Pain three years after plate and screws for broken ankle

Hi all,
Maybe someone can answer me regarding pain post 10 weeks ankle surgery. It’s been 10 weeks since surgery and I’m feeling discouraged with the pain Im still experiencing. I broke all three ankle bones. Doctor said bones are Completly healed. My ankle is still swollen and can only walk around for about 1 hour with crutches before I have to elevate my leg again. I’m going to therapy the last 3 weeks and still nothing. My calf muscle is gone . Anyway is this pain suppose to be this bad at 10 weeks post surgery? Nothing helps the pain. Thanks

@jenniferhunter hi I’m in post 10 week ankle surgery with hardware. In pain all the time feeling the hardware on both sides. I don’t know if it’s normal to have pain still or maybe complication. Doctor said he can remove hardware in 8 months. I asked nurse when the pain should go away and she said “ I’m not God”. Really? I do see doc on Dec 10 and have questions and concerns. Thanks for reading. Glad you’re better, 😊

@tweet Thank you. Ankle surgery is a really hard painful recovery. At 10 weeks, you're probably just starting weight bearing and that hurts a lot, at least it did for me. I used to feel like someone was kicking me in the ankle all the time. A friend of mine who happens to be a nurse at Mayo, had a similar injury to mine about a year after I did, and she also elected to have her hardware removed.

What I experience now is that the scar tissue periodically tightens up and I need to stretch it out and also the calf muscles. If I don't stretch it all out, it puts too much pressure on the joint kind of pinching it together. Before I figured this out, it was like living with a sprain and I could walk for about 20 minutes before I had to sit down.

Also ankle fractures take a very long time for recovery and regaining leg strength, perhaps even 5 years. I was able to hike in the mountains for about 3 miles after I figured out how to do all the stretching which made me happy because I wasn't sure that would even be possible and that was 4 years past the injury. Don't give up hope! It sounds like your surgeon is wiling to help with hardware removal. That wasn't a bad recovery for me. You will need to be aware that you will have increased risk of fracture because of the holes left by the screws until that fills in with bone. I don't have bone pain anymore, just the scar tightness and pain that needs to be stretched out. My surgeon said I would likely need ankle replacement in my future, and I am determined to beat that prediction. I do think your experience with pain is normal. Your nurse may not know if she hasn't broken an ankle. I have also had cervical spine surgery, and the ankle recovery was so much more painful and over a longer period of time.

@tweet I am so sorry you are going through this pain. I had a trimalleolar fracture in June 2021 in left ankle and broke fibula in right leg. So...two boots for about eight weeks, then one boot on left side for another two or three weeks. Then to a walker for a time. During that time, ankles were swollen and painful to touch. After four plus years, the left ankle still aches if I rest my right ankle on it. I'm sure it is from hardware close to the skin. I do think your pain will lessen as time goes on. My dr said no to taking hardware out. Not sure why; don't think he saw the need (??). Don't know if this helps or not. Hope you continue to heal.

@jenniferhunter Thanks for responding. Love your photo with the beautiful horse. I’m just trying to collect other ppl experience. Thanks again.

@janieben How did you handle that? I’m having a hard enough time dealing with just the one. Yeah my ankle is swollen . I walk with crutches for about 45 minutes and back to elevating. I can’t walk on my own and my calf muscle is gone. Therapy is going to be a stretch. I’m just wanting to get other’s experiences. Thank you so much. I was delusional thinking I would be walking in 6 weeks. Lol I should have asked many questions . This to shall pass though.

Well I can't help with the pain, other than what pt and doctors can do, but I can send a prayer for you to get healed and healthy. Please keep us posted on your progress, welcome to the group too. ........prayer sent

Thank you!

@tweet Well, I went to a rehab facility for two weeks two days after the fall. I had stepped in a hole in my yard with both feet and heard crick, crick, crick, crick - several broken bones! On pain meds for a bit, but pain lessened rather quickly, I thought. I did no walking for quite a while, but I could put some weight on my right leg in the boot. I bought our discs that spin. I would balance on my right leg, hold onto something, spin to get into wheelchair, into bed, etc. I was in a wheelchair for quite a while, like for at least 8-9 weeks. Slept with both legs propped up on pillows for eight weeks. No side sleeping. PT came to our house since getting in and out of a car was impossible. Then got the right boot off, bought a 'lift' that strapped onto my shoe so it was even with the left boot and learned to use a walker for a month, then I was able to walk when the other boot came off. I had a lot of support - lived with my sister-in-law who took good care of me, helped me shower, cooked, etc., from June to September, when I went home to care for my husband, who had quadruple bypass that August.

Keep your last statement in mind! It will pass, your pain will diminish, swelling will go down, you will walk again, physical therapy will help a lot. Do all the exercises you are given, faithfully. Keep doing them after PT is finished with you. I am surprised they are having you walk on it at all if it is still painful and swollen. In no way am I giving medical advice, but I think I would stay off of it for a while longer. Could it be not ready to walk on yet?

Anyway, hang in there, hon! I will keep you in my thoughts and send warm, healing vibes your way!

@tweet Even though you are elevating and not walking, if you keep flexing your ankle and circling it around, you will exercise the muscles. You could even use the big stretch straps from therapy to do this against resistance. My PT advised me to keep moving my foot different ways , wiggling toes, etc to keep rebuilding muscle. I still do it and like to elevate my legs on the couch.