Re: Getting over a fracture..

Carol, just take it easy and see how it goes and if it still worries you in a day or two then please get in touch with your gp. I'm sure it will settle down. It just takes time and you'll feel after all this time that you should feel a definite difference, but hopefully it will be on the mend.

I work in orthopaedics, and know it takes time for bones to heal, especially the older you are (sorry I don't mean anything hurtful), but it takes it's own time. However, if you are worried and need reassurance then speak to your own gp in the first instance, or you can phone the hospital, who would probably tell you to come up to fracture clinic for a check.

Re: Getting over a fracture..

1998 , I had a bad fall , messed my ankle and leg up pretty bad back then.

All these years on and now whilst sitting here writing I still get aches in my ankle with swelling to match. It's a thing you will learn to cope with, it's a dull ache and it's only when I think about it that I notice it. It plays up more when the whether is cold and when I have been out on a long walk

Hope things improve , time is the best healer of all.


::::: An Apple A Day keeps Windows at Bay. :::::

Re: Getting over a fracture..

Very simply Carol consult a good physiotherapist and do as you're told. The quality of the recovery depends on what you do in the next couple of months.

Re: Getting over a fracture..

Thank you all for the replies - I'm thinking of physiotherapy. It still aches a lot but it's better than it was - maybe the swimming is helping.
I guess it all takes time - especially older bones!!

Re: Getting over a fracture..

Glad it's getting better. It does take time. And don't be alarmed if the swelling comes and goes for a while. Swimming is the best thing you can do for it in terms of exercise at the moment.

Re: Getting over a fracture..

I agree....swimming is an excellent non-weight bearing exercise .

Re: Getting over a fracture..

Hi Carol, what you are experiencing is normal I would say, if you think about it you have had a fracture, then the joint immobilised in plaster and not used for several weeks. Just the immobilisation alone would take a bit of getting used to when you started to use the ankle again, but you had the plaster supporting it all this time as well.
The ankle feels weak and very vulnerable at first. It will improve a bit all the time, but it will take as long as it takes. You will be able to find exercises for strengthening the supporting muscles, ligaments and tendons around it on-line which will help a lot and of course swimming is great as it is the best exercise for mobilisation.

Re: Getting over a fracture..

Sorry to hear about your problem Carol, but the discomfort will end and you will not notice the going of it. If you feel you need additional support, you can get tubular elastic bandages designed for legs, use the bandage doubled , in time you will wonder what you needed it for.

Re: Getting over a fracture..

Hi Carol,

The other posters have all given you excellent advice about physical therapy, especially exercises performed in the water. I do think the doctor could improve on his "beside manner." I am surprised he did not refer you for therapy.

I have had many broken limbs over the years as I used to break in horses.

However 2 days ago I fell off a step and guess what?-Yep I broke both my ankle and my foot. My lower extremity is so swollen they cannot even put a full plaster cast on it but I have what is known as a soft cast which is plastered on the underside but open on top. I go back on Monday to see if I need a pin in my ankle.

Take care and hope you feel better soon!