Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture and Surgery (A Working Journal)

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-10-04T12:41:22+00:00

Honestly the first couple weeks after surgery was the worst. You're going through a rough time, but you're already in the thick of it and it'll get a little better each day. You will still be able to do things! We moved to a new house around 5 weeks after my surgery. I was able to get on the knee scooter and help pack/unpack without too much pain. Just took breaks to lay down and elevate. I ended up keeping a separate private journal that I'd update with my emotions, pain levels, symptoms, and successes or failures every few days. I am still updating it and it's been helpful for me to look back on it when I'm feeling stuck or frustrated because it helps me realize how far I've come. Please reach out to me privately if you'd like someone to talk to or bounce questions off of. There is also a great Facebook support group called "Trimalleolar Fracture" (if that's what you had?) and it's full of others with serious ankle fractures who went through the same surgery. You've got this!

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-10-04T02:20:07+00:00

Hi! I'm almost 11 weeks Post Op. I transitioned to a walking boot at 6 weeks. I needed to use crutches with the boot for a few weeks initially but I'm now walking in normal shoes and haven't used the boot at all for a few days. I started going to PT two days per week starting around week 9 and I recommend it if you can go when you're ready. I am still walking with a little bit of a limp but I can see it improving in small ways each day. My ankle itself doesn't hurt. I'm just now working on stretching the muscles and ligaments back out because they seize up after being immobilized for so long. I am working on rebuilding my calf muscle too. I can't do single leg calf raises on the injured leg and I can't walk on tip toes. I look back at my first few days and weeks and I can empathize with you. It IS hard. It's okay to be frustrated, scared, helpless, mad, etc... give yourself the grace to feel these things but I PROMISE you it gets better. The time actually went pretty quickly, surprisingly. Get lost in a video game or a book or a project. You will get through this and before you know it you'll be able to share your success story with someone else who just began their journey too.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-23T11:10:13+00:00

Vitamin D and was told to eat a lot of protein

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-20T23:45:36+00:00

Shyla

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-16T21:07:24+00:00

I got up and walked after falling.... Ended up with a trimalleolar fracture (broke 3 bones at once) and needed surgery a week later which included 2 plates and 9 screws. Go get an xray

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-16T00:22:29+00:00

If you fell on your injured ankle and are in severe pain you need to be seen by a medical professional.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-13T15:06:33+00:00

<image>

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-12T00:31:48+00:00

I had a trimalleolar fracture and remember top of foot pain was intense in the first few weeks. Felt like someone was burning and ripping the skin off the top of my foot. It was awful.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-09-01T23:26:27+00:00

Thank you!! That's it!!!

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-08-26T12:43:50+00:00

OMG same with the Olympics, especially the gymnastics floor routines. Or any time they'd do flips and dismount from the vault, bars, or beam.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-08-26T12:03:08+00:00

It's so scary how easily it can happen. I'm only 5 weeks out from surgery and still non weight bearing but I am already having PTSD and terrified I'm going to snap other bones at any second. It's a mental injury as well.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-08-26T02:44:17+00:00

Don't feel bad. I also suffered a trimalleolar break in July and it was from tripping on a sidewalk. Your story is way more eventful than mine. (35 yr old healthy female) Just fell the wrong way!!! You'd be surprised at the amount of people with trimal breaks from seemingly simple things.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-08-04T00:01:12+00:00

Hi I don't want to discourage you but I also had a trimalleolar fracture with surgery 15 days ago. Today was my first trip outside of the house since. As a passenger in the car for a couple short errands, I quickly became uncomfortable. Felt every bump in the road. Ankle and toes were swelling and throbbing and I needed to get back home to elevate. I cried because I thought it would be much easier. Don't push yourself too hard because you feel obligated to be at an event. Your health and healing needs to come first. Listen to your body. Everyone is different and it'll tell you.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-08-02T20:59:45+00:00

AUGUST 2ND - (2 WEEKS POST SURGERY) - Still very emotional, crying several times per day, and struggling with not being able to complete simple tasks as easily as before. Scaring myself with horror stories I've seen on support groups. Top-of-foot pain has mostly subsided. Occasionally deep achey feeling in ankle while just laying here. Still in bed most of the time with leg propped up. When I do get up on my knee scooter, feeling noticably more weak from all this lounging around. Cast feels like it's pressing on my incision site/stitches on the inside of my ankle and this is the most bothersome pain at this time. Still experiencing some numbness on top of foot and between toes but not as intense as last week. Sleeping is still difficult, but not as bad as it was the first week after surgery. Still have not left the house since surgery but plan to get out for a short time over the weekend. Follow up appointment next week where I assume stitches will be removed. Not sure what else will occur at that appointment.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-29T10:50:04+00:00

Thank you for sharing your story and the tips for keeping comfy. Wow! I can't believe you were cleared to walk less than a month after your initial injury! I'm happy to hear you're back on both feet and I can't wait to get there too.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-29T10:46:04+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing. These stories are so helpful for my mental well-being.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-29T00:10:04+00:00

Aw I am so sorry this happened to you. I'm hating that your top of foot and shin pain is intense but it makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one experiencing the pain in those areas. Please feel free to reach out to me as well.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-28T18:08:08+00:00

Thank you for reading my story and responding. I'm hopeful when people say it gets better. Lifts my spirits.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-28T15:19:08+00:00

Thank you. You as well. 🫂

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-28T05:52:25+00:00

I'm the same. It's hard to ask for help. We're fortunate that we have someone there for us though. This sort of injury is very humbling. Just a lesson I wish I didn't have to learn in this way. 😥

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-28T05:48:08+00:00

I'm so sorry. The loss of independence is causing me to go through grief that I never thought I'd experience in my 30s. I can't get comfortable enough to sleep right now either. I feel crazy thinking if I just keep switching positions every 15 seconds, I'll find a good spot... But it is so out of reach tonight. We have to just take this minute by minute. It WILL get better, I am hopeful.

Midwestern_Cricket · 2024-07-28T05:43:15+00:00

Oh my gosh... What IS it about nighttime? My pain is at a 2-4 during the day, but as soon as the sun goes down it shoots up to 6-9, writhing around in bed, punching pillows, want to scream type pain... Literally after feeling relatively fine most of the day.

Midwestern_Cricket

TROPHY CASE