MrSmith - you say you shattered your calcaneus - did you have your calcaneus rebuilt with pins and screws? My second surgery was 3/15 when they actually rebuilt my heel with plates/screws & pins. My foot was so swollen that after the stitches came out my surgery incision split completely open. It is still open. Yes - I just said that. I did ask my surgeon - on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, how bad my injury was and he said 11 as it was one of the worst he has ever seen. My foot is still swollen. I have no feeling in foot. The only feeling I get is strong electricity jolts through my leg & foot (guessing its the nerves). I have been upgraded this past week to walking with a cane (which is YAY) but I still can not sit for a full day w/ my leg at a 45 degree angle (like on a chair) I have to keep it up or I am in pain and the swelling is intense. I was told that I will not be able to walk w/o assistance until October. In addition - I just found out that my second toe will never be straight again because the tendon that controls that toe was severed in the accident (the tendon lies under your calcaneus) - so these are the little things that come along w/ the injury I guess (or perhaps I have won the calcaneus injury of the year and get all the terrible side effects!)
I had my foot elevated all the time before I started walking, and elevated quite a bit after that even, for a few months. I mean really elevated, two pillows on top of having my recliner all the way back. Slept with two pillows too.
My toes curl down, but not as bad, as they were. My physical therapist had me pull back on the bottoms, while pushing down on the knuckle. Once I started doing this through out the day, I started to see results.
I walk fine without a cane, though I did use one for a few months.
I had an accident myself about 3 month ago. i had surgery and im still partially weight bearing. i had allot of nerve damage and im on medication to help it. my doctor said that i should be able to walk with out assistance in like 6 month. he also mentioned that everyone heals differently. as for the arthritides, that is some thing that may or may not develop, the most important thing you can do right now is make sure you do physical therapy as much as you can
I doubt you will have a limp if you wear a good shoe with orthotics and stretch it and go to therapy. My surgery was not done well so I had problems with pain but not much of a limp with good shoes but I have to stay off it and just had a procedure to correct it called a triple arthrodesis which is a fusion to get rid of the pain and you may need this someday if arthritis does come? Orthotics are very important and shoes with a soft thick sole.
Actually swelling is good for the healing, otherwise they would give you meds to get rid of it. Which is what one physical therapist told me.
I was on ibuphren at the hospital, but doc took me off cause of blood thinners. He gave me celebrex to take as needed for the pain, which I think is also a anti inflamitory.
But I was never really told to take a NSAID, early on. I do take on now, but not every day, though I probably should.
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Heelie since 09
The good thing is, no one asks me, to help them move anymore.
I'm glad to have come across this site, there's much to be learned here. I was in a car accident the first week of January and fractured my right heel. (My car slammed into a tree after sliding on ice). I have been seeing a great O who said I didn't need surgery so I was put in a splint for about 4 weeks, a cast for about 4 weeks and Im currently in an air cast now which has to stay on at all times except for bathing. Ive been goint to PT 2x a week for about 5 weeks now and I keep getting in trouble because my foot tends to swell a bit and I hate putting ice on it because the pain is terrible! My question is this: Whats to be expected after I'm released from treatment? Ive been told I'm going to have arthritis in this foot for the rest of my life and that I'm not going to be able to stand on uneven ground since I've lost that r to l motion in my joint. I'm currently trying to settle with my insurance company and am pretty sure that these injuries are permanent? I was pretty active before this happened (ran about 2-3 miles a week), and I'm single mom to a very active 3 year old which has been the worst part for me. Also I'm wondering if I will ever wear heels again? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!
If the doctor did a good job with the corrective surgery and lined everything up good and you keep strengthening that foot I would say you will be running after a year or so but ask the doc mine said a year. Heels may be slightly uncomfortable and you may need arch supports but do extra exercise for that foot and if the surgeon was any good you will be ok. I say this because I broke both of them and one was done well and the other was not and there is a major difference and I never did the muscle work which is a big mistake.
