I have had the same surgery in 2017 to remove some floating bone and a lot of scar tissue. Initial break of ankle was in 2015. Doc said I recovered better than most but almost a year after arthroscopy, I have had to habe 3 cortisone shots. I still have pain and swelling mostly when temps drop outside and raining out which is weird or if I walk a lot during the day say over 2 miles.. so now I’m in the same spot. Pain yet still not as bad as it was before it’s an Annoying pain and it keeps me awake at night so I have to take Motrin or out ice on it to resolve.. very frustrating
Loading...
I undergone an ankle arthroscopy for debridement of scar tissue, removal of bone spurs in 2015. The surgeon told me I would be running on the beech in 3 months. I spoke with a friend of a friend who is an orthopaedic surgeon and he told me I would be lucky if I was even walking without pain after 12 months.
After 8 months the bone that had been removed had regrown and continued to grow pushing my foot down so I could not put my foot flat on the floor. After ending up walking on my tip toes after just over a year the first surgeon said the only option was to fuse the joint. I was 61 years old by this time. He never took another xray or scan to see what was going on, this lack of interest and the fact that he did not even mention the option of a joint replacement, rang alarm bells. I was never told that the bone that he removed would grow back, as it did with a vengeance.
I asked for a second opinion as I had researched replacement ankle joints and I felt I should have been given this option, or at least have been given more information on what had been done, what could be done. The chap I saw was another college at the same hospital, what he came out with was such utter unbelievable c**p. He told me my problem was that my muscle had shrunk and this was pulling my foot down, I told him as the foot was attached to me I know where the pain is and is had nothing to do with my muscles shrinkage, that was caused by the fact that lumps of bone had regrown. Still they never took fresh x rays, also the NHS in Wales has 80 week waiting list just for another appointment. By now 2017 I could hardly walk at all, on ESA and had to fight the DWP for that. Now I was really peed off with all the c**p I was being told.
I asked my doctor for an x ray early 2018, I also asked for another referral to a different hospital in Wrexham. This I got and again the surgeon came out with the you can not have an ankle replacement as the muscle had shrunk too much. I went to speak with a physiotherapist and she told me that with regular exercise I could get my movement back if there was no bone in the way. I complained and asked for yet another opinion. I was referred to the orthopaedic hospital in Oswestry England, what a totally different place this was. Heaven, only weeks to get an appointment, no waiting for anything and sensible knowledgeable people. The surgeon there took an x ray and a CT scan, within 3 weeks, recommended an ankle replacement as opposed to the fused joint as this will reduce the chance of other joints being damaged. Also because I am now 63 and not so active I could get more years of full movement before it needs to be replaced. He also took the time to explain the pros and cons for both options, something the people in Wales never did.
It is because of the latter I discovered a register for all joint surgeons and hospitals that specialise in what areas they do. Bangor hospital had no records going back 36 months of any ankle work at all. The 2 surgeons that had seen me had no record of any operations other than knees and hips. The chap in Wrexham was the same. The chap in Oswestry was listed as being very experienced with ankle replacement that I am now to have very soon.
Be careful who treats you and check out their level of experience here: http://njrsurgeonhospitalprofile.org.uk/ It may save you a lot of pain. As far as I am concerned I am considering action against the Welsh NHS for a very poor service that has wrecked my life for the last 3 years. Keyhole surgery on your ankle is different for everyone, but. the friend of a friend who is an orthopaedic surgeon told me 12 months recovery time was more realistic that anything I have read or seen here on other posts.
Loading...
Pain for over a year from a sprain from lifting (squatting) and snowboarding every weekend an entire season is what prompted me to seek out medical help. More conservative measures didn't work (cortisone shot) so I agreed to have surgery. In April 2018, I had arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue and a bone growth.
A bit of information on myself to better understand my healing process; I was 27 when I had the surgery, 5'11 male about 160 pounds, healthy and very active. I am relatively young to have this surgery but that helped with the recovery process. With physical therapy twice a week, I regained all dorsiflexion and movement.
Since then, I still attend physical therapy twice a week and have been cleared to start snowboarding again after nearly 9 months of PT. However, my ankle has significantly deteriorated back to what it was pre-surgery. I have only snowboarded on my ankle a total of 7 nonconsecutive days on the mountain. This is frustrating that just at the beginning of the snow season, my ankle has digressed to what it was pre-surgery.
I have a follow up meeting with my doctor this upcoming Thursday and will update here with his response.
Loading...
Loading...