It's been about 8 months now since I had ankle surgery. There are a lot of positives and negatives I've been experiencing.
Overall, my ankle feels okay. It still doesn't have the flexibility and range of motion that my other ankle does. And it actually cracks a lot! That was kind of surprising to me, especially since I'm 8 months out. That seems like a long time to still be experiencing cracking, doesn't it? It mostly cracks when I wake up and start walking in the morning. I do a few stretches, and that's when it cracks.
Running goes pretty well now. I can definitely feel my one leg is just a little weaker than the other. My ankle does hurt a little when I run, but usually it takes about 15-20 minutes before that starts happening. It mostly hurts after a run. I don't limp anymore after I run, but that might be because I stretch it a lot after running, and sometimes apply ice (my ankle still swells up a lot).
There was one weird thing that happened to me the other day. Since I'm a college student, I tend to spend hours at my desk doing homework. It might just be me, but I have a habit of sitting cross-legged (like a "pretzel" as some people say) on my desk chair. After a couple hours, I got up and took a step with my bad ankle. I immediately felt a sharp pain shoot up my leg and my ankle froze in place. It freaked me out so much, I quickly sat on the ground and grabbed my ankle to start massaging it. I have no clue what happened. Maybe circulation got cut off or something? Either way, it really hurt! So remember to move your ankle every now and then, and try not to sit in weird positions!
That's all for now!
P.S I apologize, I keep forgetting to make videos about stretching! Hopefully I'll have time this weekend!
Kev,
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear my blog will be of help to you! I know I had trouble finding information and stories about surgery like this when I was going through it, so I thought I might as well make my own blog about my personal experiences! It's a long road, but hopefully my blog will give you some hope that the healing process does continue and it will get better eventually. Best of luck with your recovery! Please don't hesitate to ask me any questions! I'd be more than willing to share more details about my experience.
Laura
It's good to hear that you've been recovering well, and that your ankle doesn't hurt as much now. You were also able to get back to running and experience less discomfort as you do so, which is a great thing. And yes, that was made possible by proper stretching before and after you run. But please don't overdo it. Some recovery really do take months, depending on the natural ability of the body to heal. I say, take it easy so as not to worsen your condition. And keep to your therapy! Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteMadalyn @ Steadman Hawkins Clinic-Denver
Thanks! I am trying not to overdo it. Since it's gotten much colder here, my ankle has been hurting more. I haven't run since mid-October. I have a feeling I won't be running that much this winter, partly because my ankle hurts more when it's cold and partly because I am so scared to walk (nonetheless RUN) outside while it's cold and icy. Right now I'm focusing more on stretching and building up more muscle in my legs. Thanks for the well wishes!
DeleteHi Kev,
ReplyDeleteThat's great news you're finally getting ready to walk. It feels very strange the first time. My foot was really sensitive and I could hardly bend it, so I walked really slow and with a big limp for a few weeks. Just take it easy. Practice walking short distances in your home first. Getting rid of the crutches is such a wonderful feeling! I never want to look at those things again!
My foot was still really swollen during the time when I first started walking again. Even walking to and from class on my small college campus, I would notice that when I sat down, my ankle would throb and would be really swollen. Even now, for example, when I spend a day shopping at the mall and I get home, my ankle feels really sore and it gets really stiff. The red color is normal too. I remember elevating my ankle even weeks after I had gotten off crutches. It helps the swelling and relieves a little of that sore kind of lingering pain you may experience. Icing it also helps, especially after walking longer distances and after exercising (once you get to that point).
As for swelling…I'm not sure if my ankle is still swollen now or if it's just permanently going to be/look bigger because of the metal. I'm about 9 1/2 months now (just had to calculate that…that sounds like such a long time; I didn't realize how far out I am!) and my bad ankle is bigger than my other one. It's not super noticeable, but it's all around thicker at the part where the metal is located. It swells up a tiny bit after exercising, but for the most part, it stays the same size (which is still bigger than my other ankle). As for color, it's back to normal now. I haven't had it turn red for a few months. That went away pretty quick for me. I think a month or so after I started walking, my ankle stopped turning red.
Keep me updated on your progress! I'm really glad to hear my blog has helped you out. And it's always nice to know there are other people out there who experience the same thing. Best of luck to you!
Hi Kev - I am so glad to hear you're done with your surgeries! The screw removal one wasn't too bad, was it? At least compared to the first surgery…I was also nervous I had already broken the screw before surgery. I had already been walking a few days prior to that and I heard a lot of cracking, but fortunately it was all intact, so they could remove it.
ReplyDeleteMy surgeon also told me the same thing. I guess when the screw breaks, it just stays put in both bones. But I have also heard of issues down the road, like the screw working its way out - which I wanted nothing of! I thought two surgeries now sounded better than more surgeries down the road to remove a broken screw. Did you end up with an x-ray?
The stretchy band helps a lot! I often felt like I wasn't making progress, but it really does make a difference. My ankle still feels weird/different when I bend it certain ways, but overall my range of motion is close to that of my other ankle. It still gets really stiff in the morning and I have to move it around a bit, but later in the day my ankle gets up to its full range of motion. I remember going down stairs was a huge challenge (and also scary!) I had to step sideways because my ankle wouldn't bend at the right angle. You'll improve quickly though.
I also found that doing downward dogs helps to stretch my ankle. If you get into the regular position, but only put one foot on the ground and move your ankle up and down, that helps to stretch it. I often hear my ankle crack when I do this, but my ankle flexibility improves a lot after I do the exercise. It's a good one to do in the morning when your ankle is really stiff and you need a quick stretch. I will try to make a video some day…
I can't believe it's been 10 months already. The sidewalks and roads are getting to be really icy here which makes me extremely paranoid. I've been walking in the grass so as to avoid the slippery sidewalks, which caused my accident in the first place. I'm hoping to survive this winter with no injuries!
That's fantastic that you'll be able to fully walk soon! Best of luck to you!! :)
Hi Laura and everybody! I am also very grateful to find this blog and looking for people or some sort of online support communities with similar injuries. In short, I had a trimalleolar ankle fracture (first time, left leg). ORIF with 2 plates and 14 screws. Very slow recovery and have been on crutches since the fall. Almost two months after surgery and just started PT... I am open to communication and looking for support group or anything related to this type of injuries. Also, first time blogger so for now just trying to get it organized and get familiar. Feel free to email me or FB. alla.bobrysheva@gmail.com. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteVery nice, all info in this blog very useful, we are also lead:
ReplyDeleteOrthopaedics Singapore
Hi Laura. Guess what, your blog still helps people. I am also currently suffering from broken ankle, which I had during soccer play, and I found your blog. I learned a lot about the process and I am very greateful to you for the effort that you made in preparing this blog.Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteHi Laura! Curious if you still see these messages? I'm recovering from ORIF also. My surgery was January 31st. I'm still struggling through therapy and pain. I found your blog tonight and found it quite helpful. It's so hard to find stuff like this floor this injury! Thanks so much for sharing your story.
ReplyDelete(Lindsay)