Help - broken ankle.

[LaBelleSauvage123]

Slipped on mud yesterday and have a fractured posterior tibia. Non weight bearing for at least 6 weeks in a cast. Tried getting upstairs on my bottom last night and couldn’t do it - too many twists and turns. Slept on the sofa which was ok but not great long term - I have an arthritic hip as well which needs more support. I don’t need a hospital bed but I do need something that’s not too low that I can sleep on. As a guide, I can just about get on and off the loo but think I’d struggle with anything lower than that.
Does anyone have any ideas?

Contact your GP this morning and ask for an urgent referral to Occupational Therapy. There are aids available that can make your life much more comfortable and safer. These can be quickly delivered and set up but they need to be the correct size for you. Equipment is loaned for the time it is needed.
Make sure you explain that you can’t manage the stairs, using the toilet is tricky and sleeping on the sofa will make your hip much worse. Don’t be brave be truthful.

A hospital bed, toilet frame/riser, a little trolley so you can get yourself a drink and snack are the immediate items that spring to mind . Hope you soon heal.

could you go up on hands and one foot and use the other knee? or get another (strong and weight bearing) handrail so one in each side?

A toilet frame is a really good idea - I’ll do that, thank you. We’ve borrowed a bed.
I seem to have lost my ability to push myself up to standing overnight - was able to get off the sofa and into wheelchair yesterday, but today I just can’t do it. Depressing!

Be kind to yourself. Never underestimate the physical shock of breaking a bone. Your whole centre of gravity has changed and you will need to learn new techniques as your body adjusts. You really would benefit from an OT appointment. Also up your calcium and vitamin C intake for a good few months. Supplements and calcium rich foods can all be helpful. Raising the height of the sofa or a supportive chair is also worth considering.

Id take a vitamin d supplement (D3 is the easiest to absorb) or the calcium supplements won’t be absorbed. you need the one to be able to absorb the other one.

my mum takes a supplement called acrete i think for that, prescribed by gp for her osteoarthritis.

I’m taking D3 and K2. Not calcium though.

Occupational therapy can provide things like bed raisers and chair raisers which go under the bed and chair legs and lift them higher. They can also get you a higher toilet frame and install it. You can often self refer through the council rather than go through the GP, it’s quicker. My friend did it when she broke a major bone and they called her immediately. They can also supply walking frames, hand grabs and will assess anything else you need.

Good morning,

I’m in a plaster cast right now for broken ankle, toes to knee. No weight bearing at all. Plaster is only on for 2 weeks but I’ve had surgery to plate & screw the tibia.

Ankle boot will follow after plaster is off. I’m going to buy a plastic cover (Amazon) for my foot and leg so I can shower. Plaster cast musnt get wet.

Anyway, hospital physios have loaned me two walking frames with front wheels. Keep one upstairs & other is downstairs. Safer than crutches. I go downstairs on my bottom and up on my knees. I pull myself up to standing again using the banister and transfer weight onto walking/hopping frame! I’m a gym goer so I’m reasonably strong .

I can hop around on the frames but it’s hard on leg and stomach muscles. Cant do much for myself, food prep, drinks etc. Balancing on one leg is tiring.

Look for a “knee trolley” on Amazon too. If you haven’t had surgery this might be helpful for getting around.

Im currently staying with family but it’s cramped so this thread has helpfully advised I can get OT help so when I go home, I’ll tap into that as I’m longing for my familiar home comforts.

Let’s hope we both recover quickly. 💐

Sympathies PashaMina. I’ve got the fracture clinic on Monday - hoping to avoid surgery as the posterior tibia is only ‘minimally displaced’ but we’ll see. This whole thing has made me realise that I need greater upper body strength! The OT has just been and has gone off to the local hospital to see what equipment they have in their store room - otherwise he will order me a raised chair with arms, a raised loo seat and something called a gutter walker?
He did a grip and leg strength test on me ( the good leg) and said both were good, so I’m not feeling quite as weak and feeble.

Not such good news after my fracture clinic appointment today. Fractures of the Posterior tibia, fibula and another tibia break near the knee. Surgery tomorrow if they can fit me in. Bit scared of the GA as I have mild heart failure. ,

@LaBelleSauvage123 Just stopping by to ask how you’re managing? It’s the absolute pits isn’t it? Emotionally & physically.

Ive bought a waterproof foot & leg cover from Amazon so I can shower ok. Made a huge difference to my morale being able to feel the warmth of the shower.

Fracture Clinic next Monday so hope all good for a boot, OT at home for equipment loans & on-line food shop. Microwave meals and easy prep salads because I can’t stand for long on one leg in kitchen.
I’ll have no help at home so it’s going to be challenging.
Come back & tell us how you’re doing when you feel up to it.

Can you try going up the stairs backwards? It is much easier than forward

Recovering from a nasty open tib fib fracture during the summer. Surgery - nail , screws etc.Stilll on crutch but much much better.

I can do stairs now but have been sleeping in sofa since as too worried by wriggly DH will accidentally kick my leg during the night!!

Shower seat was a godsend. Takes a lot of the fear out of showering . Also stick on shower rails - I ordered the Loresjoy suction grabrails on Amazon - Less than £30. Takes 5 mins if even to put in place and make you feel much safer.

You’ll feel a lot more comfortable after the surgery but the fatigue lasts for ages. It takes a lot of your bodies energy to heal bones! So don’t feel guilty for resting - you really really need to.
Wishing you well with your surgery!

Update - I went for a review with the consultant today following a CT scan and he has recommended no surgery and a boot, on which I can weight bear with caution. Very surprised as only 48 hours ago they were saying I needed surgery - but that was before the CT results were reviewed. Very happy! I hope my fellow band of broken ankle sufferers are progressing well and thank you all for your kind wishes. Please continue to post updates on the thread and we can support each other along the route to recovery.