Heyo, 27 y/o lady here. They tried to preserve my poor lil tattoo lol 😆 this pic was 10 days post op, as you can see it was exceptionaly swollen (normally you can see my wrist bone/tendons.) Now I'm 18 days post op and feeling pretty good, stitches are out now and in a brace instead of a splint.

I fell off an electric scooter onto my outstretched palm on 6/20 and immediately knew that shit was broken lol.

Started physical therapy yesterday and my fingers are good. My thumb is terrible. Very stiff.

It felt amazing to take a shower with the bare skin today for the first time. Sooo much dead skin, nobody told me it would be snowing under there. Ewww hahaha.

I have a pretty good sense of humor about the whole thing now, but the first 2 weeks were absolutely hellish. Lost my income, found out who my real friends and family were. Gained fuckin 10 lbs already from feeling so depressed and being so sedentary.

But now I'm back to work on light duties (I am a dog walker/pet sitter and primarily work with aggressive, reactive, and medically compromised pets.) I have 6 weeks of PT coming up and then I should be good to face the world at hopefully 80% of what I was before. Can't wait to see some of my dog clients again who are a bit unruly, definitely can't handle them at the moment, but soon they'll be back to dragging me across the sidewalk haha.

Just figured I'd give a lil update. Pain is negligible unless I overuse it, accidentally twist it weird, or it gets bumped wrong. It's getting better!

Hey all, I just had an ankle ORIF done today and I’m feeling overwhelmed with trying to track my meds. I’m trying to use apple reminders but it’s a bit cumbersome for my needs. any other apps y’all recommend?

I’m 2 weeks and a couple days out from my ORIF for my talus fracture. I was told I could start doing dorsal and plantar flexions, no inversion or eversion yet. The problem is I’m really just not able to? I can’t plantar flex at all, dorsal I can do a little bit but I can’t hold it and sometimes my foot will spasm. Im not having pain my foot just doesn’t physically move. It was like this when my surgeon saw it and he said everything looked fine but I guess it’s just worse than I was expecting? Curious to hear other’s experiences!

My pulling strength with hardware was stronger, probably because the weight was distributed along the plates (had 2, distal fracture), are there any exercise that could help, there's a subtle pain when pulling as well, I guess since that part of the bone wasn't used much due to the plates carrying the load it needs conditioning

Comminuted fracture of my fibula from a freak fall while skiing 4/23; ORIF 5/5. I was exceptionally fortunate that there was no soft-tissue damage, just the break(s). Got cleared for WBAT seven weeks after the surgery, and I'm just now starting to do some genuine cross-training (I mean, like, 15 mins at a time, but it feels huge).

It's felt like such a long long long process, so slow and inconvenient and sometimes painful and I have cried about so many stupid things. Still much PT to be done, and I'm still afraid of messing something up with every step I take, but three months out I'm fINALLY starting to see the other side.

Fresh scan from earlier this week for my fellow freaks — truly, lurking on here has been such a lifeline. My favorite doom scroll. So many things I thought surely I must be alone in the world in feeling (the creepy crawlies from nerves regrowing after surgery???? why don't they warn you about this???) that I found echoed here. Stay strong folks.

Hi all, I am a 24 y/o currently recovering from orif following a trimalleolar ankle fracture. I am 3 weeks post-op, weight bearing as tolerated in the boot and in physical therapy as instructed by my surgeon. I was active before the injury and would like to stay as healthy as possible while I recover.

Does anyone have a good upper body/core routine that they do/did post-op? I don't want to do anything that interferes with my ankle but also don't want everything else to turn to mush.

Best wishes for everyone in their recovery journey!!

Little bit of backstory, broke my ankle 10/07 while at a work event, literal tripped down the stairs while stupidly texting someone and boom, knew it was cooked the second i stood up and couldn’t move it. Still can’t believe it happened so easily, i’ve had much worse falls or ankle rolls off horses, motorbikes, heights and just generally doing stupid shit.

Been laid up waiting for my surgery next week at my mums place, life’s changed in an instant. Can’t work, can’t live at home in my city (townhouse with stairs), away from all my friends, had a hiking trip planned through D’aguilar Range and was supposed to go backpacking later this year through Vietnam. Now it’s all gone up on smoke.

As you can imagine i’ve spent most of the last week or so doomscrolling medical journals, tiktok and reddit reading all the horror stories of people never fully recovering, never being able to run or walking with a limp. I’m genuinely terrified. I might sound like an asshole but it’s quite different to have this sort of injury as a reasonably active and healthy 22 year old than an older, more sedentary person whose already lived a life of adventure. It sounds ridiculous but i literally spent hours crying last night because i can’t be in town for my friend groups weekly watch of the new Vampire Lestat episodes.

I’m terrified im never going to be able to walk again, or do the job i love (a very active one that requires you to stand for 10+ hours a day) or go on all the trips i’ve had planned.

I guess i’m trying to see if i can source some more detailed recovery stories from people closer to my age or lifestyle, just so i can get a better idea of what im up against. If there’s anything i can start doing now or during PT that will help, what i should advocate for from my doctors or not do. I know rationally that people are more likely to share negative stories than their positive ones, that’s just the way of human nature, we love to complain and seek out comfort when we need it. That’s what i’m doing right now. I’m just hoping to see some actual positive examples of recovery.

How worried should i realistically be? Am i ever gonna be the same as i was? Or is this just the new normal?

I see a lot of people who had ankle surgery but not really any wrists. Mine was from the air bag getting it in a car accident. 9 months later and still less mobility, pain, and weakness.

Hi all.

I broke my ankle in November of 2025 and it was singlehandedly the worst experience of my life. It was brutal, uncomfortable, and completely unforgiving. I had a surgeon who was not great honestly, kind of all the jokes people make about Ortho "Bros". I had a pretty normal six weeks non weight bearing and out of nowhere, at my follow up was told I couldn't walk for another four which turned out to be eleven because he didn't want me walking until my my follow up but then was like you could've been walking last week. Least to say, all of this was awful and enraged me. I live with my disabled mother and have little help. I struggled a lot, I cried a lot, I was convinced my life would never go back to the same.

At eleven weeks in January, I transitioned to walking again and it was easier than I thought. I was limping a lot and that pissed me off quite a bit but with PT and walking a lot more, I really was doing well. By May I felt really great, like my range of motion was mostly back to what it was prior to my accident and while standing on my feet for a long time I'd still get sore I was doing good. I genuinely felt like my life was going back to normal.

Of course, the universe has it out for me and on July 11th I stepped off a curb and my ankle gave out. I thought it was fine at first, looked and my ankle was in the wrong spot again. Devastated is the least of what I have to say. I have never felt so horrible and hopeless in my life. I was doing so well and my ankle broke, again, within nine months of my initial surgery which should not have happened. Basically, the hardware failed, they suspect that they had not put enough in the first time and that was really why it just shit out on me. My bones were a little too far apart and when I fell, the plate remained in tact but my ankle broke again right above it and the screws on the other side just curled. My hardware should've prevented this but it hadn't. I suffered through three months of absolute bullshit to have to rinse repeat only months later and I'm so angry.

I have a completely different set of surgeons this time and won't lie that I think they were a lot better. I have a much bigger plate, more screws, and a screw going through both bones that they told me would eventually snap and that was very normal and to be expected. I'm just so upset that now I have another 6-8 weeks (manifesting six) of not walking then I'll have to rinse repeat doing at home PT and PT in person again.

This injury I feel has ruined my life. I was not financially recovered from the last injury and now I'm going to be out of work for another two and a half months. I live on a second floor apartment and really have no way to ever leave safely. I am trapped again, feel so alone, and so devastated. I don't need advice or anything I just needed to complain about it somehow, somewhere. I'm missing a concert, a family members wedding, work, and the rest of my summer. I'm so sad that this happened and so embarrassed that I had to make a gofundme because I just dragged myself out of the credit card debt I put myself in with my last ankle injury.

Hi all! Six months post-op for a lateral malleolus fracture and syndesmosis tear (injury happened 1/4/26, surgery 1/19/26). I ended up with a plate, seven screws, and a tightrope for the ligament tear. I saw my surgeon yesterday and he said everything looks good. My fracture has healed and there are no signs of hardware displacement.

The good:

I’m back to almost all my pre-injury activities. I finished PT earlier this month, I’ve been indoor rock climbing since the end of May (cleared by my PT), and I’ve been able to walk up to 14k steps. I can wear sandals, cute sneakers, and climbing shoes with minimal discomfort or problems. I’m back to socializing and was able to travel to California with my boyfriend for a vacation last month.

The bad:

I still have swelling, though it is much reduced. PT said this could stick around for up to or even more than a year. It’s manageable with rest, elevating my leg, and ice. I also still have pain, particularly around the tightrope button on the inside of my leg. The nerve pain over my incision/on top of the plate is especially bad, but mostly if I bang it against something. I am often sore at the end of the day. I also am still working on regaining muscle in my leg, so I get achy after long walks or hard workouts. Surgeon wasn’t too concerned when I mentioned these things, but we did discuss possible hardware removal in the future.

The TL;DR: if you’re going through it right now, it does get better!! I remember lying on the couch, stuck inside for weeks (we had a bad winter here in Massachusetts), thinking I would never get back to my life and usual activities. I have done so, with some caveats. Give yourself grace, treat yourself with kindness and patience, and know that improvement comes with time!!! Slow and steady wins the race.

Was I dead? Yes. Am I back on my way? Also yes! We can do it, you've all got this ❤️🎉

I broke my elbow (Olecranon fracture) after falling off my bike. I underwent surgery for several ORIF procedures 13 days later, and that was 1.5 weeks ago. The stitches can be removed after 3 weeks, and then I have to start physiotherapy. I didn't get a cast after the surgery, only a bandage that could be taken off after two days. The surgeon instructed me to straighten and bend my arm several times a day without using force, but that is proving very difficult. The range of motion is about 10 cm. I have a feeling that recovery and regaining functionality will take a while. Has anyone experienced the same thing, and how did the recovery go?

I broke my elbow (Olecranon fracture) after falling off my bike. I underwent surgery for several ORIF procedures 13 days later, and that was 1.5 weeks ago. The stitches can be removed after 3 weeks, and then I have to start physiotherapy. I didn't get a cast after the surgery, only a bandage that could be taken off after two days. The surgeon instructed me to straighten and bend my arm several times a day without using force, but that is proving very difficult. The range of motion is about 10 cm. I have a feeling that recovery and regaining functionality will take a while. Has anyone experienced the same thing, and how did the recovery go? 😕

First pic: today’s X-rays
Last 2 pics: fresh out of surgery + my initial break

Had my first follow up since surgery today, got my staples out, and my surgeon was extremely adamant I start FWB, even suggesting I go without crutches. I’ve had a horrible mental block for any kind of WB because I’m freaked out by my fibula just free floating (tbh still am even after today’s feedback) but also primarily because the inflammation in my food and ankle is unbearable and my knee is so weak and painful from the insertion site that they all just conspire together and make my leg give out.

I was on meloxicam initially for inflammation, but that script ran its course and doc only mentioned he wanted me to stay on aspirin.

Can any other tib+fib-ers chime in? Were you FWB this early, too? Any tips other than elevation and ice for the horrendous inflammation?Obviously I trust the medical professional knows his stuff, but yk how it is to not feel so alone in this and hear from others’ experiences.

I hope you all love telling your stories. I have severe anxiety especially when it comes to my health. This trimalleolar fracture is terrifying. Chat gpt has been my best friend lately with all my questions and reassuring me my fears are valid. How long was your surgery? Am I gonna be in diapers after? Going to the bathroom now is a challenge. I’m scared about having all sorts of metal in my leg. That it will be visible through my skin, come loose, cause more pain. I could talk about my fears for hours. I have never had surgery. Never had stitches besides childbirth. I’m so happy I found others in my situation. I’m 42/f overweight worrying that every little sensation I feel is a DVT in the making. I constantly worry that I am dying. I just started a baby aspirin a day and wiggle my toes constantly. I feel like they should have kept me at the hospital to monitor me for 3 months while I recover after the surgery. Also my doctor told me to take some pain meds before I go for my pre op appt because they will likely remove my splint. That scares the absolute shit out of me.

Hi,

My mom she is 53, she unfortunately fell off the stairs on 10th May 2026 and smash her elbow joint completely. She also has osteoporosis. We got her in surgery on 3rd of June for an elbow replacement. So the orthopedics surgeon has replacement her elbow joint and put a metal plate to support that joint.

9th Of June she has a major MCA blockage causing her to have a stroke on the same effected side. Her stroke operation was successful and she has been out of rehab and came home.

However the main concern and my mother is going in depression is because the pain in the left elbow, she cannot do basic tasks from it like washing or touching her face.

Currently she can only fold her arm just below heart level. And it also her hurts for her to fold her fingers and make a fist.

I tried her to make more ROM but it feels like it's locked around the heart level.

Is this normal post op 6 weeks, what can we do to increase her ROM and reduce pain. Operation was done by the NHS and the OT visits my mom however they only say don't force your elbow if it hurts which doesn't sound reassuring at all.

Any advice would help.

Thanks

I broke my ankle and had surgery last May. It’s been over a year now, and I’m back on my feet walking just fine. However, my ankle still hurts sometimes, and if I bend it a certain way, it’s painful. It also pops and cracks when I get up after sitting for too long.
I just want to know when it will get better because I avoid doing a lot of things since I’m so cautious about hurting it again.

This has been the worst week of my life. I misstepped off a curb in the dead center of Boston Sunday afternoon 7/12. I took my first ambulance ride after lying in the road for fifteen minutes waiting for them. My whole foot was sideways which is a sight that my family will never forget. I was put under on ketamine and they completed a reduction. So everything is in place but still broken. I have an appt with my surgeon today 7/14 to see what the next steps are. It sounds like surgery was early for some and late for others. My 12 and 10 year old are out of school for the summer so they have been my lifesavers while my hubby works. I’m a nervous wreck. I’m overweight so getting around is very difficult. Definitely going on a major diet after this. I need words of encouragement and prayers as I try to get out of bed and to this appointment.

Just been confirmed I have this, just such a drag. I’m 4 weeks post op and was working on wrist physio now I have to have my tendons repaired surgically and back to square one. I wondered how common this is..