Anyone else broken an ankle whilst out walking

[dasher]

Whilst out on a12345 step walk, I put my foot -by accident - into a hole breaking my ankle. Any suggestions how to keep fit whilst I'm in plaster would be appreciated. Up until the accident I was doing rather well. I've earned my 500 mile badge several weeks ago and lost 16lbs in weight. Would gate to put the weight back on.

[whoops]

I broke my 5th metatarsal, the long bone on the outside of ones foot, while walking my dogs.  Cast for 3 months and a boot for another month.  Months later I am still healing.  Totally frustrating.

[whoops]

Believe it or not, if you using crutches to get around you will be using muscles that you have not used.  I suggest using crutches if you can....try to stay away from wheel chairs. I used a Knee Scooter as well as crutches.  Going up and down is a challenge.  Try going up backwards on your butt using your arms to pull yourself up the next stair. Do the same going down.

 I lost 6 lbs while in a cast without trying.  There are plenty of exercises you can do with a cast on. Use your imagination.

[dasher]

Apologies for late reply. Still learning how to use the computer. Hopefully today is my final appointment with the physo. Ankle has healed but still experiencing some weired sensation in the foot and leg. Have walked some 10,000 + steps in a week hoping to increase as the lower body strength returns. many thanks for your support. It was heart warming.

[whoops · Accepted solution]

I was walking my dogs and broke my 5th metatarsal (long bone to my little toe), just from walking. Had to wear a cast for 3 months and walking boot for another month. Life was a challenge to say the least.







Sent from Windows Mail

[dorothyraniolo]

I purchased my fitbit in August and one month into tracking I am recovering from a dislocation and break of my right ankle that required two orthopedic interventions - a closed reduction and an ORIF. 

I found my dead battery fitbit and charged it up. I am finally back into the land of the conscious and my goal for myself is to not forget what I started in August. 

Life has a way of sending in the curve balls. There I was out walking my dogs after dinner intent on getting those 10000 steps in.  Graceful fall it was NOT. 

I have thought that I was going to jump up on crutches or spin around on a knee walker - wrong so far. So I had this idea when I put on my fitbit that I would come online and discover a recovery group of the injured.  Welll I wanted to share my story. Sometimes even good directions have unexpected challenges.

To all the injured and trying to hang in there - I am sending my hopes for a full recovery.

[Miss_Primrose]

I know this took place last year, but how are you now? 2 surgeries? I broke 2nd, 4th, and possibly 3rd metarsal on rt foot. Will do a ct scan for a les Franc fracture on Wed. He is gonna decide on surgery then. Have Osteoporosis age 52 too. I have no clue whats gonna happen. I thought cast. ordered a knee scooter. now tough getting around with crutches... broke my surge band with my bike fall. I will try crazy glue? This is tough not able to get around to the bathroom & stuff easy. So you were out of commission 3 months? I am now filling out a FMLA for work. I have a bank of sick time stashed. Did you continue to lift weights and stuff? I know you had 0 steps in for a long time. How was rehab?

[dorothyraniolo]

You are the only one who wrote on post and you remind me of me .... I
highly recommend buying a knee scooter. I wouldn't have survived the non
weight bearing weeks without it. I had a pretty good outcome but I truly
did NOT bear weight. Try to get outside and enjoy the break from work and
the weather. It will go quickly. Get an adult coloring book and some
colorful gel pens and pencils....it helps create serenity. I found it
really hard to adjust to the lack of movement in my body after my work and
commute. I am annoyed at fitbit however. My hr came apart two months
after the warrantee ended. They would not consider covering the repair or
replacement even though it did not have 12 months of continuous use owing
to my fit bit motivated unfortunate injury. So feel better knowing you
finally must take some time for yourself. As for me the osteoporosis
diagnosis came after my fall. 13 months later I can get up to 7000 steps
some days. I did gain weight so cut back as much as you can. I feel that I
am in second stage recovery still but never never give up.

[Miss_Primrose]

hi, I took your advice and my knee scooter came in the mail. Yes it makes a world of difference. Crutches are difficult. Unfortunatly I can't work light duty. My job entails 12 hours off/on my feet. So I'm off work till ?? waiting to see what the doctor says about the catt scan. possibly surgery.  Do you have pain when you walk 7000 steps now? I used to get 10,000 steps most days of the week. I am worried I will not be the same. But I will take your advice and stay off my foot the whole time! I ordered vitamins & minerals with a probiotic & protien shake. This is a life changer for someone who is active. ..  Well, Iv'e been catching up on books and cross stitch too. Thank you for the advice. Oh, did you get another fitbit watch? I am going to try to super glue the surge because I miss all the data it used to give me.

[shipo]

@Miss_Primrose, I've been tracking this discussion but haven't contributed yet, probably because if I get started it may be difficult to shut me up.  🙂

Short version:

You can recover from your injury, however, it is a fine line between doing too much and causing a setback, and not doing enough and inviting scar tissue and OA (Osteoarthritis) to take hold.  My best advice is to be patient and persistent, and listen to your body.

Long version:

In January of 2003 I was picking my kids up at daycare when I stepped up out of the parking lot into a puddle of water on the sidewalk; unfortunately the puddle had a layer of ice between the water and the pavement.  I walk fairly quickly and when my left foot hit that puddle it shot forward, and what with the forward momentum of my body coupled with where my left leg was going, my right leg got taken along for the ride.  The problem was, I was off balance and when that right leg came along for that ride, the top of the foot caught the curb, tore the foot off at the ankle and broke both my tibia and fibula.  I heard them snap while I was still vertical and said to myself, on the way down, "Yup, it's broke!"

Fast forward to "zero-dark-thirty" the next morning, the surgeon who was about to screw me back together said, "You're going to walk with a limp for the rest of your life and your running days are over."  I was determined to prove him wrong, my leg was determined to prove him right.  For the next six years every time I tried to up my activity levels the asymmetry in my stride would cause one of a host of other ailments/injuries in my body (you know, knee, hip, shin splints, back pain, nerve spasms...).

In April of 2009 two things happened, the first was I got let go from a relatively new job due to the economy, and the second was I found a network of ATV/Snowmobile trails in our area which were soft dirt.  I started running again, exclusively on the trails starting with a quarter of a mile, then a half mile at a shot; in April I logged a total of 8 miles for the whole month, May was better at 18 miles, and June was even better at 40.  By the end of 2009 I had logged over 700 miles including several 100+ mile months.

The above was great, but the new job I'd landed in June went over the top in terms of hours, and by April of 2013 I was pretty much back where I started four years prior (i.e. 100+ pounds overweight and utterly inactive).  A job change in April 2013 allowed me to get back to the trails, and get back I did in a big way; not only did I log 1,700 miles in 2013, I started racing again as well.  Now, only a few months shy of 60 years old I'm in the midst of setting another personal record; a 300+ mile running month.  I'm not there yet, but as of yesterday I had already logged 218 miles with 12 days to go.

Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to give you some hope there is light at the end of the tunnel; even if it is a very long tunnel indeed.

[dorothyraniolo]

Hi,
I think every break is different but my surgeon told me to expect a year of
recovery. My fracture was a trimallelolar - three places on the ankle. I
went back to work too soon having run out of sick time/vacation in 8 weeks
and subsequently had a stress reaction in my foot that caused me to be out
sick and off my foot for another 5 days. I was not allowed to have my
scooter or crutches at work -- so I just wore my cam boot and limped along
as best I could.

Yes I do have some pain at 7000 steps but it helps a lot to ice it. I
should add that it really really helps to wear a good sneaker. I purchased
a new balance neutral sneaker and alternated with a pair of leather lace up
army boots that was wonderful support for my ankle. I was able to do an
entire day at Disneyworld (15000 + steps) by May and just had a mild
discomfort/limp starting at about 10000 steps. If you are not a slave to
fashion and embrace sneakers in all settings you'll do much better than me.

I am going to purchase the Charge 2 in the pink special addition - fit bit
did offer me a 25% discount because I do need motivation to start dieting
and moving again before the winter sets in.

Good luck with your foot.

[Miss_Primrose]

Hi, are you still running on the trails? I'm wondering how many miles per week and if you still have any pains in your affected ankle and leg? Well, I didn't walk for 10 weeks then started a cam boot for 2 weeks. It was a slow process but I'm at about 8000 steps daily. I broke the metarsals of my right foot on 10/9/16 and here it is 3/31/17. I get an odd assortment of pains in my right foot and left knee now. I have planter fasciitis with my first steps so I'm doing my stretches. I now have several plantar fibromas on the medial aspect of both arches. These lumps are a little irritating. I know they are there and they are about the size of a small hard marble. I frequently get a burning sensation on the top of my right foot between metatarsal #2 and 4#. My left knee medial and superior of the knee cap sometimes gives me a sharp pain when I step. I'm thinking that might be from weak IT bands on my legs. so I should probably be doing Jane Fonda type leg exercises to get stronger for my knee. I take naproxyn tab to get me moving. I would like to start jogging again daily but I think the pain will pick up a few notches. My foot doctor said I should be riding bikes and swimming not running. He says I will probably have arthritis in my feet and I believe he is right.