What do I do now?

[AtLeastIWasWinning]

I'm not even going to pretend I'm not just posting for traffic.

Had an accident today at work. Went to A&E they said small fracture, gave me a plastic boot and said to wait for a call from the fracture clinic. If they don't ring by Thursday to ring in myself. All good.

However , since I got home and calmed down I realised I have so many questions and I wasn't really given any advice or leaflet/paperwork.

Do I always keep the boot on? Can I take it off if I'm not moving/having a bath?
How long am I supposed to have it on?
Painkillers aren't quite working so do I ring the GP for something stronger?
When should the swelling go down?
Anything else I should do?

I just know I'm ok to go back to work on Tuesday.

My friend said I should ring the hospital and tell them what's going on and ask for advice but I don't want to be wasting their time and make a fuss. I'm cringing enough with it happening at work(and the stupid reason it happened), all the fuss there and then A&E and what not.

My DP is currently in a boot!

Take it off for baths, bed, if your having a lie down. Keep foot elevated.

He has his on and off all day, don’t think he was hold long for either! On for walking and takes it off when he’s not doing anything for awhile.

What painkillers do you have?

Swelling just depends on area, body etc.

Did they give you crutches? DP couldn’t put any weight on it for 3 days

@Sunny1112

My DP is currently in a boot!

Take it off for baths, bed, if your having a lie down. Keep foot elevated.

He has his on and off all day, don’t think he was hold long for either! On for walking and takes it off when he’s not doing anything for awhile.

What painkillers do you have?

Swelling just depends on area, body etc.

Did they give you crutches? DP couldn’t put any weight on it for 3 days

No crutches. I had some with me as that's how I managed to hobble down there, but the doctor said to try not to use them and mostly use the boot. With painkillers i can walk on it.. ish. But when they wear off it's tears territory.

Anyone else?

My DS broke his foot recently and was given a boot to wear along with having a cast. They told us to only use the boot for when you are actually walking/moving about. If you are resting for long periods then take the boot off and elevate. Take it off for baths/showers. The painkillers may just start to work for you soon so i would hold of calling the GP for now.
Good luck and hope it heals swiftly.

I was in a boot for almost two years in total - at one point, I was in two!!

Take it off whenever you're not walking pretty much and keep your foot elevated as much as you can. So, off when you're in bed, off when you're in the bath, off when you're lounging on the sofa.
I'd stick out the pain until Thursday if you can. Too much on the pain relief side will make your pain less, so you walk more and do damage. Ask them when they call you what to do about pain relief.
How long you need the boot for will depend on your injury and your recovery. Definitely longer than when they next make contact so ask them then.
They don't want you to rely on your crutches because they don't want you to walk because it will do damage.
I'd guess one week for the swelling to pretty much go down but that varies from person to person.

Oh, also, get some of those ski socks with the thickened bit on the shin because the boots often put weight there and it can hurt but the ski socks take the pressure.

@SonnyWinds

I was in a boot for almost two years in total - at one point, I was in two!!

Take it off whenever you're not walking pretty much and keep your foot elevated as much as you can. So, off when you're in bed, off when you're in the bath, off when you're lounging on the sofa.
I'd stick out the pain until Thursday if you can. Too much on the pain relief side will make your pain less, so you walk more and do damage. Ask them when they call you what to do about pain relief.
How long you need the boot for will depend on your injury and your recovery. Definitely longer than when they next make contact so ask them then.
They don't want you to rely on your crutches because they don't want you to walk because it will do damage.
I'd guess one week for the swelling to pretty much go down but that varies from person to person.

Thank you for that. The thing is I'm back at work on Tuesday as they said I could so I will have to walk. I work in a school so I'm on my feet quite a lot. Obviously I'll take it easy until I hear from the fracture clinic.

In a lot of pain this morning. Can't figure out the best way to walk on it. The design seems to encourage to put weight on the heel,but due to where the injury is I can't.

Banged my knee on the other leg quite badly as well, so putting most of my weight on it isn't great either.

Happy Bank Holiday weekend to me.

When they said you could walk and go back to work, did you ask whether you could do a job that involves being on your feet most of the day? It doesn't sound like you should be in school unless it is a lot better. Don't be a martyr. If you're still having to dose up on painkillers to walk at all, you can't go in.

Yeah it’s weight on heel. You need to rest for a couple of days, took DP 3 days to walk on his.

I also wouldn’t rush into work until your completely walking comfortably

@lanthanum

When they said you could walk and go back to work, did you ask whether you could do a job that involves being on your feet most of the day? It doesn't sound like you should be in school unless it is a lot better. Don't be a martyr. If you're still having to dose up on painkillers to walk at all, you can't go in.

It's not about me being a martyr. He just kept saying it's fine. I'll wait and see how i feel , I have until Monday night.

My fault really for not asking all the relevant info and details.

Now wondering if maybe it's not too bad and (it just hurts a lot ) that's why he wasn't too bothered about work and giving advice.

I'd ring 111 and ask for some advice

Also I'd self sign off work for the week until you've been seen at the fracture clinic as working in a school with a boot and a new fracture that hasn't been properly assessed sounds a nightmare

Hi OP

I fractured my ankle and was put in a boot (pre Covid). I went to hospital on the Friday and stayed off my feet as much as possible over the weekend.

The advice I got was the same as a previous poster; take the boot off while sitting/lying down and keep the damaged leg raised as much as possible. Fine to take it off for baths/showers.

Does your boot have inflatable pockets inside it? I found walking was painful until I learned how to adjust the inflation properly, then walking was actually ok (felt rather like I had a stone in my shoe rather than any kind of sharp stabbing pain, which it originally was).

I went back to work on the Monday. Blood supply isn't great in that area, so I was in the boot for 12 weeks (my daily commute was just over an hour each way).

I hope you recover quickly

Thank you everyone. No inflatable pockets sadly,that sounds like it will be more comfy.

I'll decide on work on Monday depending how things are and hopefully fracture clinic will ring this week. I already told work doctor said it was fine to go, so unsure if I can turn around now especially since I have no paperwork.

Got a call from the hospital yesterday. Apparently I also have a fracture on my little toe that was missed so they rang to let me know and to tell the fracture clinic about it as well. Got a phone number for the clinic in case they don't ring . I asked about work and she said it should be fine as long as I'm not on my feet a lot.