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3 ankle surgurys, still can’t walk might be central cenzitiation
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Feb 3 5:13pm | Replies (6)Comment receiving replies
Hi there, I am also almost 3 months post op from my ankle surgery and are experiencing similar issues. I am also still using my crutches, and it is driving me crazy. I am only able to put full body weight on my ankle for very short walks on the treadmill, and it’s still uncomfortable. Although I am not 17, I too have been very active, and this inability to recover more quickly is starting to get very frustrating. These are my thoughts… I know that my ankle is repaired and stable to hold my body weight….however all of my muscles, tendons, fascia etc, were out of use for 7 weeks, with absolutely no use, and now, for the last 4 weeks I have been slowly starting to use them, but initially, you couldn’t even call it walking….. I think that my recovery from here is more about lengthening and strengthening all of these muscles, so it is not uncomfortable for me to walk. I have been getting red light therapy with massage on my foot 2x per week, doing my pt and trying to add more walking without crutches, or with just one crutch to get stronger. I am also having a swelling issue, where my foot swells when it is put on the floor…this has improved over the last month, but is still an issue with restricting my mobility, so anti inflammatorys and icing are also in my daily routine. I am also going to try some chiropractic work to jump start my parasympathetic system to help with the swelling. I believe at this point it is about consisitency and patience, you will have good days and you think you are on your way, and then you will have a setback, i think this will last for a while. You are young and you will heal, just try to be consistent with your rehab program, and use this time to practice self care so you will be back stronger than ever ! I am right there with you, keep working 🙂
Replies to "Hi there, I am also almost 3 months post op from my ankle surgery and are..."
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@mlemon64 Welcome to Connect. Yes, it is hard at 3 months when you have not been able to weight bear on your foot, and your muscles and scar tissue are very tight. I think the swelling is going to go on for awhile, perhaps a few years. It is a normal response after a bad injury as the body tries to protect itself. I am no spring chicken myself, and I had swelling for a few years after an ankle fracture. Now that I am 4 years past it, my ankle isn't swollen with normal use, but if I exert myself hiking, it will swell just slightly the next day. It's only perceptible because if I tap on my ankle, I can make it tingle. It doesn't really look different or affect wearing a shoe.
You might be interested in my responses in this discussion on swelling where I described my recovery and a current update. There is hope for you, but it takes time, and lots more time than you expect. Myofascial release with a good physical therapist helps a lot, but only after you are cleared for tissue stretching by your surgeon. I will include that discussion as well.
Bones, Joints & Muscles - "How can I reduce swelling after surgery?"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/after-surgery-swelling/
Neuropathy - "Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
Ankle injuries are difficult recoveries and very painful. It takes patience, and recovery comes in baby steps. Make sure to celebrate those small victories and keep believing you'll get there. As tension and pain crops up periodically, I do physical therapy stretching that my physical therapist taught me to relieve the uneven tension which stops the pain, and I walk without pain again. My surgeon promised me a future that likely includes an ankle replacement because arthritis sets in right after a serious injury. I took that to be a personal challenge to see if I can prevent it and keep my ankle functional. I also got custom orthotics made by my podiatrist.
Have you heard of myofascial release before?