fractured calcaneus recovery time

desross4

pablo59:
The most common way to fracture your heel is in a fall. Most men fracture their heels this way. Women usually fracture their heels in auto accidents. I do notice weather changes. Little more sore & stiff on rainy days. desross4

Fuzzyfoot

I haven't noticed any influence of weather. However, I live in Arizona and it is consistently warm(hot) and dry. I think it likely that with joint involvement of the fracture, pain with weather change could occur.
I saw my doctor to day and was sentenced to another 4 weeks on non-weight bearing.

electrician

hello all..
I too shattered my heel on september 6th 2008. I fell 6 feet im 37 years old--36 when it happened. I am in good shape and work as an electrician so my physical shape is well. It takes a lot to shatter heel but once it shatters it explodes. Mine was in 26 peices i have 2 plates and 11 pins in.

There was a thread "calcaneous 5" and so on as they filled up we just changed the number. Not sure if it is still on here. There was a group of us that were at different stages in recovery. we all helped each other get through this. It is life changing. lots of emotion and anger but You will get through it.

Some quick pointers from a heelie. First..DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. do everything ur doc tells u and nothing ur not allowed.
If ur in pt get the best one u can find..ask around. dr can give suggestions..
remember you are only going to get what u give. this injury will put ur physical mobility back..way u r allowed to bear some weight.usually 6 to 9weeks. once you are able to bear weight, i had the boot on with weight, push yourself hard. You will feel pain and think it will never get beter, but if you push it will get better. remeber you only get what u give. I was off work for 5 1/2 months due to being a tradesman and needed to be 100%.

when I got back to work there was pain and still is every day, but I pushed through it. during my recovery I thought Id never be able to stand on a ladder again due to pain, but I am on one everyday up and down all day long.
Mobility is slightly reduced to pre injury status, but am gaining every day.
My foot is still slightly swollen.

Hope this helps and if u have any questions please let me know, maybe I can help..
Keith

pablo59

Yes it was 9 inches, i'm also an electrician and broke it coming off a lift over the parapit the roof sloped my foot didn't and rolled the ankle but fractured the heel 4 different breaks. The rain is what seemed to affect it, little stiff.

I'll be 60 in april and was going to retire at 62. but if i can't return at 100% i'll end up going out on permanant disabilty, i've been in the trade almost 40 years and it takes a toll on your body i also have 4 bad disc, lumbar area so this might be what is going to take me out early. the trade could use some young blood anyway.
I'm getting along better but still only allowed to walk on my toes put more and more weight each day using a walker.
I can't complain, i spend the days now trading stocks and catching up on movies i haven't seen........
Good luck to all,
Pablo59

CTman

Keith,
Thank you so much for your blog, It helped me tremendously. I am 6 weeks post-op. broke my heel in 3 places from a 6 ft fall. on Sept. 2, 2009 restoring my house and the doc put a titanium plate in there to hold it together. I am in the "tending to the incision stage" because my wound is still oozing but not infected. Had stitches on it for 5 weeks. Yes, lots of emotion concerning this injury. May God heal us all and bring us closer to Him as we serve in our respective capacities.
+Pastor Mike

kitkatkait

I am now almost 12 weeks post-op. Went to see my doctor about 2 weeks ago. He told me to start weight bearing 50% or less, and keep that up for the next 6 weeks. From reading a lot of these posts, I do realize that this injury has a crazy long recovery time, but I was still sort of surprised and upset, since there is little to no pain, and it honestly is feeling good. It is seriously frustrating having to depend on other peoples' help, and not being able to do what you want. I started physio last week, and my PT said I have pretty good range of motion coming already, which is definitely something good to hear. My ankle and knee are basically jammed, but I am lucky that I do not have pelvis issues, since it is quite common with falls and this type of injury. Hopefully everything will go smoothly, and I will be off the crutches in 4-6 weeks, then out of the boot (if all goes according to plan, of course). Best of luck to everyone else, I know how much of a struggle it is not just physically, but emotionally!

Zerk

7 months from the accident. They didn't do surgery due to swelling. Sounds like they will not either.
I am walking without a cane. Pain latter in the day, depending on what I've done. But I am waking dogs and riding motorcycles. So hang in there.

Fuzzyfoot

Thanks for the encouragement! I am continuing to improve and have (with the boot for protection) been able to get to the gym and do a good deal of upper body exercise. This is improving my overall sense of well-being and I am looking forward to getting into the pool.
I encourage anyone with this injury to 'keep the faith'.
BTW: I found an interesting reference to the fact that heel fracture used to be call a "Lover's Fracture" or "Don Juan Fracture". The reference was to scoundrels leaping from their lover's window to escape an enraged husband and fracturing their heel in the leap. This was NOT the mechanism of my injury.

desross4

Hey guys:

I tried to send a PM to you but I guess you don't have your "my settings" set up to accept one. Just wanted to say "hang in there". Recovering from a heel fracture is a long process. I'm 6 months post op and still dealing with some pain and swelling. Just follow your doctor's advice, ask a lot of questions and be sure to get another opinion if you aren't getting the right attention.

desross4

Zerk

Men don't have auto accidents.
Well it was a girl who hit me.

pablo59

After 13 weeks of non WB on crutches, walker and knee scooter went to the doc today and he said 75%-100% WB depending on how i feel, i had to rethink how to walk( using my crutches to hold the 25% )but none the less walking with both feet on the ground, what a great feeling, no ball of fire. start gait rehab and weight training next week and can hardly wait after being laid up that long,longest 13 weeks i have ever spent being dependent on others.
My point, hang in there, i can now see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looks good.
Best of luck to all the other heelies your time will come. and by the way this board has been a big help with my sanity i will post my progress from time to time hopefully these will help others that are going through this from day one through the end.
Pablo59

MobilMom

Hi Pablo59 -- your injury sounds alot like mine -- I twisted my foot coming off a bike on an uneven gravel surface -- basically rolled on it with the full force of my weight. Happy to hear you are cleared for WB! I am 6 weeks from injury and out of the cast and into the boot. Doc says I can start light PWB as tolerated. Not much pain -- but I am a little bit chicken that I might hurt it -- so I am really tentative about how much weigh to put on it. Do you feel any discomfort when you WB?

Did you have on the side of your foot below the ankle when you where healing up? That seems to be my most sensitive area -- the heal itself feels pretty good...

pablo59

Hi mobilMom,
You seem to be doing well for 6 wks, i was very leary of putting any weight till the Dr OK'D,and there is discomfort WB but not much, the outside of my ankle is sensitive and a little stiff( i think it was the stretching of the skin from the swelling and trauma) i still ace wrap it when i put on a shoe to walk, slip on new balance no back fits well but supplies no support, thus the "ace" I haven't tried a reg shoe yet as i'm waiting for work comp to approve therapy, what a pain Ins. Co are..Thanks to "OUR" Great Governer..
Good luck,
Pablo59

FiddlerJo

Hi MobilMom and Pablo 59,
I fractured my calcaneus on August 5th but haven't heard of anyone breaking it in a similar fashion to me until I found this thread today.

I stepped off the platform where we keep hay for the cows, landed on my outer left foot, and twisted the ankle. The distance from the platform to the ground was only about a foot and a half (maybe less). From the popping sounds, I thought I'd only severely sprained my ankle -----until I tried to stand up! The break (complete with pie-slice gap) went all the way up to the joint but stayed together at that point, so I didn't need surgery.

Started driving and partial WB this week (almost 12 weeks post injury) after given okay by doctor. He said I can wear cam boot or tennis shoe and WB, front of foot only, as much as my pain tolerance will allow. (I thought it was funny he also reminded me not to wear high heels for a while!!!)

I wasn't expecting as much general foot pain/soreness and ankle pain (pretty bad) with partial WB, or the weakness. I'm a little better today after taking it a little easier yesterday. I'll start PT soon, so hope that helps.

We are told to be thankful in all things....so I'm working on that....

Fiddler Jo