Broken Ankle!

[Stella010]

After getting to over 11k steps a day walking I've just broken my ankle and now can't put any weight on the right foot for 6 weeks or more

Any suggestions on how to cope, I'm feeling desperate today and totally helpless and very sorry for myself!

Tried to keep myself upbeat by telling myself it's not forever, but recovery looks like it could be 3 months or more depending on the recovery. I know others have posted about this but posts look a few years old

Anyone else suffering with this right now and fancy being a 'fitness / motivator buddy'. No one in the family seems to understand just how debilitating it is. They think in a few weeks I'll be back to normal!

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

@Stella010, my heart goes out to you! My problem was similar but with a different twist. I had a knee replacement followed 11 days later by clots in both legs and both lungs. Talk about conflicting needs - Rest! Stay still! You have clots! Find some way to move that knee or it will freeze!  I can't eat, too much pain. You HAVE to eat to keep your strength up!  

For the first weeks, I pretty much wallowed in (well deserved?) self pity and gained weight. Then I pulled myself together and started researching. I found an assisted peddler. It fits under a table and plugs in. The speed is adjustable but the pedals go around by themselves. The legs are pretty much there for the ride so it was not weight bearing. But it got me moving, even if slowly at first. My doctors approved it's use as long as I did not over do it. 

I needed to track my "steps." I knew the movement on the peddler was not actual steps but I needed and wanted to track progress, for myself and for my doctors. So I put my Fitbit in my sock. I'm not sure if this would count as non-weight bearing for you, but it may be worth asking your doctor. It would satisfy your need to DO something. And it would keep your leg muscles limber.  

Once I got comfortable with the peddler, I asked about other leg and upper body exercises. They kept me active and feeling like I was a participant in my recovery.  You could ask for a couple sessions of physical therapy to find exercises appropriate for your specific situation. There is a lot you can do from a chair, beliebve me!

Sorry if I'm rambling. But my point is this - by finding ways to move and participate in my recovery ,,, and finding tricks to make sure the Fitbit tracked it so I could SEE progress ... I felt better about the whole thing ... NOT like a victim but like a person in control, even if it was limited. Family members were sympathic but as you said, they did not understand. I understood. I took action and even led the doctors in my quest to stay active. For the most part, they were more than happy to simply tell me, "You have to rest." Let me know how you are doing, please. You will get thru this!

[Stella010]

Hi Carol

Thanks for your reply, good to know it's not just me!

After a few days down in the dumps, I'm now putting together positive steps to get through the next month or so before the cast comes off. I've reduced my step intake to 1,500 a day and will increase by 500 per week as I get stronger on the crutches. In the last two days I've been achieving that just about, as each trip / movement takes so much longer to navigate as you know!

Concentrating on stretches and keeping the good leg, arms, elbows, shoulders and chest muscles stretched and flexible as they've been taking the load from the broken ankle and supporting me on crutches and they are taking a battering at the moment

My yoga tutor is coming in after the weekend to set me up with achievable poses and breathing to calm and ground me using a static chair and cushions instead of on feet

Life is a bit like being in a time warp at the moment, haven't been outside much apart from hospital visits and to look out on the decking at the back of the house as steps are a problem for to get over / around. Negotiating the stairs in the house is the biggest challenge I take every day to make sure I don't fall down them so I do a lot of bum shuffling at the moment. I schedule 'visits' downstairs once or twice a day and rest of the time rest the leg on a raised pillow as well as the obvious negotiating of bathroom visits!

If anything this accident has really made me slow down and reflect on how difficult it must be for a lot more people than me that deal with this on a daily basis, at least I'm going to get better hopefully in the next 2 months. I'm catching up on loads of reading and computer work which is a bonus!

Thanks again for your response, I really appreciated it when I felt very down xx

[SunsetRunner]

Good morning, @Stella010! So glad you wrote back. And I'm happy to hear you are putting together positive steps towards improvement. That is so important! Yes, an injury like yours puts a different perspective on life. Good of you to recognize this. Too many people go into "poor me" mode. That helps no one. I look forward to hearing how you are doing over the next several weeks!

[Stella010]

Hi Carol - good session with yoga tutor today, who knew you can do a version of the sun salutation from a chair! All good stuff for my upper body and stretching for the lower body to maintain strength and flexibility

Week 1 done, 5 to go!!

xx

[gnine]

@Stella010  Hang in there. You can do this. Take one day at a time. don't rush things, carry out your doctors orders. Seems like you have a good exercise program set up for you. Wish you a speedy recovery. Let us know how you are doing with your recovery.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi there, @Stella010. This is your week #1 and my week #6 - my last week of cardiac rehab. I'm much improved but recognize that I have much farther to go. So, I'm taking good notes this week and asking a lot of questions. I'm also checking out a couple nearby gyms to see if their equipment is compatible with what I need. I've always enjoyed walking but the rehab staff have convinced me I need specific exercises For my special needs. Also need to continue working with the weights. This is hard work but seeing results helps!

Good luck to you in week #2! You can do this!!

[Stella010]

Hi Gnine - thanks for your message. Staying positive and catching up on loads of sitting down tasks. Week 2 done, only 4 to go until cast is off ... xx

[Stella010]

Hi Carol

Week 2 just finished, back to hospital today for second X-ray and all is repairing as it should. 4 weeks until cast is off. Each day I'm doing a bit more and catching up on lots of sitting down projects!

Hope cardiac rehab continues well for you, stay in touch xx

[Esya]

@Stella010nice to meet you. I wish you a speedy recovery. I hope to keep seeing you around on these discussion forums.

[Stella010]

Thanks Esya, will keep updated as to progress, mostly shuffling around at the moment, sitting, stretching and breathing! xx

[Esya]

Breathing is very important!

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks for the good wishes, @Stella010. I'm happy to report that I completed cardiac rehab this week and joined a gym that has the same equipment so I can continue making progress! One step at a time. One day at a time. You ... and I ... we can do this!

Do you listen to music or audio books when you exercise? I listen to both, depending on my mood. But I've found some great music in this discussion on "What's the one song that motivates you?" 

[Stella010]

Hi Carol - good to hear from you and good news on your continuing recovery and getting back into the gym with the right equipment to keep it going for you

I fell off the crutches this week which was horrible, but back at hospital they decided the break is well enough to cope with a foot brace instead of the plaster cast, so in a roundabout way it was good news. I can at least shower now without the limbo bag on!

This doctor said I should start (once bruising has gone down) to do some ankle rotations and very gently stretching the foot and put some weight on that side! This is the fourth doctor I've seen and they've all said something different - two in favour of no weight bearing for 6 weeks - two in favour of some weight bearing and gentle exercise of the limb! I'm going with the more mobile train of thought, which seems to be the younger doctors!

Suffice to say I feel a lot better with it today than yesterday, was getting very frustrated with the lack of mobility, but the foot brace is definitely better for me

Keep in touch with your progress. I'm looking forward to at last being able to walk my dog again, slowly at first - of course!