Q for guys that have had fractured ankles

[Jon54]

My Dr surprised me yesterday when she cut my cast off and said I could begin walking upright like a human should. She said the bones were healed up nicely and now to rehab, which brings me to my question. It’ll be after New Years before I can get in to see the PT. What can I safely do to begin loosing up the muscles and ligaments.

I can’t bend my toes down at all. I canraise my toes a bit. I’m in a boot and she wants me to walk with a walker, but I’m using the hiking stick that got me out of the woods when I started this madness. Appreciate any advice. It’s been a rough 6-7 weeks reading everyone’s hunting stories while I couldn’t do crap. :bash:

 

[TNGRIZZLY_]

just take it slow and dont over do it. put a heating pad on it before doing anything, it will loosing up the muscle and make it easier to flex it. Right now walking should be all your trying to do, when it start hurting just ice it. I went through it a few years ago, broke it while deer hunting and had to set out the rest of the season. good luck

 

[Acorn]

When I went to PT for my ankle they would put it in hot water just as hot as I could stand And tell me to move it around to loosen it up. I would do this for about 30 minutes. This sucked at first until it got loosened up but it helped a lot.

 

[fairchaser]

Do exactly what the doctor tells you. Frankly I’m surprised that this near surgery your doctor allows you to put weight on it. My wife went through a much longer period of casts, boots, crutches, knee walkers before she could put any weight on hers. Watch the swelling, swelling is bad. Heat and ice are your friends. My wife used a big rubber band like a ballon to put under her toes and she held with both hands while sitting. Slowly push against the band to strengthen your muscles and stretch the ligaments and tendons. This allowed some resistance without your entire body weight.

 

[TnKen]

I soaked mine in warm water and moved it as much as I could. I would do this a couple of times a day and gain a little each time.
It takes a lot longer you think to get the movement back. I was 16 when I broke mine and assumed that once the cast was off I would take off walking...wrong. There was no PT back then and I just did the warm water and stretching it and got my full movement back

 

[TN Larry]

I had a similar break a couple of years ago and tore all the tendons and ligaments in my ankle. I had a plate and 6 screws. I didn't have to get a cast luckily but had the boot. I would say in about 4 weeks the doctor had me to take my boot off every night and start flexing my ankle to get it moving i.e. side to side, forward to back, and in a circle. That is all I had to do at that point. It was probably at about where you are at when he said that I could start walking on it. Of course like you, I thought he was crazy as it still hurt bad to put weight on it. I just kept slowly doing it over a week or so where I could finally put weight on it. Make sure that you go to PT and do what they say. I had some bad scar tissue build up and had to have it scraped about a year later so keep it moving. Also, ice and elevation are your friend right now. Good luck!

 

[280longshot]

I thought a broke finger and torn tendon was bad...its been two months and still cant use my finger.
Hope you get better.


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[gtk]

realize that its going to hurt. my PT had me keep my leg still, and make circles with my foot.. Told me anytime im sitting to move my foot in circles to loosen up. I only have about 30% mobility in my ankle.

 

[krazykarl_13]

The above is good advice. You can also take a belt or strap and gently pull you foot upwards towards you to stretch your Achilles. It will be tight from being in a cast most likely. You should feel a stretch but no sharp pain. You can do like 10 for 10 seconds several times a day. Ankle pumps and circles are good as well for movement. I am a PT. I would not do anything more aggressive than that until you get in to make sure of the precautions from your doctor. It will usually say on the order and the PT should address that and any questions.


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[shorefisherman]

i have shattered my lft ankle on a dirt bike , when i went to therapy, it was more painfull then when i broke it. they have geometry moves that are extremely painfull...went for a week then i never went back, stretched it out myself. my lft ankle is not the same anymore and that was over 14 years ago when i broke it

 

[larry ipock]

just take it slow and dont over do it. put a heating pad on it before doing anything, it will loosing up the muscle and make it easier to flex it. Right now walking should be all your trying to do, when it start hurting just ice it. I went through it a few years ago, broke it while deer hunting and had to set out the rest of the season. good luck

Broke mine when I was 16, Doc said stay off of it for two weeks. I didn't, I still have trouble with today. Do what Doc says.

 

[Gravey]

I broke my leg in 1986 playing football and had a cast for 8 weeks from the tip of my toes to my hip. Needless to say my ankle didn’t move much after that so I would soak it in hot epsom salt water every night to try and help loosen it up. Best I recall it did.