ScottV
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Joined: 14 Sep 2007
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 Posted: 09/14/07 - 01:54 Post subject: 4 Months and 4 screws later for lisfranc surgery |
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Hello All, I have been looking through this forum for some time and decided to post my experience with the lisfranc surgery. I broke my 3rd metatarsal and shifted all 5 out of place when the ligament was badly torn on May 1st as a result of a torsional fracture/complete dislocation in an industrial accident. Due to dealing with W/C insurance and trying to get an appointment with a reputable orthopaedic surgeon, I did not have surgery until May 25th, and was in the hospital for 3 days following the 4 titanium screw implants. I have never had a broken anything in my 38years and am fortunate that I was not crushed or paralyzed from my accident. Being single, the day they released me from the hospital, I drove nearly three hours to my home and had my surgically repaired left foot on the floor the whole time, which produced some serious pain and swelling(did not take any painkillers due to driving responsibilities). obviously I violated the cardinal rule of keeping my foot above my heart in a big way. I experienced extreme swelling and discoloration for the first two months after the surgery anytime my foot was beneath my heart. At the end of July I started getting better and was able to keep my foot down for extended times without pain/swelling/discoloration. I felt this was the first major step to my recovery and was able to get my fiberglass cast off July 21st and get into a walking cast(aircast). I was to wear this for 4 weeks, but after the first week I began to experiment and I found that I could do some minor hobbling as long as I had a shoe on my foot. I have been walking in regular shoes since Aug 18th, and have begun walking extended lengths up to one mile, when the pain permits. My surgeon has advised that he will take the screws out in mid Oct., and I can hardly wait, because when i try to walk normally without a limp, I can feel the screws in my foot causing the pain. The doc said that I was not to expect to return to normal activities(golf,jogging,waterskiing,snowskiing) for the remainder of this year due to the extreme damage to the ligament over the lisfranc joint and the considerable amount of scar tissue in my foot. I have been doing rehab on my foot(stretching,massaging,weight bearing exercises). this all seems to help and the doc said that i have to gain as much strength in my foot and leg as i can before the screws come out, so that i have the best chance at a decent recovery and return to normal activities. I have consulted with a podiatrist and he advised that I will have arthritis to look forward to in the future, no if and or buts about it. I hope that I can avoid that for as long as possible. After reading about the success stories of some athletes, I am praying and hoping for the best possible outcome. I feel that the worst of this ordeal is behind me, even though I am still looking at the hardware removal in Oct, and the doc said that my foot will be sore for a few days afterward. I hope to hear some additional accounts on this subject(good and bad) so that I can learn as much as possible about this injury and prepare for what the future brings with it. Thanks for any responses to this post, and please pray for the safe return of our troops!
S.H. |
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