Hi! Fairly new to the board. Many of you who have gone through this have given some great advice and have helped me to realize that this is going to be a good thing for me. Dx'd with tendonitis in my left ankle when I was about 6 or 7 (39 now). Family thought I was spraining my ankle all the time, but doc dx'd tendonitis. I think now I might have sprained it and it just didn't heal properly. Caused me much pain and problems all through high school. Got better after some time and then in '93 I fell off the front porch and sprained the beejeebees out of it and the Urgent Care didn't refer me to PT or an ortho, so again it didn't heal properly. Took a year to feel somewhat normal, but never quite right. Now for past year it's gotten progressively worse with "catching" episodes, instability, some minor twists and swelling. MRI revealed damaged ligaments, debris, synovitis (lots of fluid), and thickening of ligaments/tendons. Doc feels a loose body in area of ATFL, but didn't show on MRI. I'm glad to have this scheduled, but realize there could be complications and healing can be slow and PT a bear. Thanks for listening and for sharing your stories. Wish me luck!

Welcome to the wonderful world of ankle surgery! I had ligament reconstruction done in March two years ago. I had the ligaments put back together (the Brostrom procedure) and also the tendon graft (mine was the Evans procedure, and there is a similar one called Chrisman-Snook). My procedure was scheduled to be open, with a scope just for fun, since they were going to be in there anyway. I was in a cast on crutches for six weeks, then in a boot for some time (maybe 4 weeks?). I started physical therapy near the middle of May, still in the boot. By late June I was walking around in regular shoes, pain free.

The pain right after surgery was definitely not fun. I decided to go home from the hospital while under the influence of heavy drugs, then went back after being home for an hour and stayed for two nights. The main problem for me was the swelling. Every time I put my foot down for any amount of time my toes turned purple. I am in grad school and I did the surgery over spring break, and for the next month I sat in classes with my leg up on the desk. I was able to get around on the crutches though. Most stores have wheelchairs or scooters that you can use in the store, and if you get your doctor to fill out the DMV paperwork you can get a temporary handicap sticker for your car. Between the handicap parking and the scooters in the stores I was out shopping within a week.

I am definitely glad that I had the surgery done. I no longer fall over when I try to do things, and I can walk or run without worrying that I am going to hurt myself. It's definitely not a fun surgery, but I think it's worth it.

Thanks Kehorner!

Appreciate that good info. I will definitely keep those things in mind, esp about the temp handicap parking permit! My procedure is open with a scope also. I have read alot about the brostrom procedure, but my doc called the one he's doing the "Brostrom-Karlson" procedure and have found nothing on this. Have you heard of it? He explained that he's going to tighten the ligaments, etc, but I've not heard of the "karlson" procedure, nor found anything on it.

My surgery is scheduled as outpatient. I already feel like my ankle is so tight already and I know it will be after surgery. Sometimes it feels numb and other times it doesn't. I just went to the store and walked around for about 25 minutes and that's all I can stand. My ankle and foot bones just don't seem like they fit together and when I walk it sometimes feels like my foot is just going to snap in two. Sound familiar prior to your surgery?

Thanks again for your reply and glad you are doing well post-op. I'll keep you posted.

Before letting them cut on you, you might look into Prolotherapy. It is an alternative to surgery and it tightens the ligaments. There are a lot of success stories on it.

Sometimes it feels numb and other times it doesn't. I just went to the store and walked around for about 25 minutes and that's all I can stand. My ankle and foot bones just don't seem like they fit together and when I walk it sometimes feels like my foot is just going to snap in two. Sound familiar prior to your surgery?

YES!!!! That is totally how it felt. Like everything didn't fit together right. I asked my OS about this and he said it felt that way because it was somewhat true. My ankle was subluxating when I walked. I also had catching and clicking and loose bodies and thickening of ligaments. My right (injured) ankle is permanently 30% larger than my right.

My OS had me do two surgeries: a first one arthroscopic to clean out the loose bodies and the second one to tighten the ligaments. He said that they were different recoveries: after arthroscopic you want to have movement and after ligament surgery you want to have immobilization.