Any ideas? Now that DD1's leg is out of a cast, she's walking at (almost) 90 degree angle.

[lougle]

Is this normal?

They think she didn't actually fracture the ankle in the end - just a bad sprain. However, she had 4½ weeks in a cast, then when they took it off they had to put it on again because she couldn't weight bear.

So, after 5½ weeks in a cast, I (and school) felt that it was unwise to rip the cast off and tell her to get on with it. They gave her an aircast/airsplint and referred to physio (who we haven't seen yet )

Now (9 days later) she's abandoned the aircast for the most part. It's still uncomfortable at times, but she's fully weight bearing. However, she's walking with the affected leg at almost a 90 degree angle, so almost like third position in ballet!

I know it's genuine because she does it all the time - she even ran up to the orthotist today using the same gait - right foot forward, then left foot following, but at right angles.

She's also showing some hypermobility in that knee. Instead of locking straight as she walks, it overflexes slightly and makes me cringe

Is this normal post-cast?

No bath here, just a wet room.

She has been 'swimming' in a 8ft pool for the last few days. I will try to take her to the proper swimming pool.

Sigh. She's a one.

I think that would turn into 'fall flat on your face' game

Ds had a full toe to thigh cast on his leg for 7 weeks, he had to have no weight bearing for the first month it was on then he was allowed just to stand to pee for the last 3 weeks.
When his cast was taken off it hurt him to walk for the first week, then he just walked slowly with a bad limp which took about another month to walk normally.
But he definitely didn't walk with his leg at an odd angle.
He wouldn't engage with the physio at all and all the doctors said he would be left with a bad limp but he hasn't got one.

Polter, I think you're right.

Strongcoffeeismydrug, thanks for that. It seems that it may be incidental to the cast, then.

If you see a physio, ask about a couple of sessions at a hydrotherapy pool, where they could show some exercises that might help, the pool we used to go to often had people who had been prescribed 2 or 3 sessions for post cast recovery.

My little one did this after removal of a full leg cast for a fractured tibia. Age 3. It had us all really worried and my dad (who's a GP) thought she had dislocated her hip!

In fact when we went back to see the specialist nurse she said it was because her thigh muscles had become very weak in the cast and until they strengthened she was turning the leg out to compensate. She had some excellent sessions with a child Physio and it gradually got better. One year on she is doing ballet, gymnastics, swimming and general racing around:)

Id ask for an assessment and possible Physio, but don't panic!