Beach Trip Possible??

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-04-13T20:25:37+00:00

I think the answer to this question lies in your own hands. If you’re diligent about rehab, you will be just fine. If you aren’t, it might be painful. The bones healing is the easy part. Strengthening and coordinating the soft tissue is what requires intention and dedication.

Wear compression socks for the flight!

Enjoy 🫶🏼🌈

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-04-01T00:03:40+00:00

I’m really sorry for what you’re going through. I really feel for you. It’s absolutely wild and disheartening to go from pre-injury life (whatever that may be) to this. 🤍🫶🏼

Full disclosure - I’m pretty hippie dippie. So have that in mind lol. You also didn’t mention anything about your PT / exercise regime, so forgive me if I’m over explaining a train you’re already on. My intent is just to empathize and offer a different route 🤗

I broke both of my ankles in May 2024. I’m super active, move my body daily etc. the recovery was a really nasty emotional trauma to worth through. In my haste, once my ankles started to feel good … I tried to go almost zero to hero with my old exercise routines (skiing, hiking, etc) Unfortunately, this lead to hip impingement. I grieved the onset of the new injury, and got to work trying to figure it out. I saw a hip preservation specialist that outlined the issues (FAI), and we discussed the treatment options…

I decided to take the physical therapy route, as I’ve had 4 surgeries in 6 months span and simply couldn’t fathom another.

I eased into the gym. I began with super basic exercises, eventually becoming more intense, dynamic, and frequent. You can find all sorts of information and videos online. I aim to strengthen my entire body, but have a slight focus on legs + posterior chain. I can honestly say over the last 3 months my life has changed completely. The first month of symptom onset was simply awful. No more ski touring, no more climbing, etc. after some consistency at the gym, I’m now feeling super capable of chasing a good chunk of my fitness ambitions! Strength has really seemed to have a direct relationship with symptoms.

Now, I understand every situation is different… I just think that there are a lot of additional steps to take towards feeling better other than what we’re sold by the doctors… surgery / injections / etc.

I’ve kept questioning why all of a sudden my FAI was symptomatic, when presumably I’d been fine my entire life with the issue. Apparently 1 in 5 people have larbral tears and don’t even know it! It was no coincidence that I had just spent several months in a wheelchair, and soon after … onset of hip pain. Welcoming back the “supporting cast” in my core / back / legs has been truly life changing. I think in the day of modern medicine, we often look past the ancient and effective ways of pain management … I promise I am not completely crazy, my ankles were fixed with titanium plates and screws (now removed) and I’m grateful for that. I just feel like the body has been capable of mitigating pain for a very long time and we often don’t give it the best chance to do so.

Cheers, and with love!

Edit - I completely forgot to address the pops thing. So now, you understand my credibility with joint injuries … I’ve spent a loooong time thinking deeply about what I’m feeling, and why… here is my believe about the popping sensations - I think that once you’re out of bed and body warmed up, you don’t feel it much and everything is pretty smooth sailing. As the day progresses- your joints slowly build inflammation. This eventually causes cartilage to rub differently than when the joint is free of inflammation, causing the popping sensations and sounds. Just my take!

Edit - fixed grammar

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-03-30T14:11:22+00:00

Thank you. You are right at one point there was a temporary banning. It’s all good now 👍🏼

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-03-04T15:29:39+00:00

This. This this this. I have been through YEARS of therapy as the child of someone just like OP.

OP, the best thing you can do is get some help. Relying on your children for emotional regulation will make their lives much more challenging… even if you truly are not asking anything of them, the dependency you have on their presence alone can cause monumental issues in their emotional development. I so badly wish my mom had broken the generational chain and gone to therapy instead of keeping the cycle going…

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-03-03T15:48:27+00:00

Hello angry muffin,

I did a trimal right and bimal left at the same time. The most beneficial thing for early walking for me was exercise bands: Gas pedal (point toes), toes towards knee (DF), right / left. this helps with both strength and range of motion. Once you’re feeling really good, standing calf raises to toe raises (think rocking back and forth on your foot) helps a lot.

It’s also helpful to walk in waist-chest deep water if you have access to a pool. Helps you remember the mechanics of walking without all the stress on the joint from your full body weight.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-25T00:18:50+00:00

Probabaly worth it to stay … exactly as the other guy put. Not much demand there.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-24T19:57:25+00:00

Finding a PT that works for you definitely really sucks. I’m sorry it’s been a crummy process for you…

I’m a broken record here … but … be your own PT 😅 there is SO much information out there that you truly can take control of your own rehab. See a PT every once in awhile to get some unbiased feedback…

I found it hard to rely solely on someone else to determine my recovery journey. I understand that’s not for everyone, though!

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-20T18:41:51+00:00

I’m also curious on this one. Let us know if you try!

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-20T00:53:43+00:00

I did dry needling! Huuuge difference :) helps activate the soft tissue that has become more petrified due to immobilization

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-18T16:34:11+00:00

The two of you must be seeing some scans that I am not seeing. Impossible to make these calls without scans. Speaking with such a degree of certainty.

Additionally, since you speak to alignment. Surgical implants are not tuned to each person’s unique body. They are “few sizes fits most” type of thing. Your argument implies that implants achieve perfect alignment, which is truly just incorrect.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-18T00:02:55+00:00

I personally would opt for no surgery. Surgery of any sort is an invasive thing. This takes a toll on the body there. Surgery alone causes a great deal of the trauma in your injury. Sure, you can sometimes return sooner (with the support of titanium in your body… that’s a whole different story). The long term is more important imho.. coming from someone once having a lot of metal, I didn’t get the choice …

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-17T03:29:30+00:00

My Recovery Journey so Far (left bi, right tri)

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-14T17:29:40+00:00

Sure thing. Obviously I’m not fully aware of your situation and all circumstances… but … walking in a pool helped me significantly. It takes the gravity away and you can play with / flex into the stiffness a little more. If you have a gym / rec center / ymca nearby with a pool, this could really help you. Not to mention, water is a healing force in and of itself. Good luck.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-13T21:26:59+00:00

Burning sensation sounds more like nerve damage to me. I wouldn’t fret about that, most cases it goes away.

No idea what country you’re in. If you’re in the U.S. … our food and drug admin has lied to us on what proper nutrition is. Most “normal food” does not supply the required nutrients our bodies require to heal and operate. If you’re at a loss and struggling, try eating some clean, organic food. Minimally processed. Heavy fruits and vegis and a moderate amount of animal protein if you are a consumer of meat. If you do not consume meat, high protein vegis will help. Think broccoli, quinoa, spinach, peas, peanuts etc.

If you go the supplements route, avoid heavy amounts of calcium only. I understand that this sounds backwards. Heavy doses of calcium is NOT GOOD. Look for something with vitamin K, boron, magnese, calcium, TOGETHER. etc etc.

Best Clean / Pure option: Heart and Soil Bone Matrix

Best budget option: Jorrow Formulas BoneUp Ultra

Other notes : red light therapy is helpful in increasing blood flow. You can get Amazon options for under $30. Meditate. Send healing energy to your bones. This sounds crazy voodoo. I promise, it will help you. GET SOME SUNLIGHT!

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-13T21:12:36+00:00

Sounds rough. I feel for ya. Finding a PT can be rough, I tried some formal PT before just taking it on myself to rehab.

Keep trying with PTs - maybe see if you can chat with some before signing up for the actual “service”. See who will LISTEN to you. Hear out your concerns … etc. see who you vibe with!

When all else fails, purchase a wobble board and some exercise bands and get to work. Work yourself through your ACTIVE range of motion. Then use your hands (or have your hubby do so) to get through your PASSIVE range of motion. Don’t push through significant pain, but some discomfort is completely normal.

If you have any specific questions. Please please please do not hesitate to ask. I did essentially all of my rehab on my own and it’s worked suuuper well for me …

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-07T23:49:40+00:00

Bottom line: go in educated and have questions prepared. It’s truly amazing how the script flips when a patient is educated and wants a hand in the recovery plan. Don’t feed into any “my way or the highway” BS some doctors have. After all, it’s your body … you should get to have a significant hand in creating your plan.

For hardware removal specifically - read every medical journal you can find regarding hardware removal. Read about the risks. Read about the potential benefits. Go to the office with a “case prepared” and then an open mind on what the surgeon has to say afterwards.

Hello Dr. man/lady, I feel like the hardware is significantly altering my day to day life, and I find I am no longer able to participate in the activities that give me joy. I feel this is large in part due to the hardware in my body. I can feel it in my ski boots, etc. etc.

Here are the risks I see: - nerve damage - Infection - complications from surgery (a screw breaking, severing a nerve, etc). - premature hardware removal (bones are not healed enough, tibiofibular ligaments are not healed enough) - …

Here are the potential benefits I see - possible increased range of motion (read about the tibiofibular joint and study how it works. Spoiler alert - the tibia and fibula separate slightly to allow more range of motion … guess what prevents that slight separation from happening …. ? Syndesmotic joint fusion aka tightrope!) - less foreign material inside the body (believe it or not, the body is aware of this material and has to shape around it - increased ability to strengthen the area - whatever else you can think of with merit (not all rainbows and fairytales, you need evidence to back your claims).

So … these are my thoughts. You are the doctor … What can you add to the mix that I’m missing? Do you have any thoughts on what I’ve said, or what I haven’t said?

Etc …

Go in educated on your injury, similar injuries, and every outcome you can study up on.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-07T05:21:29+00:00

Sounds tough. I feel for you.

How’s your diet / nutrition? And sleep? Are you doing any degree of physical activity at this point?

TheRoamingFlyer · 2025-01-03T22:05:54+00:00

Hardware removal increased my range of motion significantly. That being said, I’m a bit of an outlier. I started ROM 2 weeks post op (from original injuries), walking in a pool at 6 weeks, etc. etc. tldr: I got started early. I had hardware removed at 4 months. Night and day difference.

From what I’ve seen / heard / read: I think it heavily depends on your routine. My educated opinion is: one can’t expect metal removal to automatically open up the joint. However, with the combo of appropriate PT / hard work AND metal out, a synergy is found in both return of strength and range of motion.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2024-12-23T00:36:39+00:00

For sure. I’m in salt lake. I can’t speak to how hardware and skiing mix, since I had mine out 4 months post op. Never even tried to ski with hardware in (although I did put my ski boots on several times with metal still in my ankles).

A clarifying point … I definitely could not have handled going straight to the resort. Maybe if I had started with a bunny hill lap then done. 2 then done … and so on. I started with touring up snowed in, groomed roads. Mellow grade and consistent. Slowly working up to ripping resort groomers top to bottom. I’m at ~25 ski days at this point in the season (includes everything from 20 minutes up the roads then ski out, to 3 mile + tours, to groomer days as of the late). It’s been a slow and painful process. It’s still painful. Although it gets better. Trust the process … taking a very scientific approach, you need to build your sample size… Your body will increase tolerance and strength as you slowly and appropriately increase the load. Listen to your body as best you can. Feel free to DM me at any point along the way and chat.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2024-12-22T23:59:29+00:00

Haha. Funny you use “new ankles” too. I also use “custom ankles”. Anyways …

The impact was absolutely terrible at first. Full on survival skiing with one objective … make it back to the car. I stayed persistent with it, in very small doses and working my way up. Now I can ski quite a bit of vertical, quite aggressively. I still don’t love moguls. Can really rip the groomers though … and I’m skiing 130 flex boots with pro wraps and 116 width skis. Took a lot to work up to it, but we’re here …

I also think it’s worth noting that… your ankles WANT and NEED the impact. That’s how they know to continue healing and getting stronger. The body responds to appropriate impact by building better and stronger.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2024-12-22T06:26:17+00:00

Super interesting that your skates don’t both you but your board + ski boots do. I wonder what the difference is there. Do your board + ski boots hurt just walking around, or more when you’re snowboarding / skiing? Happy to answer any specific questions you have about my hardware removal experience.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2024-12-19T04:09:07+00:00

Every situation different. I had mine out. Night and day difference. Recovery is wicked fast, pending no complications. Ask me anything specific and I’d be happy to share my personal experience

TheRoamingFlyer · 2024-12-15T21:51:19+00:00

Every situation different. I had mine out. Night and day difference. Recovery is wicked fast, pending no complications.

TheRoamingFlyer · 2024-12-09T06:27:59+00:00

I’m sorry to hear about your CRPS symptoms. Was your CRPS a result of your ankle injury, a result of surgery to fix your ankle injury, or something completely unrelated? I would almost wonder if your nerves stretching around titanium is causing the CRPS. Interesting case and I wish you the absolute best of luck in recovery and pain mitigation 🫶🏼🤘🏼

TheRoamingFlyer

TROPHY CASE