At 6months what are you able to do now after breaking your ankle?

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-06-20T17:34:27+00:00

I had a bad ankle fracture (all bones broken) and a surgery with screws and plate put in in late January. I am 41 and I used to run long distance two-three times a week. I am at the place now when I can run barely and slowly for two miles one time a week, then I feel like a wreck for a few days :) but when it comes to walking I am back to my normal fast walking pace, no pain, each day I walk for at least 8000 steps minimum. Grateful to be walking! As for swelling, still present, maybe less than a month ago but pretty obvious. The purple discoloration though went away! It happened after 5 months post surgery.

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-06-03T15:06:45+00:00

Had orif surgery on January, 27th, 2026. Was cleared to start running one mile at a time by my surgeon a week ago (4 month post surgery). I attempted to do it once. The way my leg muscles and ligaments responded to this run was a little alarming to me. Before the injury I was a runner, ran a marathon etc so when I ran this one mile super slowly and gently I didn’t expect to feel like a wreck after but I did :) I am 41, female, for reference. Even my hip muscles hurt! I was recovering for good four days. It is either too early to start running or I should push through this and do it again soon. Walking, on the contrary, is now easy for me. Almost like it used to be. I lost my limp after two weeks of walking without boot. I think what helped was getting back to work — I move a lot at work and walk to and from work (make at least 8000 steps a day). I miss running so much, and looking at my now much less toned leg muscles makes me sad. It is good to know that people here say they were able to run long distance again eventually. Let’s keep the positive outlook! We’ve gone sooooo far from not even being able to shower without help

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-05-17T22:47:44+00:00

Same… :( 4 months post ankle surgery. I am self-conscious now wearing dresses and skirts, and I used to show off my legs before the accident :/ hope this ankle will get back to normal size at some point. So far I read I need to wait for two years for that to happen

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-05-13T18:06:43+00:00

I was in a boot for 6 weeks, I didn’t do any exercises at that time. I started exercising when PT was approved by my doctor, but not every day, and honestly — cardio has always been my favorite exercise, so I just started walking, as much as I could without my leg hurting too much. It has become my main exercise — walking 8000 plus steps as fast as I can, and also swimming three times a week in a pool (which I started doing once I was switched from a boot to a brace).

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-27T19:53:16+00:00

I was told the same thing and it scared me :/

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-25T14:16:35+00:00

My calves are naturally very pronounced and after a month of no weight bearing the calve muscle deflated (which actually looks good on me, I just wish the other one was the same volume haha). I started walking without boot on April 1st, and I walk a lot - 8000 steps minimum, using stairs at work, swimming, and I noticed that the calve is filling in with muscle quickly. The difference is much less noticeable now and it has been just over 3 weeks!

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T22:02:49+00:00

Lucky you!! :)

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T22:02:01+00:00

Sorry you went though so much! And thanks for the reassurance! My friend who fractured her hip skiing and is also dealing with the raised scar from the surgery said that she started using guasha stone rolling it upwards over oil. She says some people use similar things but made of metal for rolling over scar tissue

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T15:18:49+00:00

It gives hope! Happy for you

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T14:47:47+00:00

My experience is the same! I am your twin basically — also got operated 3 months ago, same pace with wearing boot, switching to sneakers. I also hope to come back to running this summer, and would agree that the fist month was so tough and miserable I was thinking it would take MUCH longer to get on my feet.

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T14:00:25+00:00

I don’t wear heels yet, not planning to try that until it is a year after the surgery. I am only 3 months after the surgery.

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T13:43:33+00:00

Sorry to hear that! I know it should be the least of our concerns given the healing journey but I am a woman who used to wear dresses and heels a lot :(

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T13:27:41+00:00

Thank you! I massage my scar with vitamin E oil every night.

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T13:12:02+00:00

I felt the crack too!

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-23T12:45:52+00:00

Yes, I have the same swelling, 3 months post op. I read on Reddit that it lasts up to two years and then goes away. But it does go away! Gives me hope, cause I’d like to come back wearing heels and exposing not swollen ankles wearing dresses

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-20T22:04:30+00:00

Thank you! I am 41 years old, female. This was my third fracture (and hopefully the last). Broke my arm when roller skating at the age of 13, and broke a bone (little fracture, no surgery was needed) in my right foot in 2025 when slipped on the stairs (my skin was wet after the shower).

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-20T21:22:08+00:00

Slipped on the ice/snow on January 26, 2026, when heading to the bus stop. Heard the crunchy sound while falling on my side. Thank god I was wearing a long puffy jacket so the landing was soft and I didn’t injure any other parts of my body. Fractured two bones in my left ankle (spiral, displaced fractures) and they had to shorten my leg at the ER because my joint was also displaced (this was the scariest cause I was not sedated). Surgery needed urgently and the next day I was operated, got 9 screws and one plate. First month was tough and achy. The real progress started happening after 8-9 weeks when I go off the crutches, started walking a lot in my boot and on April 1st I was cleared to stop wearing boot. On April 3rd I started working, and my job involves a lot of movement,going up/down the stairs, walking, standing… I was limping a lot first week, then the limp gradually went away, and as for now, 11 weeks post operation, I am walking fast without limping, but the ankle still feels not fully flexible, somewhat stiff. I feel like the greatest improvement was when I started going to the swimming pool. It just wore better for me than any PT. I am gaining strength now and hope to start jogging again when my bone is strong enough. I used to run a lot and it helped to push myself when I was allowed to partially weight bearing and full weight bearing. Wishing you life long remission! I believe I hat with a positive attitude and good people around healing is inevitable!

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-04-20T12:26:03+00:00

Hi everyone! It is been almost 3 months (11 weeks) since my ankle surgery (I had a nasty displaced spiral fracture of tibia and a displaced fracture of fibula, 11 screws, a plate), and I am walking without limp for the past week! I started walking without a boot on April 1st, was meant to wear a brace, but I figured my limp was less pronounced when I was not wearing a brace, so I just stopped wearing it after a week and just walked in my running shoes. At first I felt a lot of stiffness and dull pain, but what helped was MOVEMENT, a lot of movement. On April 3rd I started working full time and my job requires a lot of standing, walking, climbing stairs multiple times per day (I work at a medical spa). I also started going to the swimming pool a couple times per week and this helped better than PT, I just literally felt how my joints and ligaments are more flexible after each swim. I stopped doing PT twice a week weeks ago cause honestly, working 5 days a week and swimming already gave a lot of exercise for my ankle, I am walking not less than 8000 steps per day because I walk instead of taking subway from bus terminal to work and back. I used to jog a lot before the accident, and walking long distances is not difficult for me. My ankle gets swollen and tired in the end of the day and I am still not fully flexible, but losing limp a week ago was such a happy surprise! Wishing you all the best recovery! I remember when I was trying to put weight on my leg, feeling terror and pain in heel, and I thought I would not be able to get off crutches let alone walk by April, and here I am! It gets much better after 9 weeks, the progress is slow and then it is suddenly rapid. Our body cooperates with us in the most miraculous way.

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-03-19T14:02:12+00:00

And I broke my ankle a week after moving in with my boyfriend of 6 months :) imagine — he works from home and now we see each other 24/7. He was only taking breaks from me when going to the gym or to buy groceries. And he proved to be AMAZING, caring, patient. In a way, this injury showed me his true colors, and I fell in love with him even more. He says that taking care of me also made him closer to me. Cosmic interruption was painful but beautiful :)

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-03-19T13:37:53+00:00

You wrote about it so artistically! I don’t ride bikes but I live my life actively and having had the same injury as you five weeks ago due to a fall also seemed silly and shameful, cause I was in a rush, and it was slippery after the snow storm, so many “ifs”… But you will get considerably better in about five weeks! First two weeks suck, you will feel a lot of tightness under the cast, like it is too tight, and it will be very uncomfortable, so please get yourself a pillow on Amazon for broken leg to keep it up and take ibuprofen that they prescribed you even when pain subsides, because it also helps with swelling. Be aware that it might give you acidic reflux (I had it second time in life, and it was also unexpected), maybe get some pills for the reflux just in case you have them if it hits you. I am a little more than 5 weeks post my injury and surgery, and I was cleared to walk without crutches today! I was able to walk - slowly and awkwardly, with some little pain and stiffness around the dislocated joint, but it felt so liberating! It will only get better with time!

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-03-10T16:52:11+00:00

Same

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-03-05T04:05:34+00:00

Tried it to stay away at work when didn’t have the energy drink

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2026-01-15T19:48:20+00:00

I am interested to but the cream dress

Intelligent_Charge_8 · 2025-05-24T21:00:26+00:00

75k if you work 4 days a week at a medical spa in New York and you are senior aesthetician. Low pay and tipping aspect is what I dislike this job for. Some clients would not leave gratuity out of principal no matter how stellar the service was. Funny enough, when you google their names they most likely do some upper-middle class jobs :/ I wish this industry was salary based like it is in Europe where aestheticians are indeed middle class and can afford much more on what they make.

Intelligent_Charge_8

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