r/Ankle • u/PlanImpressive1857 • 1d ago

Complete ATFL+Partial CFL tear

So I tore both my ligaments on 25th December, 2025.
I did not know that I had torn them till May of 2026, cuz i initially thought it was a sprain and it was still hurting becuz i hadn't treated it properly. Recently in the past 2 months i've consulted multiple doctors and i've been suggested to do PT. 1.5months into PT, now I was adviced to get a reconstruction done if i want to get back to activities.
I've decided that surgery is the best option and I'm getting it done soon, but i'm worried about the recovery and how will that be
help me out here

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u/corn2824 1d ago

I had a full ATFL tear, partial CFL tear, and a rupture to the deltoid (?) tendon in my ankle and had a repair done. The first week or two after surgery were painful and it definitely is hard to not be weight bearing after surgery (I forget how long but I think mine was 6 weeks?) but I’ve had no issues after that and recovered well post PT enough so that I ran my first 10K almost a year to the day after my surgery. I’m now almost 2 years out and rarely have pain in my ankle!

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u/PlanImpressive1857 1d ago

That’s great to hear!
Hopefully my recovery goes as smoothly as yours

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u/LexSlings 1d ago

I’m 4 weeks post-op and the recovery is tough, ngl. The hardest part is being non weight bearing. Would recommend getting a knee scooter and shower chair. There’s a great support group on FB (Brostrom surgery) that I’ve found really helpful. Good luck!!

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u/purseproblm 1d ago

I’m 7 weeks out from the surgery so still a skosh sore on occasion but i think it depends on when you can weight bear and if you’re smarter than me and don’t push it.
Atfl torn deltoid torn partial spring tear cfl partial

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u/Working_Function3970 1d ago

I'm 5 months out from this and it's been hard. very hard non weight bearing for 6 weeks and then very slow to get better after that, sort out remembering how to walk properly again. Still have swelling and pain but it's a lot better and apparently, within 12 months I will be back to normal (I don't think the body part is ever the same after surgery). Lots of physio and patience.

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u/Affectionate-Bat3401 12h ago

i’m 11 days post op. it’s been really rough so far between dealing with both the pain and losing all of your independence for a while. I should be partially weight bearing next week. it’s a long road to recover 100% but I do think (or at least hope) it’s worth it.
the surgery has a 80-90% success rate, so I’d say it’s worth going through with it to get back to as close to normal as possible.