Hi:

I am new to this board and was looking for some input. I sprained my ankle badly about 4 years ago when i stepped into a hole. At the time I was told that it was just a sprain and I had no further problems. Last March, I started having sharp pains in my ankle joint. I went to my doctor who did an x-ray and said there was nothing on x-ray that showed any problems.

Meanwhile...the pain kept getting worse and worse. I started having popping and locking of my ankle that was causing me to fall. Finally my doctor referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon who did an MRI. The MRI showed that I had a talar dome fracture/OCD defect. I spent 6 weeks in a walking boot, which did nothing.

when I came out of the boot...the pain was worse than ever. Ten days ago I underwent an ankle arthroscopy with debridement and drilling. I had an appointment yesterday for my first follow up. My doctor removed my cast and stitches. I have very little swelling or bruising. I am to remain 3 more weeks NWB, but he gave me nothing to support my ankle. I am so paranoid of hitting it as it is very painful when I move it. I am to start moving it up and down only...not side to side. So far I have not been able to move it at all.

Can anyone give me some of their experiences of post arthroscopy and what I can expect?

Thanks...

Welcome to the OCD Club, sorry you had join us here. I am 11 weeks post-op from arthroscopic surgery with the drilling. I am surprised your Dr. did not give you anything to support your ankle. I was 6 weeks NWB, with limited movement the final four weeks, during that time I was in an air cast. After the six weeks I went PWB to FWB with a air cast stirrup splint.

Don't worry about moving it all at this point, initially my movement was very small and gradually improved. You have some swelling in the joint which is making it more difficult, just keep trying. If after several days you are still unable to move it, call your Dr. I still can't believe he didn't give you anything to protect your ankle, especially since they do not want the side to side movement - hmmmmmm.

You can read about my experience under a post called Osteochondral Fracture. I just started PT today, so I posted a short update.

Sorry you had to join on, but feel free to ask questions, share advice or just vent along the way, that is what we are here for.

-eko

Hi Eko:

Thanks for responding. By the way my name is Lisa...

Before my surgery I was told that I would be six weeks NWB, which is still the case. I was just so shocked when they took off my cast from surgery that I left with nothing on my foot at all. THey took out the stitches and put on steri-strips and encouraged me to move it up and down only.

Last night any movement at all sent me through the roof. It was the same familiar pain as before the surgery...the grinding of bones...

I ended up wrapping it in an ACE bandage to try to give it some support. I did not sleep at all last night because I was so afraid that my husband would kick me or I would get it caught in the covers.

the other problem that I am experiencing is that I have a lot of numbness across the top of my foot. when my foot came out of the cast that is where I had the most swelling was across the top. Is this normal?

I go back in 3 weeks to my OS and then he said he would start me in PT.

I am so tired of dealing with this ankle...it has totally upset my life for the past year and a half and I need this to be the end...

Lisa

Lisa,

If the surgeon, which he probably did, used a distraction device to help widen the joint, yeah, you'll have the swelling, numbness and maybe stiffness on the top of your foot. What they do is put your leg in a brace to hold it, then a band around the top of your foot and pull down on it, opening up the ankle joint. The top of my foot was sore and stiff, it hurt to wiggle my toes. So, it is okay to wiggle your toes and flex your foot up and down. I actually found massaging the top of my foot really helped.

The purpose of flexing the foot is to help shape the fibro-cartilage, just do what you can. A little moist heat will also help loosen up tight tendons and muscles.

I can so relate to being tired of dealing with an ankle, I am at a year with this injury, but had a long run of issues before and after my Brostrom repair in 2003, same darn ankle.

Maybe you should call your Dr's office and ask if there is anything you can do to help protect your ankle. I understand the husband and cover issue totally, than I add to mine kids and pets. I'd also be worried about falling or accidently bumping it or something like that. Nothing wrong in calling and asking - it is your foot, have to protect it somehow. I just can't believe they didn't give you something.

Let us know how you are doing.

Sending you healing thoughts -Ellen

Ellen:

Thanks for your encouraging words. I wish I had found this site long before now. Finally someone who understands...it is hard to explain to people who have no idea what number one you are talking about and trying to explain the level of pain...they just don't get it...

I am going to call my Dr...I have to get some sleep and be able to be functional...I don't feel like I am now...I have laid on my couch all day only getting up to go to the bathroom because I am afraid of hitting my foot...I too have two kids, three cats and a new bassett hound puppy who is all play.

Thanks again..
Lisa

I had ankle athroscopy for an OCD after two years of dealing with an ankle injury from basketball.

Don't worry about the lack of movement right out of the cast. At my 1st post-op appointment I had couldn't get my ankle to move until the doctor pushed my foot down. It gets better with some work and patience.

I understand your fear of having your foot unprotected. I was in a boot the entire time I was NWB but was told the last week I could take the boot off to sleep or around the house. The first few nights I still slept with the boot on and was scared to move around the house because my foot felt so vulnerable without the protection. I did have to wear the boot whenever I went out because the doctor wanted to make sure my ankle was protected.

Hi Lisa and welcome to the club - with ten surgeries you get one free! {feeble attempt at humor}

Sorry things aren't going as you had hoped. Bum foot, kids, pets. Anyone notice a trend here? OT: my dog thought the velcro straps on my 1st boot were a giant tug toy (I don't bounce)

It sounds a bit odd he didn't give you something for your foot. Most take you from cast/splint right into a boot and then eventually a brace. Maybe a nurse forgot to give it to you? If not, then call and tell them you are having trouble like with things hitting it and making it go 'side to side'. Those are magic bad words after OCD. If all else fails you could purchase one for your own peace of mind.

I like reading the different folks' views - some recovered a while back, some 1/2 way thru rehab, some starting PT or are just post op and me; 9 days and counting to the big dig. I'll make a deal with everyone - you guys make mistakes and I will learn from them! ha ha

Take care and we look forward to your posts!
jane

Hi:

Thanks for your post...it is nice to have people to talk to that have experienced the same thing that I have been going through. Since my last post nothing really has changed.

I did call my doctor about something to support my foot and he told me that I could use one of my splints from early on, but that he wanted my ankle joint to stay moving. He said that that would help to mold the new growth in my joint from the drilling, which makes sense to me.

I did pull out an old Aircast splint and I have been wearing it when I am up and at night. I feel so much better to have it protected. It is feeling quite good with the exception of the stiffness and intense pain when I bend it too much. My incisions have healed quite nicely and I don't think are going to leave much of a scar(yeah).

I do have one other concern and that is that I have had catching in the back of my ankle around my achilles tendon. I have never had any problem with that before...hopefully this is not a bad sign. I am going to give it a few more days and if it continues I will call my doctor.

Hope all is good with you..

Lisa

Your Dr. is right about molding the new growth from the drilling. My Dr. wanted me flexing that ankle every waking hour 12 times. I am glad you found an old aircast to help protect your ankle. Don't push your ankle to hard in flexing it, you just need to move it back and forth gently.

Take care!
-Ellen

I had an OCD repair two years ago. I experienced a catching pain in my achilles after surgery, and was told I had tendonitis and tendonosis from a sudden increase of movement after the surgery. It cleared up on its own after a while... just took some time. Im glad to hear you have a little protection now. I was in a hard cast for five weeks after surgery, but I also had a bronstrom repair for ankle instability. I would have definately felt vulnerable with nothing on the ankle. hope things are going well for you!

Nothing new going on here really except my family took a little trip down to Savannah, Ga. My husband had to go on a business trip so he suggested that the kids and I go along for a change of scenery. Great idea!!! I can just as easily sit in a hotel room than I can at home...the kids have played in the pool and we have played a lot of cards. It has been nice.

I have had a lot more pain in my foot than I have been having...but I guess that is because I have been up and about more than I usually am at home. We were at the pool yesterday and it started to rain...going back to the hotel room...the sidewalks were wet and my crutch slipped out from underneath me and I about busted my butt...before I knew it I slammed my right foot/bad foot down to catch my balance. I am to tell you that that hurt. Since that I have had a lot of swelling in my foot and pain. I hope it settles down today and hope I didn't do any damage.

That's about it for me...oh yeah...my work has been calling me desperate wanting me to know when I am coming back to work. I seriouslyl thought about trying it...;but my doctor said NO. I am supposed to go back to my doctor on the 31st and that will be 4 weeks post surgery. He said I could possibly go back then, but only if i were able to start PT and partial weight bearing. So we will have to see and my work will just have to deal with it...that is what FMLA is for right????

Hope everyone is well..
Lisa

Hope you did nothing bad to the foot - probably just insulted it with your unexpected bump on the rump. Glad you had a good time in GA - was the car trip hard on you? I ask because I have a meting to attend 5 days post surgery and it is about 3 hours each way.

Slightly OT- have any of you noticed an increase in swelling and/or pain with all the heat? Since this heat snap has hit my foot is back to swelling up quite a fair bit regardless of elevated or not. My husband thought it might bebecause of the heat which makes sense since nothing else is different.

jane

Hi Jane;

The car ride actuallyl wasn't that bad...I sat in the back of my husband's SUV and propped my foot up on a couple of pillows. It was a 5 hour drive from our home...we live near Atlanta, Ga. The only problem I had was my back hurt a little becuase I was sitting sideways in the seat...other than that the foot was okay.

Now for the heat...well that's a different story. In Savannah, Ga...that is at the coast...it is 100 degrees and they are famous for the humidity here. It is actually a sauna outside and just going from the hotel room to the car I am covered in glistening sweat. It is horrible. We are still in Savannah and are going home tomorrow morning...our first day here my ankle swelled up bigger than it was even right after my surgery. So I am sure that the heat plays a big factor. My ankle is still swollen pretty big and hurt a lot...I suspect that is from trying to catch myself from falliing yesterday...I slammed it down pretty hard...and no I didn't have anything on it to protect it...we were coming back from the pool.

Stay in the cool and stay cool...

Lisa

Same here in Va. Beach - It feels like a giant slap in the face once you walk outside. My AC is strugling and even my dog doesn't want to go outside to do his daily "duties". It is so stiffling there aren't even many birds flitting about until evening.

You mean your foot was naked? I think I would call the doc when I got home just to be safe. You don't want to run the risk of messing it up unknowingly. Perhaps they can check it out just to be sure all is ok. Especially since you had the OCD's worked on. No more pool decks for you, okay?

Eegads - it hurts me just thinking about it! Sending you a giant e-aspirin:cool:

Hey Ho:

No more pool decks...yeah right. I have been back to the pool today, but I wheelchaired it. No more crutches on the pool deck...lesson more than learned.

We are heading home tomorrow a.m. and I think I will call my doc...I would hate to think that I would go through all this and find out 6 weeks from now that I had screwed it up in week two.

As far as unprotected...you know he sent me home 10 days from surgery at a post op visit...no cast and no brace no nothing. I had had an old air cast splint that I had on my foot on the way to the pool. I took it off because I was goingto get into the water and that is when I slipped. Having said that the water sure felt good...I just floated along without a care in the world.

Sending you a big snow blizzard to Virginia with good wishes to boot!!!!

Lisa

Bad news for me. I went to the doctor on Friday because my ankle has continued to throb after my slilp at the pool when we were out of town. He sent me for an MRI and I had xrays done. It appears that I have possibly sheared off the new growth that was occuring in my ankle. The MRI shows floating stuff and no signs of healing in the drill site.

So guess what...he put me back in a cast and I have to go back in 2 weeks after my ankle has calmed down. It is so swollen that I have not been able to bend my toes or my ankle. I questioned him about not putting me in a boot of some sort when I came out of the cast 10 days post op. He still says that the only way my ankle is going to heal properly is by molding the new growth in the drilling site and you can't do that in a cast or boot.

I was repremanded severely for going to the pool, but he gave me no restrictions other than no weight on my foot, which I have not done. My slip was an accident.

Oh well...it seems like back to square one. There is a good possibility I will need to have my surgery over again, but there is a bigger possibility that it won't be arthroscopic this time.

Please say a prayer for me and my stupid ankle...

Lisa

Lisa,

Sorry to hear about your news:( . I still think he should have given you a boot to wear as protection, then exercises to do regularly. It's not like you are constantly moving your ankle when you are NWB anyway. I don't know what he was thinking.

Anyway, you mentioned possibly having surgery again, and the possibility that it might not be athroscopy, what would it be? Did he say?

Anyway, I'll be thinking of you and your ankle. Sending you healing thoughts!
-Ellen

Lisa,

So sorry to hear it was messed up during your fall. I agree completely with Ellen! My feelings and my docs are that you protect the foot with boot, but remove it only to do exercises to mold the cartliage. He nevers hould have yelled at you as it was a slip. Accidents happen to all of us. He needs a dose of reality.

I hope you don't need an open approach for surgery. I would respectfully suggest a second opinion, only because he treats this type of problem so differently than other doctors. I had open approach and a scope recently. Yes, it hurts and takes a bit to heal; but it isn't the end of the world. It is just a bit more comlicated than a scope, but if done well by someone with lots of experience is no big issue in the long run.

I really hope you heal up well and soon. I feel just terrible for you:yawn: Sending good, healing thoughts your way-
jane

Hi Ellen and Jane:

Thanks for your posts. The old ankle is actually feeling a lot better over the last couple of days...swelling is minimal and have a lot more movement that last week.

My OS comes highly recommended. He is from The Emory Clinic in Atlanta. He is my second opinion and my choice for my OS. He is a very recognized name in the orthopaedic world. I believe it or not have total faith in him inspite of his decision not to put me into any kind of support aftger coming out of my cast.

I go back on Monday...today starts my 5th week post-op. I was supposed to start PWB tomorrow and possibly PT. We will see.

If anything furhter has to be done he said it would be an open procedure...let's just pray that all will we well.

It just seems that nothing ever seems to go right...I did everything that I was told to do...I guess there is no use in worrying about it now...what is done is done.

Will let you all know what I find out..

Lisa

Hello to All:

Good news from Dr appt today...looks like I didn't do any damage from my slip at the pool. My ankle has felt so much better over the past 3 or 4 days. I am starting PWB today and PT tomorrow. I am suprised what little PWB I have done hasn't been too painful. Just feels like pins and needles in the bottom of my foot. The first step I tried to take felt like my arch in my foot was going to tear in two. For right now I am just putting my toes down with basically all my weight on my crutches. Hey that's progress.

I am very relieved and hopefully it is downhill from here.

Can hardly wait for PT tomorrow...people have told me it acutally stands for pain and torture...let's hope not.

Will let you know how it goes.

Lisa :)

Lisa,

Glad to hear you got good news at your appt. :cool: PT does stand for pain and torture, at least in the beginning, but you have to start somewhere!

Take care!
~Ellen

Great news!!!!

And yes, it does stand for Pain and Torture. Just as you get good at something, be forwarned... they will smile and say "let's try something new". This is PT lingo for a new move you will dislike.

In the end it is worth it tho- good luck and let us know how it goes.

PS - Yeah for Lisa, Yeah for Lisa, Yeah Yeah Yeah! (the happy song)
jane

Thanks Ellen and Jane for you encouraging words. I feel like the world has been lifted from my shoulders. I am so glad that I didn't do any damage.

PT was ok today. Only did some stretching exercises and e-stim...that feels really really good...

Will keep you posted on how it is going. I am to go back to work on Thursday. Kind of ready to go becuase I am so bored...but then on the other hand...I don't want to.

Take care.

Lisa

Great news- see, there is a light at the end of the tunnel (and it's not always another train)
jane
:wave:

I went back to work today and to my suprise it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was a little hard getting around because we work in such tight quarters, but I mostly did onlyl desk work becasue that is all I really can do at this point.

Everyone was so nice to me offering to bring me things that I needed and hold open the doors for me.

Only downside is I ended up working an 11 hour day on my first day back. I am soooooooo tired. Going to go to bed and I am sure I won't have a problem sleeping.

I was very suprised to find that the more I moved around with PWB the better my ankle actually felt. The stretching exercises that I have been doing in PT and at home have really worked on my Achilles Tendon and arch in my foot. I have very little tingling left at all. :blob_fire (That is me doing the happy dance.)

Thanks for reading...

Lisa

Lisa,

:) Glad you had a good day, all be it along day, back to work. You go girl!

~Ellen