Broken Ankle Recovery

I notice we get a lot of search engine hits from people looking for information on broken ankles - because of a couple of posts from last year. From my own experience I know the importance of broken ankle recovery stories to healing. So here is my own story for all those it can help.

I broke and dislocated my ankle in June 07 whilst walking the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. Two days in hospital left we with a six inch plate, seven screws and a knee length pot. But the psychological damage was just as great - I wondered if I would ever be the same again.

Almost one year later my ankle is as flexible as it was before. I can walk for miles with no aches or swelling -I do a couple every day. I have no problem with running or climbing. I have only a very thin white scar, and both ankles and legs look very similar in shape. I’ve had no problem from a cold plate in the winter, and the only movement restriction I have is that crouching down is not easy - due to the muscle wastage in my quads. But exercise will rid me of that. I believe the bone has now knitted together and I could have the plate removed, but as it is no trouble I will probably leave well alone.

The secret I believe of my good recovery is (but I am not a professional medic):-

• even whilst in pot I exercised to keep my leg muscles from wasting. I asked a personal trainer to help.
• the day I had the pot cut off I went for treatment from a sports physiotherapist. If you are in the UK, I would not rely on a NHS physio, the treatment is not the same. A sports physio will do massage to get rid of the scar tissue, a NHS physio will only give you exercises
• getting rid of the internal scar tissue in the weeks when it was still pliable was vital to turn it back to useful ligament. That needed a course of massage and carefully build up of spot exercise.
• I swam and did water aerobics three times a week.
• I did a set of specific exercises three times every day. You will need it for your ankle and for your muscle wastage.
• afterwards I massaged my foot daily to get rid of swelling. The physio can advise on helpful oils.
• I made sure my diet was healthy, blanced and took B-Complex suppliments.
• Dermatix is excellent for the skin scar. It is expensive to buy, but you can buy in on ebay for much less.
• your foot and ankle will swell for a few months so think about getting shoes a half a size larger and putting in padding on the unaffected foot. I used pumps in the autumn, and ankle boots in the winter.
• as I got better I was advised to walk regularly on uneven ground, you are retraining your nerves, which take a while to regrow. I did have a lot of numbness and tingling - but it gets less and less and now I don’t notice.
• it is worth getting a task master to keep you on track with a recovery programme. I could have easily slipped but my brother kept me going with dire warnings about the consequences of not working hard at recovery.

My family and friends were invaluable with their concern, interest and support. And it was a delight to write to my surgeon in Wales and thank him for his great skill. Everyone else got a very personal and a very heartfelt thank you. So good luck, you WILL make it back to a full and healthy life.