I fractured my fibula on July 19th. Shortly there after, my doctor recommended surgery to install a plate and six screws to fix the fracture as well as the slight displacement of my ankle joint. I recieved the surgery on July 29th. After surgery, I received a two part cast that was wrapped in numerous ace bandages for one week.
After that one week, I was put in a hard cast for two weeks. Now, the hard cast has been removed and I am in a large removable walking boot. The doctor recommended that when I remove the boot, that I should attempt "up and down" movement of my foot.
Here’s my question; While I can move my foot up and down, it can’t move nearly as far up and down as my other foot. When I try to make it move as far, I feel as though my Achilles tendon restricts it as it becomes very very tight. It doesn’t hurt BUT it’s as though I am stretching it and it won’t move as far as I want.
When will my foot have the up and down mobility that my opposite foot has? AND, is it normal to have this limited amount of up and down mobility that I am experiencing? AND is there anything I can do to make the process go quicker?
THANKS
Some extra details are that I am a 24 years old Non-smoking male. I have had the hard cast for two weeks and have been in and out of other casts for close to 4 weeks.
Your Achilles tendon feels tight because it has been immobilised for so long – the same can be said for your limited mobility.. With gentle stretching exercises it should be back to normal soon. How long where you in a cast? That’s how long it will take to get back to "normal"
Yes, it’ll eventually return to normal. I had a similar surgery in my wrist, and had similar reactions. I suppose partly because I hadn’t moved it for so long, and partly because I was afraid of hurting it, it seemed like there was a lot of resistance to moving the joint. When I took off my removable cast, my doctor told me to apply something warm to my wrist first to relax the muscles. (I used one of those bean-bag things you can heat in the microwave). After making sure the muscles were nice and relaxed, I’d have to do different exercizes with it, stretching it this way and that. I was encouraged to flex to one side and the other, and when I got to the point where I couldn’t move it, to "encourage" it with my other hand (don’t push, and don’t force movement, just place a hand there to "encourage" it.) I’d put the warming pad on the joint again when I was done.
Of course check with your doctor to see if that’s a good idea; please don’t hurt yourself!
Healing depends on age, severity and many other conditions. The boot helps to stabilize your ankle in place while allow weight bearing. However, the ankle is fixed most of the time in the boot causing some muscle tightness especially gastrocnemuis. You should try to straight it at least one time a day in order to maintain joint range of motion. For the strength, it can be gained later after you can walk again. I am sure everything will be okay, so don’t worry and get well soon.