Broken ankle

[sparkygrace]

So sorry to hear about your accident! I can share some advice.

A few years ago, I was launched off my spicy mare and landed feet first. I broke the end of my tibia. I opted for surgery. The surgeon placed two screws to reattach the piece that broke off. The first four days after surgery were quite painful, but I healed really fast.In about a month and I was walking in street shoes, which surprised the surgeon.

While healing, I got a knee scooter and was pretty mobile. I also got a shower bench (pic below) and that was so helpful. I used it two years later when I shattered my femur in a non-riding accident. I could slide off my wheelchair on to the bench and shower while sitting.

Good luck and quick healing. Breaking a bone is never fun. Is your healing time longer because you didn’t have the bone reattached via surgery?

[Herbaceous]

I’m hanging in there, 4 more weeks in the cast to go. I do hope I can start to bear a little weight and maybe walk short distances once the cast comes off.

I didn’t have surgery for this break because the doctor said the snapped-off piece of my fibula is too small to get any more than one screw into. I don’t know if that lengthens recovery time. I had the cast put on at 12 days post-break, so I wonder if it had already started to heal a bit.

The shower bench is a lifesaver for home - I’m currently on vacation at the cottage but thankfully there’s a walk-in shower with a seat and grab bar. I have a cover for my cast (we jokingly refer to it as the “leg condom”) which keeps water out.

I’m really hoping I can get back onto a horse before or shortly after Christmas. The guy I part-board is normally pretty calm as long as he’s exercised regularly (he is a TB so gets a bit silly if he sits too much). Right now my coach has found someone else to take over the ride until I’m back on my feet.

I’ve finished one cross stitch I already had on the go, done another one from start to finish, and started a third. I’ll have to find more patterns of snarky sayings and swear words.

[sparkygrace]

Do you have a lot of swelling in your ankle? For me, that took a while to go away. I didn’t do any physical therapy. I started riding five weeks after the accident. If you can keep that ankle really immobile, you should heal quickly.

[Lusoluv]

I snapped off the lower 2" of my fibula many years ago. I was in a cast, non-weight bearing for 2 weeks, then a walking cast for 6 weeks and a boot for 10 days. I didn’t miss any work (office job), and had to fly out of state for a work trip during this time. At least the gate agent bumped me up to first class!

As soon as I was off crutches and got my walking cast, I pretty much went back to my regular routine. I rode my well-behaved dressage horse 3-4 days/week sans stirrups of course. Rode a couple trusty client horses. I did have a lot of swelling, but it all subsided after several months of PT. I wouldn’t want to go through it again, but it was MUCH easier than my dislocated shoulder and multi-fractured humerus!

[Cabaret_SK]

I highly recommend the knee scooter for getting around (or one of these, but at 5’1" I was too short for it - https://iwalk-free.com/shop-us/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwkOqZBhDNARIsAACsbfLqLzBC0JZo_hKXR_dl3YgyS75_2NJ1mVkZXi0X1Fv5Rssg1zGtvM4aAr1FEALw_wcB).

I broke my talus (between your foot and ankle) in 2019, and it’s now held together with 3 screws. 12 weeks non weight-bearing, while commuting to work on the subway, and then more weeks of partial weight-bearing in a walking cast. It was not fun, but I made it work. The scooter was a life-saver, as was working with an excellent physiotherapist. I started physio as soon as I was cleared to move the foot (so even before I was allowed to weight-bear on the foot - I checked with my surgeon). It made a huge difference in regaining range of motion once I could start weight-bearing. If you’re near Toronto and need a recommendation, message me and I’ll send you his name.

I don’t have any insight about getting back to riding as I wasn’t regularly riding when I did it, but I was back to pilates and boxing pretty soon after my 12 weeks was up. Was really getting back into the swing of the gym when COVID hit in 2020…

It’s now 2 years post accident, and I would say I have 90% of the original range of motion in that foot, which is pretty good compared to where I was even 1 year out.

[Bogie]

Unfortunately, I can relate as I broke my left ankle twice, four years apart. The first time I also broke my left collarbone and my right knee, so that had me in a wheelchair which was completely miserable. Our house has stairs so even getting to a doctor’s appointment was a major issue.

If you have only the broken ankle, I think using a knee scooter is great. I bought a heavy duty all terrain one and used it inside and out (put a basket on it and it’s really useful). You can buy them used on FB marketplace or Craigslist as people typically only need them for a few weeks. I also bought a Zinger electric wheelchair (https://www.zingerchair.com/). I was lucky to find one on Craig’s List near me. It’s the bomb. I was able to go out on walking trails (paved or hard packed dirt) so I didn’t go completely stir crazy. It’s comfortable to sit in so I also went to polo matches and other equine events.

PT is essential. Find someone good and do the exercises. I also stood on a vibration plate most days, once I was weight-bearing as it can supposedly stimulate bone growth.

This too will pass. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. I slipped and fell a month ago and broke my left wrist. I’m three weeks post surgery and just now able to type comfortably. I’m considering bubble wrap for all outside activities going forward.

[red_mares]

I completely forgot IKEA stools. I have 3 or 4 of them…and a cat condo.

I’ll put them at the top of every set of steps, next to the litter box, and in the kitchen. I scooted up steps most of the time I was NWB and it was so much easier at the top of the steps to stand up on the top step with the help of the banister, sit on the stool, then rotate around the steps & get back on my crutches.

Since I’m only 5’6", I could use it like a knee-walker in the kitchen (stand the good leg and have the bad leg on the stool). Any place I needed to stand for a while, like the bathroom sink, I had one. One is still in my tub/shower- it’s great for shaving your legs. This one has rubber cane feet on it.

I found it much easier to do ab exercises on a yoga ball or a bench. It was easier to get up when I wasn’t starting from the floor.

[Countrygirl18]

I broke my tibia in august 2018 after getting bucked off

If you can find access to a wheelchair or something to get you around I used to that to still visit with the horses and spend a small amount of time at the barn
As for healing I was walking partial weight bearing after 6 weeks and by December was back with no crutches
By February of 2019 I was able to ride again (but I didn’t have constant access to riding horses it could have been sooner I think)

I hope you have speedy healing!! It sucks but it will pass! Today you couldn’t even tell what happened besides a tiny scar from surgery

Also I recommend sitting for all showers and carrying a purse or something to put items in while moving around

[ami.ke]

Hope you feel better now

I wish you a quick recovery.

However, I injured my ligaments at once. The problem was disturbing me for 6 months. I couldn’t ride a horse, I couldn’t get on a horse alone, or just walk with my sweet Pumpkin.
That was a hard period. But I got over it. I believe you will recover faster than me.

[walktrot]

I was dismounting in the field one Friday afternoon. One foot landed in a hole possibly left by a hoof. It hurt but i couild walk around okay. Put some sort of brace on it. We were taking a lot of kids to perform in the World of Horses at the county fair Saturday. Couldn’t miss it! A few people asked if the limp was new.

Monday a.m. I thought maybe it is broken. The MD looked at the x-ray, told me he was fixing it Friday afternoon at 2:30. I popped the end of one bone off but don’t recall which one. He put a couple of screws in it. I don’t recall being grounded for very long. The trick was dismounting and landing on one foot.

[Herbaceous]

Thanks for all the advice!

I got the cast taken off at the end of October and it was 70% healed at that time. I was allowed to transfer back into my the boot, but had to remain non-weight bearing for an additional 2 weeks.

I’m currently partial weight bearing - I can walk assisted with crutches. I should be able to transition to just one crutch but I’m having trouble with that - I get tired very easily and my ankle starts to hurt again after a bit. I’m headed back to the fracture clinic in a week and hopefully I’ll get more guidance then.

I did manage to get up to the barn for a bit to see the horses, although my guy was clearly more interested in hay than he was in me, hah. I’m hopeful that I can ride again soon in the new year!

[eventammy]

OP, if it’s any help in the recovery phase, I highly recommend the BOT ankle sleeve. I fractured my talus ~4 years ago, and wasn’t riding at the time, but I started having some gnarly ankle pain this past summer when riding that we think was due to how the bone grew back/pinching the tendon in the area. The BOT sleeve has been a total game changer for me, I used to have lingering pain for days after a ride and I am totally pain-free now. Just suggesting it in case it might find a place in your rehab!

[Bogie]

Glad you are mending. The stiffness and fatigue take some time to go away, unfortunately. I found that KT tape helped a lot (more than it should given how simple it is) and also some low profile braces. I also found that when I started riding again, I had to ride very long – either dressage length or in my Western/Endurance saddle because shorter stirrups really bothered my ankle.

In addition to PT, swimming was really helpful as it encourages ankle flexibility. I don’t know if you are a swimmer, but I found that once I eased back into it (I am a Masters swimmer), I could add fins and that really stretched out my ankle.

I hope you are back in the saddle soon and are pain free.

[red_mares]

When I had the big overhaul of my foot, I used my crutches for quite a while. I had a 6 block hike (uphill) to get from where I got dropped off by a carpool to my office. Even though I was basically fully weight bearing in a boot, I kept the crutches for long walks. I was better off walking more with help than walking less without. I can’t remember if I ever did that walk without crutches. I probably did. When I got the boot off, I went back to using the crutches.

After one of these escapades, I started went back to PT with one crutch, all proud of myself. I was promptly told to go back to 2.

You’ll get there. Push it, but don’t push it.

[WavyRider]

Second this. I fractured my ankle (actually probably both but never had the left x-rayed) and walked off thinking it was a sprain. A few weeks later, no pain.

Sprained my right ankle a few months later, instant swelling and went to get it x-rayed because it HURT and looked ugly. Nope, just a sprain - but oh, didn’t I know it had been broken before?? (I did not!) Ankle still clicks and pops from the sprain, but no impact from the fracture.

[Herbaceous]

It feels like every time I see the orthopedic surgeon, I get another 6 weeks added to my recovery timeline.

I’m now at 3-1/2 months post-break. I’m still in the boot, but I am now able to walk with only one crutch. I am supposed to be able to wean off the crutches and just walk in the boot soon. I’m off work until the new year so I should be able to hopefully work on that.

The break is “mostly” healed, but not quite there yet. I haven’t been cleared for physio yet, so still mostly sitting at home and twiddling my thumbs.

I am so impatient to get back to the barn, but I imagine I’m so out of shape by now I’ll probably have to go back to the lunge line! I hope I can remember how to steer…

[candyappy]

I don’t know how old you are but when I broke mine my doctor said 6-8 weeks non weight bearing.

When we hit week 8 and I am still on crutches, I reminded her about the 6-8 weeks diagnosis? She said " oh that is for a 30 year old"

We older folks( 50’s) heal slower I guess. I was officially weight bearing at 10 weeks but unknown to her I had been cheating somewhat ( very mildly) on an as needed basis for a while…

[Bogie]

I cheated with my broken ankle. I thought if I didn’t I might break the other one. I was that clumsy with crutches. I did get a knee scooter, which was a lifesaver.

[Cabaret_SK]

It’s so frustrating when they keep pushing the timeline out! I ended up 12 weeks completely non weight bearing, and then was allowed to start partial weight bearing after, but I was allowed to start Physio for range of motion during those first 12 weeks (I think after 8 or so?).

[sparkygrace]

It’s too late now, but I think your surgeon should have put in the screw. Your healing time is unbelievably long. I am so sorry, I know it’s frustrating. Hang in there!