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Original poster

Anyone who has ever broken ankle/leg - what happens when you weight bear again?

26 replies

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 17:57

I dislocated and broke my ankle on boxing day. I needed surgery and have a plate and pins. I have a removable cast so have been doing physio so have quite a lot of movement but whenI put my foot to the floor it feels really strange. Have 6 week check next week and my physio is conviced they will let me weight bear, but how much will I actually be able to do. I have visions of everything being back to normal straight away, but I am kidding myself aren't I@

Can anyone help?

OP posts:

fruitshootsandheaves · 03/02/2009 18:01

It only feels weird because you haven't done it for ages. Weight bearing is ok, its the bending and twisting that takes a while.

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 18:05

I think I am lucky that I have had a removable cast so I can bend and twist (albeit painfully). Also, I seem to have no calf muscle left!

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fruitshootsandheaves · 03/02/2009 18:10

It feels wobbly for a while but I remember it felt great to be able to use it again. I went down to using just one crutch for a few weeks but I hated crutches and gave up on them quite quickly.

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 18:12

I won't be sorry to see them go I have to admit. Its exhausting hauling yourself around on them all day isn't it?

When did you do yours? Are you OK now?

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SlightlyMadScotland · 03/02/2009 18:18

It will be hard...your muscle atrophies (shrinks) if you don't use it.

DP had a cast for just week with suspected broken ankle (turns out it wasn't in the end). Even after a week the shrinkage was noticeable.

He was really unstable on it for at least a week (and remember it wasn't even broken)...but then he had been doing no physio. He remained on crutches for 7-10 days whilst he gradually increased the pressure

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 20:09

yes, I have one very skinny calf which looks odd with a still fairly swollen ankle! I had a feeling it would take a while .

Never mind, it will get there (although if this snow hasn't gone I'm not going anywhere!)

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foxinsocks · 03/02/2009 20:10

am glad you escaped from hospital eventually two falls! What a nightmare for you!

glad the physio is going well - sounds like you've recovered really quickly

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 20:53

thanks foxinsocks - I was in there for a week in the end. Came home the day after new years day with my other ankle heavily strapped. I am recovering well thanks - as much as they are painful and boring, the physio exercises do the trick if you persevre!

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Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 20:54

oops, I mean persevere

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KerryMumbles · 03/02/2009 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

artichokes · 03/02/2009 21:04

I had a spiral fracture of the ankle and needed surgery for pins and a plate. My cast was not removable and I could not put my foot on the floor for 8 weeks.

When the cast came off I was given permission to weight bear but it was a good 6 weeks before I could walk without crutches. The first few days I could not weight bear at all as it hurt too much.

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:11

Kerrymumbles - xmas day! At least I made it to 6AM boxing morning before I ruined everyone's festive season

artichokes - that is what I had. spiral fracture of fibula as well as dislocated ankle. I have pins and a plate too. Although I haven't been able to weight bear, they were really keen for me to have a removable cast and start physico straight away which I hope will help - I have good movement. Your foot must have been so still.

I have to say, both of your recovery periods seem to be longer than I expected. Not sure what I thought I was going to do but was so focussed on 6 weeks, am only now thinking beyond it. Better to be prepared though.

Glad you are both on the mend now though.

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artichokes · 03/02/2009 21:15

Twofalls - it sounds like you are having good care. Nobody mentioned a removable cast or early physio for me. The accident was four years ago and I still can't flex that ankle as well as my other one. My hospital were crap though, they were short of operating staff and kept me waiting on the ward for 6 days before operating (while insisting I stay nil by mouth throughout).

I hope you have a quick recovery .

Botbot · 03/02/2009 21:19

I had pins and a plate too, after breaking my ankle in 1997, by falling off a pair of ridiculous Spice Girls-style platform shoes

I stumped around on crutches ? first two, then one ? for about four weeks after the cast came off. Then I suddenly realised, halfway around Sainsbury's, that I'd forgotten to bring my crutch and I was actually fine!

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:20

artichokes, that is awful. You poor thing. I was at the new trauma unit at the JR in Oxford which is apparently a centre of excellence for trauma injuries - my SIL who is a physio said if you are going to break your leg anywhere, Oxford is a good place to do it. Even the paramedic who picked me up was a trauma specialist so could put my ankle back in straight away.

I had to wait 4 days for an op but that was to wait for the swelling to go down from the dislocation - to keep you hanging on like that, Nil by mouth for that long is dreadful.

Thanks for your good wishes

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Botbot · 03/02/2009 21:21

So with a removable crutch, does that mean you can shave your leg? The most shocking thing about getting my cast removed (apart from the weirdly pale and withered-looking foot) was the hairiness!

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:22

botbot, I would have loved to have seen your eureka moment when you realised you didn't need your crutches anymore. And falling off spice girl wedges I bet that was so common in the 90s!

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Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:25

Yes, I can! Which is relief (although I didn't for the first couple of weeks because I couldn't have cared less about anything. And i can have a proper bath (well, once the stiches had disolved). Its really good - everyone who sees it is pretty amazed at it.

I can even put a sock on to stop my feet getting freezing

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foxinsocks · 03/02/2009 21:25

please let us know how you get along. I think you've been very brave you know. You always sound so positive. I'm sure it must have helped with your recovery.

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:26

I have also been able to show those of my friends who love a bit of gore, the full extent of the bruising and swelling from day one which has been a pretty good party trick.

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Botbot · 03/02/2009 21:27

Just realised I said removable crutch - I meant cast. doh.

Artichokes, my ankle felt inflexible for years afterwards, but it's fine now. It only bothers me now if I sit cross-legged on a hard floor and lean on the bit with the pins in ? agony!

Botbot · 03/02/2009 21:28

Twofalls, I'm very jealous about the bath. I used to have showers with a clumsy plastic-bag-and-elastic-band arrangement wrapped round my leg. The first bath afterwards was BLISS.

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:29

Ah, thanks foxinsocks, that is nice of you to say so. I will keep you updated.

I have been pretty positive tbh. I know so many people are far worse off than me and in a strange way, it has made me slow down and let other people take control, which isn't a bad thing . Also, I was carrying DD when I fell down the stairs and every day I am grateful that its not her in this position.

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Botbot · 03/02/2009 21:32

Funnily enough, I have really positive memories of my broken ankle too. I was single at the time (lived with a male flatmate) and so many of my friends rallied round - it made me realise how many good mates I had. And work paid for a taxi to get me from south-east to north london every day for 10 weeks, so I didn't die of boredom. And a couple of months after I'd recovered, I met my dp - a very good year!

Original poster

GColdtimer · 03/02/2009 21:38

I know what you meant about the crutch/cast botbot, don't worry.

Its funny isn't it, that something positive can come out if it. My friends have been lovely and have all rallied round too and I realise I am lucky to be surrounded by caring people. Also, DH has had to do so much more with DD and it has been good for them - our family is so much more balanced as a result. And I have learned to let things go a bit more and not be such a control freak .

Don't get me wrong. I have had some really low moments. We live in a 3 storey house and I had a bit of a moment when I couldn't bring my cup of tea upstairs to the living room to watch eastenders and was in floods of tears, but on the whole I have tried to just get on with it. Apart from when I drop my crutches for what feels like the 100th time that day. Then I swear!

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