Scar and ROM

Here is a picture of my scar (5 days post-cast). Don't mind the red scab to the left of the scar — that's just from itching my leg too much...oops.

Here is a short video taken from my iPhone. The range of motion in my right ankle is still limited, but it has gotten better over the past few days.

X-Rays 7 weeks Post-Op

These X-rays are from my doctor's appointment on March 26th (about 7 weeks post-operation).

ROM Videos (Post-Cast)

Here are some videos I took of the range of motion in my ankle after I got my cast off. This first video was taken the day I got my cast off. I was sitting down for the video.

This second video is two days after I got my cast off, and I was standing up while filming it.

Post-Cast with Walking Boot

March 26, 2013: Almost 8 weeks since the break, almost 7 weeks post-operation, and a little over 5 weeks with the cast. I went to the doctor and got X-rays again. The fracture is all healed up, but the torn ligament takes 10 weeks to heal. That means about four more weeks until walking is an option.

I had the cast taken off and was given a walking boot (the same boot I was given the first day I went in after breaking my ankle). I am still using crutches, but can apply 50% of my weight to my injured leg. I sleep with the boot off. I have very limited range of motion (ROM) right now, but was able to go to the gym and use the stationary bike without pain. I did the bike for 30 minutes, then did some arm and ab exercises. I am going back to see the doctor in four weeks. 

At that point, I have to decide whether I want a "minor" procedure done to take the big screw out of my ankle. If I don't get it taken out now, it will eventually break inside my bone and can never come out. According to my doctor, this is not a big deal and should not affect me. I'm still trying to decide whether or not to get it taken out. Recovery is minimal; the doctor said I could walk the next day with minor pain/discomfort.

My right leg is significantly smaller than my left leg. I lost a lot of muscle.

The doctor said to leave on the strips over the incision until they fall off. 

I can feel the metal plate on my ankle... it's a lot firmer than my other leg.

I went to the gym around 9:30pm, so I had been walking a lot that day. My ankle got a little more swollen throughout the day. Walking on it with the boot on initially felt like needles on the bottom of my foot. I still fit into my tennis shoe though! :)

Two Weeks Post-Op with Cast

I stayed at home from February 7th (the day after my operation) to February 17th. I had a doctors appointment on the 18th (about two weeks post-operation) to get the splint off and a hard cast on. They removed the staples from my leg and bent my leg at a 90 degree angle to put the cast on (which was a little painful). At this point, I was still completely NWB with crutches and the cast until further notice. I attended college classes the next day and caught up with school work.

After the splint was removed, my leg was still swollen and sore. The nurse cut the staples out.

A cast was applied and I was NWB with crutches until further notice. 

My toes went back down to their normal size. Yay!

NWB with crutches. :(

ORIF Surgery

I had Open Reduction with Internal Fixation (ORIF) ankle surgery on February 6th, 2013 -- five days after I broke my ankle. The surgery was early in the morning and took 30-60 minutes. I was put under for the operation and was free to leave the hospital a few hours after surgery. The doctors put my leg in a splint and I went home from college for two weeks.

The surgeon said the bad news about my break was not the fracture itself, but rather the torn ligament. Ligaments take much longer to heal (about 10 or more weeks). I also had a gap between my fibula and tibia bones. If I had not gotten this operation done, I would have acquired arthritis in my ankle at a young age. The doctor put a plate with nine screws on my fibula. There are eight littler screws on the fibula and one longer screw that connects my fibula and tibia together so as to close the gap. The only part that can ever be removed in the future (if I choose to have it removed) is the one long screw. The rest stays in for life.

X-ray post-operation. One plate and nine screws on my right ankle.

The pain the night and few days following the operation was excruciating. I had been given vicodin to take every few hours. I was in constant pain and hardly slept at all those days. I was completely NWB and was told to elevate my leg as much as possible (above the heart or higher). Standing up was painful when the blood would rush to my leg. It was throbbing pain and even taking little steps with the walker was difficult and intense pain. I eventually weaned myself off the pain killers after a few days. Standing up and using the walker was still slow and difficult, but eventually I only needed advil.

The Day I Broke My Ankle

I fractured my fibula and tore a ligament in my right leg after falling on the ice on February 1st, 2013. I went to the doctor and had X-Rays done. I went back to my dorm with a boot and was non-weight bearing (NWB) while using crutches. These are some pictures from my iPhone I took the day I fell.

X-rays from the day I broke my ankle. There is a gap between my fibula and tibia.

Fracture on my fibula

Side view of my leg the day of the break

Swollen right ankle

I had a big bruise on the inside of my right foot by my heel.

My swollen right ankle, about 4 hours or so after I fell.

Introduction and Timeline

Introduction

Name: Laura
Age: 18, almost 19 (Freshman in college)
Diet/Physical Shape: I do not drink or smoke and I maintain a healthy diet. In college, I exercise almost every day for 1-2 hours. I am a healthy weight for my height and age. I've never broken any bones or have been seriously injured.
The injury: Fractured fibula and torn ligament in right leg. Eight little screws and a plate were put on my fibula. One long screw connecting my fibula and tibia was also inserted through the plate. Only the big screw can be taken out; the rest of the hardware stays in forever.

My Timeline

February 1, 2013: Fell on the ice on my college campus. Went to the hospital immediately and found out I had a fractured fibula and a torn ligament in my right leg. I was given a boot and crutches, non-weight bearing (NWB).

February 5, 2013: Went to the doctor again. I found out I would need surgery.

February 6, 2013: Five days after I broke my ankle, I had surgery at 6:00am. I don't remember much from that morning. The surgery took between 30-60 minutes, they put me under and I was extremely tired when waking up from surgery. They wrapped my leg up in a splint, told me to keep it elevated, gave me some vicodin, and released me from the hospital a few hours later.

February 7, 2013: Day after the surgery. The first night after the surgery was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. I stayed overnight in a motel in my college town and was driven back to my hometown by my parents on this day.

February 7-17, 2013: I stayed at home, sitting on the couch with my leg propped up and vicodin pills by my side. The first few days were very hard and required a lot of pain medication. The higher my foot was, the better it felt. I barely moved these days, and used a walker to get around. Even standing up would make me cry from the pain. I eventually weaned off of the vicodin after 4-5 days.

February 18, 2013: A little over two weeks from the break and one week and five days post-operation. I visited the doctor again and they took the splint off. Staples were taken out and a hard plaster cast was put on my leg. They had to bend my foot at a 90 degree angle, which was painful. Still using crutches, fully NWB until further notice.

March 26, 2013: Over 7 weeks post-break, 7 weeks post-operation, a little over 5 weeks with the cast and NWB. I was re-xrayed and told my fracture was healed. However the torn ligament takes at least 10 weeks to heal. The cast was taken off and I was given a walking boot (up to my knee). I am now 50% weight-bearing with crutches and the walking boot. I was told I could start exercising a little. Today I did the stationary bike for 30 minutes, which gave me no pain. My skin was extremely dry and the range of motion (ROM) in my ankle is VERY minimal (maybe 20% what a normal ankle is). I was also told I could have a "quick and easy" operation at the 10 week mark to get the one long screw out that is holding my tibia/fibula together. The rest of the hardware stays in for life.

April 18, 2013: 10 weeks post-operation. I decided that I want to get the longer screw out since I've read from multiple sources that if anything will limit the ROM, it will be the longer screw. Since it's a fairly "easy" procedure according to my surgeon (it should only last 15-20 minutes and I can walk out of the hospital with minimal pain), I decided it would be better to take it out than to leave it in. I called the hospital to see if I could schedule my surgery. Since I decided I wanted the screw out, the doctor moved my appointment up a week, to April 18th. I got an X-ray which they said was looking great, then I sat down to talk with my surgeon about the procedure. I got my walking boot off and was given an air cast, which I can wear with tennis shoes! I was also told I could start weight-bearing as much as I feel comfortable. Which of course meant that as soon as I got back to my dorm room, I started testing how much weight I could put on my ankle. THIS DAY was the very first day I took my first steps without crutches and the walking boot! It was someone uncomfortable, but I still use crutches outdoors to get to classes since we still have snow and my muscle/balance levels are still lacking. Overall though,  April 18th was a good day, even though it was also a snow storm here in MN! My surgery to remove the screw is scheduled for next Wednesday, April 24th.