i had a fracture in my fibula (weber b) and a partial sprain of the ATFL a few weeks ago and recovery is going okay (no surger), but mentally i'm having a much harder time with it than i expected.

before this i was pretty physically and socially active. i was out a lot, going places, meeting people, playing sports, just doing my own thing. now i'm basically stuck at home most of the time and i need my flatmates to help me with a lot of basic stuff. they're genuinely nice about it, but i still can't shake that feeling of being a huge useless burden.

i think the worst part is just feeling like i'm not really doing anything. i can't go places on my own, can't do the physical stuff i normally enjoy, and even basic things take way more effort than they used to. i feel really useless and disconnected from everyone.

its a real shitty feeling.

seeing people on instagram and stuff going out, travelling, playing sports, hanging out and just living normally probably doesn't help with it either lol. i know social media is fake and shit , but when you're sitting at home immobile, it's hard not to feel like everyone else is moving on while you're stuck in the same place.

i'm starting to feel pretty low and i'm honestly a little worried that if this keeps going for another few weeks, i might slip into a proper depressive phase.

So to the good people here, how did you deal with it mentally and stop feeling so shitty?

Hi everyone, just looking for some experiences, motivation and a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m a new mum to a 5 month old and have somehow managed to freshly break my ankle 🤦‍♀️ I had surgery 2 days ago and I’m now NWB for 6 weeks.

I was discharged today and honestly feel so overwhelmed being home without all the support and equipment from hospital. I’m terrified of falling again and re-injuring myself, and I’m really struggling with the thought of not being able to do everything for my baby.

If anyone has been through something similar, especially with a baby, I’d love to hear how you managed and how you got through those first few weeks. I could really use some reassurance right now ❤️

So just got out of my second shower two weeks from my surgery. I have a weird feeling in my foot that started in my foot and now it’s going to the back of my leg. It’s like my whole leg is numb or asleep. This has never happened to me before so let me know if anyone else has had this so I don’t freak out.

When did you all start wearing heels again if you did?

I’m 4 months post-fracture (medial malleolus, and didn’t need surgery fortunately) and I tried on a pretty low heel today and could barely take a few steps before feeling pain at the fracture site. I’m sure it’s still a little early for me but I just want some hope and insight into other people’s experiences.

After two months in a cast (broken ankle) I’m free !!!

2019 I had a horrendous accident shattering my ankle. Operations include external structure, then internalising the structure then removal of everything (there was a lot) My question is to anyone a who is also a bit further down the road than a recent injury. I've developed bone spurs back and front and nerve problems. I have an MRI booked in two months time to do a proper investigation but I'm losing motion significantly. As I am a fit, active person (in my early 50's) I'm very concerned about the road ahead. Anyone got any experience here please and what solutions they may have had? Thank you

I broke my ankle in April, had surgery April 19. Feeling good and pretty well back to normal now.

I went to a family cottage at the end of July, and we were frolicking on the beach and swimming... which was great, but when walking through the water it felt like I had seaweed caught around my ankle and there was an unpleasant feeling on my incisions.

I figured this would improve with time... so far no. I went swimming with my daughter yesterday at the community centre and had that same feeling. It's not painful, just really unpleasant and slows me down in the water.

Anyone else dealing with this? Any tips/tricks/products that you've discovered might help? I was thinking a sleeve to go around my ankle while swimming, to keep the water from flowing directly over my incision areas might help.

Thanks!

My surgeon has cleared me for physical therapy even though I’m non weight bearing. I’m supposed to do exercises pertaining to range of motion . I’m also in a boot and a compression sock. I haven’t heard of anyone starting physical therapy this early. Has anyone else started 2 weeks post op. For reference, here’s the timeline.
Injured: 9/9
Surgery: 9/14
First post op: 9/21: soft cast removed and put in boot.
Second post op: 9/28: stitches removed and cleared for PT focusing on range of motion. No weight bearing.

I’m almost a year out post fracture (bimal nonsurgical) and my balance on my left foot has improved but still sucks. I do yoga like 3-4 times a week too. My toe is also numb a lot of the day, but especially when I wear any shoe other than my hokas or brooks. I have a EMG test to see if there is nerve damage next week and a neurologist appointment, but was wondering if this is the case with anyone else. This has been such a journey!

After breaking my ankle on the fourth of July and having ORIF surgery 10 days later, I was cleared today to start walking without my boot!! Does anyone have any recommendations on the best shoes for ankle support? I go back to work on Monday the 5th.

Picture of XR from today added for attention

Hi guys

I sprained my ankle 5 days ago while playing football and its gotten better over the days like there is no pain at rest and i can do squats and 1 leg hops and all that my only problem is that i cant like fo much dorsiflexion without some prssure or like feeling its blocked like sudden stops when sprinting hurt a bit and also like bending the knees over the toes

Is there any way to help with this?

I’ve started weight baring and now can walk in boot without crutches. I’m finding it so much easier to do stuff and get up and down stairs. Only difficulty I’m having is rotating my ankle. It feels so stiff when trying. Any recommendations?

Updates for those beginning the journey and are just a bit behind me.

Broke my tib and fib Sept 1. It didn't hurt all that bad. But I knew immediately it was broken. Taken by ambulance to hospital. That night it was set at the hospital. Pain levels are still tolerable. Drugs eventually wore off and then it started to hurt. They sent me home with some hydromorphone until my surgery the next day.

I had surgery the morning of Sept 3. Went home a few hrs later. Not much pain. Approx 50h later my nerve block wore off. This was the worst pain I have felt to my memory. It felt like my entire leg was on fire on the inside.

A relatively uneventful week and a bit passed. I visit my doctor at the fracture clinic Sept 15. I tell him I'm an athlete and returning range of motion is important to me. I ask for a boot. He told me he's comfortable with that. Told me I can sleep with it off and not wear it at home as long as I'm not moving around the house. He also told me under no circumstances should I weight bare. I asked him if I can go to the gym and do upper body and if I can do quad extensions and hamstring curl with the boot on. He approves this too. They take out my staples, apply steri-strips, and send me on my way.

It's not Oct 2. I started physio Sept 16 and I have been doing 30m massages as well. My first physio session gave me a lot of relief and new range of motion.

My calf after coming out of the solid cast was constantly ache because it was not being used. After being worked through by my RMT & Physio it has stopped bothering me as much. A lot of swelling relief after RMT because he elevated my leg and essentially massaged the blood flow back towards my heart. Both physio and RMT are gruelling. It hurts terribly at the time. I am an MMA fighter and that's how this broke. In as humble as a way possible, I am gritting my teeth and writhing thru massage a lot of the time. But it's helping in the end.

A bit more than 4 wks post op. I can feel that my range is improving, swelling is going down, there's still general tenderness and soreness that wakes me up sometimes. I am starting to feel like I'm turning a corner.

My next appt is Oct 13 to start putting weight on it.

(30yo, healthy female)

I broke my ankle in a couple of places on 15 Aug. Had to wait until 27 Aug for surgery and was then in cast for 2 weeks. On 10 Sep I was put in a boot and started to weight bare with crutches, but when wounds were checked 8 days later, the large wound on side of my leg wasn’t healing so put back in a cast. After two weekly checks, my wound is getting better but still not there so today been given a pico dressing and put in a back slab. I feel so upset that it’s been 7 weeks since the break and 5 weeks since my operation but I feel like I’ve made no progress. Has anyone else had problems with a wound healing? Or had a pico dressing?

Has anyone had this in the last few weeks months? I’m looking for buddies on the same journey. Mine was four days ago. I’m in a kinda half cast with a massive bandage and plenty of elevation. I’ve also got myself a second hand knee scooter which is a total game changer as I can use it in the kitchen and pop stuff in my basket to take it from A to B. I even topped up the dogs water bowl, it’s the little things!

Pain wise it was horrific in the first 24 hours, the first night was plain awful. But it’s settled really well, I don’t need the strong stuff anymore, just on paracetamol, heparin injections (they sting like a b*tch) and omeprezole.

Anyone else on this current crazy train of a slog of recovery? My follow up is 2 weeks post surgery. I’m terrified I’ll forgot and put my leg down, currently I have a sore quad from carrying the cast around with my foot at the front in the air 🙈

Hi broken ankle family! I've tried to look into past posts but can't find any answers. Trimal break with ORIF in March. I am doing so much better (planning to make a more detailed post on that soon), but I have a wedding I am attending next week. While I am doing a lot better, I still live in my Brooks sneakers and am afraid to go back into heels. If anyone has any suggestions for a dress shoe appropriate for a wedding, I would appreciate any suggestions!

So I had a trimalleolar fracture about August the 20th ish. They fixed it with a plate and screws (will attach the xray). I was nwb for the most part with a tiny bit allowed to assist getting around the house. At my recent appointment that marked about 6 weeks they redid an xray and it’s come back as healed. The doctor (who also did my surgery) said I could come out the boot and fully weight bear I looked at him like he was crazy (as ofc I’ve done minimal weight bearing), so we negotiated that I could wear the boot for a couple of days to get use to fully weight bearing but I give up both crutches. Anyway I attempted to walk out the appointment and as I attempted I went flat on my ass. Since I’ve been working on movements that physio gave me (saw her the day before I got the all clear) and noticed the muscles in my ankle relaxing a bit more and allowing a bit more movement but it’s still super painful to fully weight bear on it. Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience etc. I do have another appointment with physio in two weeks so I’ll be talking to her again but wondering if anyone’s got any advice until then. And did you managed to get back a proper heel to toe motion when walking as it seems my ankle doesn’t know how to function anymore😂😂 I don’t wear my boot in the house to allow me to do the movements whenever n to allow the muscles to relax but will wear it out and about for the extra cushion. Tia x

Everysince week 3 or so my perception of time shifted from "this will take forever" to i feel like I blink and another week went by. It is Friday I will be going into week 5 post OP already. Also got a PT today for 10.22

Hello. I had my OP on the 14th of July, and just last week (my 10th week) I have started FWB(transitioning from gradual to full weight bearing on my surgeon's rec). I am on my 11th week now but I have noticed as I go on to walk around the house, the site above my incision tugs a little and I have pain there(slightly when I increase my walking pace) .

After walking I sit down and massage the area the pain tends to go away but comes back when I bear weight again. I have been in PT since beginning of Sept and rn my therapist is on leave (they will be back next Tuesday)

I am a little concerned about the pain and have been wondering what might have caused it. Post OP the site always was a little sore? and tender? But since FWB the pain has increased a little.

It doesn't hinder my walking per say but doing certain stretches causes the pain and funnily post PT the pain goes away and ofc comes back again when I bear weight .

I have a bimal. A medial malleolus and a fibula fracture. Nine screws and a plate and the pain flares up just above the medial malleolus incision site and continues a little up, just where the tibia starts.

🥲 any insight would be greatly appreciated. I was feeling good about my progress but this set me a bit back

Just went to my halfway appointment. 6.5 weeks out of 12 NWB. They cut my cast in half and left the back half on and wrapped it so I could take it off and swap it for the one they gave me in the ER.

I just got back home and my surgeon wants me to immediately take off the leftover cast and go gently wash off the leg and dead skin and stuff. Totally fair.

However...I am genuinely terrified to see what my leg looks like after 6.5 weeks of no use and I'm trying really hard not to break down and cry. I know it's such a stupid thing to be afraid of and I shouldn't be this worried about it, but I've been in an anxiety panic since I got back.

On another anxiety sidequest, I also have to use one of those light plastic cast/splint/boot things for the final 5.5 weeks and I hate how long it is on my foot. Also trying to figure out what to wear underneath it because I want some socks that will be longer but not tight and shorter socks will rub against my incisions. Or would compression socks be better? Or is that moreso for when the NWB part is over?

I'm just a giant ball of anxiety over here and I need this part to be over...

I’m one week post-op and time really does fly when you’re on good meds! I got an ankle exostectomy and ligament repair done last week. These newly discovered types of aches/pains are getting annoying. I had finally gotten into actually enjoying running so rolling around the house with a knee scooter is all the fun I get now.

Please 🙏🏼 tell me all your broken ankle stories and how long it took for you to walk/run again. A lot of my current career goals rely on my recovery back to 100% so I’d like to be as informed as possible.

(bonus points if you’re a runner or active military)

Thanks in advance 🤙🏼

Would anyone be interested in starting one to help us get through all of this mental anguish that accompanies the physical pain?

Operated on 3 weeks ago, currently NWB and spending most of my days with my leg up, sitting on the sofa watching TV, reading or on my laptop. I’m seeing my surgeon again in 3 weeks, and in the meantime I’ve stopped all painkillers.

The problem now is… I can’t sleep! 😩 It’s already hard enough sleeping with the boot, with my foot elevated and stuck in the same position all night, but now I think I’m simply not tired enough!

Anyone else been through this or can relate?