at the end I had to walk around the facility for evaluation to see how well I did. I have to do all of the resistance exercises at home daily. 20 reps 3 times each. I go back on Friday evening for PT #2…. I am a little sore now after all the stretching but it is mainly in the arch of my foot! The therapist said definitely back to work in 4 weeks! So grand total 10 weeks to get back to real life! There is hope! If u want any details about the exercises let me know I will be happy to share! The therapist did say the swimming was a huge help and to continue doing that as often as possible. He was pretty amazed that I could walk without crutches and that I was not limping that bad! My foot felt amazing after the therapy like the tightness was relieved! All in all, the therapy was good! I am looking forward to Friday!
Well today is the one year anniversary of my broken ankle. It feels like just yesterday that it happened. I hope everyone is doing well and Having a good day. It is really hot here in San Diego California so I think I will go for a swim. buy for now
She is heading to kindergarten, tonight, is a thing where you can take the supplies in and meet the teachers again. I am sure it will be super fun ( sarcastic). I cannot even imagine vacuuming in a wheelchair. As of Thursday I will only have Fletcher here during the day and then on September 1st he starts preschool 3 days a week all day so I will do PT on those days! Having both kids is hard with a crippled leg. I can get around but not fast enough for them! They are good kids and can occupy themselves while I sit with ice on my ankle. I managed to do 3 loads of laundry today which is a chore since the washer and dryer are in the basement, my husband will be carrying it all upstairs tonight. It is alot cooler here today so no swimming, but the heat wave is coming back!
Hi Abby,
You found me! I need to put some other pics up but hated having that “no person” icon. I just never get around to it so my Shelties were the handiest thing already on my computer.
I just tried to walk in the bedroom with carpet and use a cane and couldn’t do it. I think it is because this leg is longer with the cast and cast shoe or maybe I’m just a chicken.
Maybe later I’ll put a shoe on and try it or take the cast shoe off and try again.
Yes vacuuming from a wheelchair was loads of fun. The cord kept getting caught on where the legs rests go (I have them off otherwise too hard to maneuver in tight spaces) and the smaller little wheels up front and kept having to bump over the cord and it was a tangled mess. LOL
Used a steam mop in the kitchen but was easier to keep the cord out of the way on it due to much shorter cord.
Have fun at orientation tonight. So she’ll be off to Kindergarten? Or first grade? Time does fly!!!!
Deana,
If you have two really cute shelties as your profile pic on facebook, then I added you as a friend, if not then some other Deana is going to think I am a stalker…lol….Went to the store today with the kids, it was an adventure, we were out of apple juice so the trip was necessary! I start PT tonight at 4 pm ET, I am not sure what to expect, they told me to wear comfortable clothes! Then Sophia and Fletcher have a school orientation at 6pm, I will be on crutches for that one! I also tried to clean up a little today but made it about as far as the dishes then quit! I am not sure how you vacuumed in a wheel chair but I bet it was exciting and I would have loved to have seen it! Hang in there and have a great day!
Hi Abby
Couldn’t find you on facebook. I added my last name to this post so see IF you can find me. I don’t get on there very often, just once in awhile to check up on my teenage daughter.
Sounds like you are doing just wonderful! Please don’t do too much too soon though. I hope it goes as well for me too and I hope that it will. Hearing how great you are doing so soon after the casts came off gives me HOPE.
I couldn’t stand it any longer and swept, mopped and vacuumed in the wheelchair yesterday. Looks much better now.
Steve and the kids tried to keep things half way decent but their clean and my clean aren’t quite the same. THEN the dogs came in this a.m. with red muddy feet. Arrrrrrrrrgh I sent them right back outside and there they shall stay. I bet they are up under the deck as we had quite a bit of rain the past few days. Yay our grass is green again. Everything was so DRY and parched here.
Hey Deana,
I am walking, completely walking, no crutches needed. I have even been able to do the steps. I do the steps really slow but I can do them! I cannot believe that this is how I feel without that cast. I was so worried! Right now I am elevating and icing for some mild swelling but all in all this is not bad! I cannot wait until you get yours off and see how you do! My skin is semi back to normal. My arm quit shedding skin, my foot is still peeling slightly! My scar is about 5-6 inches long and pretty crazy looking but not bad! I want to send you pics so u can see it! if u have facebook and friend me I will show you the pics! I am really looking forward to PT, I went swimming this morning and the pool we went to had a hot tub, it was so nice, it made my foot feel so loose! I think that is the weirdest part is how tight everything feels! It really feels like everything is held together by a huge rubberband that wont stretch. I am able to drive without any pain or any problem. I drove about an hour to a friends house yesterday and an hour home without a single pain. So there is light at the end of the tunnel! Don’t get discouraged! let me know how u are doing!
Deana,
I am walking, no crutches! Only using them when I get sore, I am icing and elevating, I have minimal swelling and really no pain, my wrist hurts worse than my ankle. So all in all I am doing pretty good, I walk slow but that is normal!
Deana,
I am walking, no crutches! Only using them when I get sore, I am icing and elevating, I have minimal swelling and really no pain, my wrist hurts worse than my ankle. So all in all I am doing pretty good, I walk slow but that is normal!