Life After Death...Well a Broken Ankle But I Have No Life Now...

[Forget_Me_Not]

A month this weekend I broke my ankle in a riding accident... BLAH BLAH BLAH... The break isn't bad just a crake... When I went back first time for the plaster off three weeks ago Thursday doctor said there was really bad tissue damage and complitcations in healing (Sweling etc) I was put in a walking cast which in last few days I've starting to use and I've been very good

Drinking lots of milk and keeping my leg up and relaxing (Not couting still doing my horse Shhh....)

So College start riding not this thursday but next... I go back to hospital this thursday so the plaster will be coming of regardless of doctors ideas

I've truely had enough now!
So that in my books gives my a week to recover..

Would in ideal work listen to doctors and hold off till feb but... but.. If i miss this chance then my next ride will either be the horse that did it or my hardly broken ISH... were as me fingers I'd be in safe hands at college

What you lot think??

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

I'd hold off tbh otherwise you will just do more damage and be off for even longer

 

[gemma1992]

I'd say see how it is

 

[gailt]

id say the docctor know best...last thing you want is to set yourself even further back..

 

[04101964]

I put Dr's always right. I broke my ankle 2 years ago - the horse fell on top of me (yes I was lucky as that's all I broke). I didn't listen to the Dr and never rested it - and boy I know about it now. Still gives me trouble.
I would rest if you can.

 

[the watcher]

heroics and impatience now could result in lifelong pain, stiffness or even complications..try to follow medical advice..I ignored it and carried on and am paying the price every day now

 

[rrose]

go with the what the doctor saids. i know someone who did the same injury and demanded the cast of and rode to soon, now she has to ride very long as she cant put pressure on her ankle

 

[spike123]

I can totally sympathise with you as I have been off of work and riding for 8 weeks now with whiplash.Like you though I have been going against medical advice in respect of doing my mucking out myself and grooming etc which no doubt will slow down my recovery time. Having been showjumping just 2 days before at a RC championships I was gutted to hear that I will have to wait 6 to 12 months to compete again as my spine is quite simply not strong enough to take a fall or sprain of any description should the jump not go right.It is hard to listen to the advice but I know that I must if I want to continue riding and get back to the jumping I love again then it is the best thing to do.Muscle and ligament damage can be permanent if you don't follow medical advice as Dobie has said so although I put see how it is you must take into account the medical advice offered. No matter how much we don't like to hear it it is for our own good.

 

[tormor]

listen to the advice. At the end of the day its better to wait a bit and not cock it up for yourself in later life. Look after yourself.

 

[henryhorn]

Honestly? you're a fool.
And I say that as someone who did virtually the same as you aged 21 as I wanted to go on holiday without wearing a cast.
30 years on I can't sweep the yard as arthritis has appeared in that joint, I can't hold anything between my thumb and fingers and all because i took that cast off against Dr's advice. You need to keep various things immobile until they heal, or you risk problems in later life.
if you want to hurry healing up wear a bioflow boot over the plaster, it's worked for us on several broken bones.

 

[pottamus]

I would leave well alone from riding until it has more time to heal. I bet you will find you cannot put loads of weight on it anyway and may not have the full flexibilty you once had...give it time and get in touch with a decent physio...they can work wonders and will give you exercises to strenghten the area too. Don't regret it later in life by wading in too quick.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Awww not answers i want

but two people said go for it

I know long term things etc.... i spose if doctors say new plaster i will just accept if not then i will rethink... my sisters a young doctor and doesn't ride so she wasnt much help!

 

[LauraBR]

I agree with HH and all the other sensible people I'm afraid.

As well as the long term effects don't underestimate how much your ankle will hurt after the cast is off- muscles will have wasted, it will be incredibly stiff and very sore.

You really don't want to overdo it x

 

[vivhewe]

Just hold on and wait hun. I can't wait to ride again and there is a show next Sunday I think that I'd planned on going to for ages, but I'm having to be sensible and so you can too!

Seriously I know how you feel, but wait and then ride when it's 100% and you will be back to normal. If there's tissue damage you need it to recover totally.

If you need to talk you can PM me, I'm fed up of broken ankles, and crutches and not being able to ride too

 

[lornaA]

I wou;d see how you feel, I broke both my legs at same time in a fall and i was back riding after 6 months which was only a few weeks after i was allowed to walk on them as i was in a wheelchair for months and not allowed to weight bear at all. I found i could only ride for short periods to begin with or my legs would really ache. You will have to take it easy when you get back on.

I don't want to give you ideas but I have a friend who broke her leg and continued to ride, cast and all no stirrups! that i would say was rather silly and i really don't know how she would of explained it if she had done more damage.

You might find your college want a letter from your doctor to say your fit to be riding.

good luck

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

I think i was hoping as ive only been out of action for a month picking things up should be pretty easy i have lost a inch maybe on my leg but there is still some! I can stand on the leg etc but i think the plaster is probs helping alot and as of yet i havn't moved my foot...

 

[Ferdinase514]

I'm not going to say Dr's are always right because they're not, but try not to underestimate healing time and how weak your leg will be after you come out of plaster. You may find it harder to get going again, than you think.

XX

 

[equibabe20]

I broke my ankle in august and it still hurts now when I do anything. I really wouldn't push it as you will have lost muscle and your joints will be stiff and also there will prob be some tendon/ligament damage too.

 

[bellgave]

sorry to be boring forget me not, but I really think you should hold off and keep the plaster on. Doctors are boring yes, but the problems you may have in later life will be more boring and painful I promise!!
A friend of mine had a halo on his leg for 2 months then they put it in a plaster, he rode in the plaster and it got all mucky and nasty, his leg got infected, they put on a new plaster and he cut it off, with no obvious problems.
However now, my friend is 28 (accident happened 9 years ago) he now has problems with his leg, has a form of athiritis and he is only 28. He wishes he had of left it on.
Also he had an excuse he rides for a living and wanted to get back to it before he lost clients etc, you are still at college and not in an "I have to do this to pay the bills" situation.
Just wait thats my advice, and I know its not what you want to hear.

 

[brightmount]

I broke my ankle 3 years ago. I did everything by the book, and it's generally OK, but I can't do jogging or it flares up.

My brother was UK junior long jump champion for his age group, and set for the Olympics but his school wouldn't let him off playing rugby. He broke his ankle playing rugby and it was never good enough for him to compete in athletics again, end of.

I would deffo get physiotherapy when the cast comes off. I didn't, and when I complain my ankle is still weak after 3 years, my husband says "well I told you to get physio...."!!!

 

[Malibu]

ARghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! LISTEN TO THE DOC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! please listen to them, i didnt and now it will never be right, i ahve problems with my baalce, riding and i can run competivly any more all because i woudlnt listen and got my cast too soon- the biolfow magnet ahs maid such a difference and the doc couldnt believ the rate of healing but i still go tit off to soon and started riding, seeing to horeses far too soon and i can say i wish i had not! dont make the same mistake i did!

 

[michb52]

Listen to the Dr!
I broke my ankle 13/07/05 after a really stupid accident - i basically landed with all my weight on my right ankle. I needed an operation and 2 screws to put it back together. I was in plaster for 8 weeks and did all the exercises i was told by the physio. I took it really easy as i didnt want to have problems further down the line.
I had thrown my own horse out after the accident and the first day i rode again was xmas morning when i hacked out a friends horse. I kept hacking for a few months at the weekends until i brought my own mare into work again in March 06. I was then back riding every day and competing at the weekends and touch wood i havnt had a problem.
My main worry was that once the cast came of my right leg looked half the size of the other! My calf etc had wasted away! It took a while to build it up again!
My advice is not to rush it - let it heal properly as in a few years time you dont want to be kicking yourself!!!!

 

[Twiglet]

A different kettle of fish but a few years ago I got ill with a chest infection - thought it was just a cold/flu and ignored the doctor when she said I had to stay inside and rest (I'd just got a new horse and wanted to ride!).
Chest infection quickly turned into very serious bronchitis and I was hospitalised - 4 years on I have asthma and will be on steroids for the rest of my life.
I really regret not taking things easy then, because the effects are going to be with me for a very long time.

 

[WishfulThinker]

I'd listen to the doctors!!! I rode as week after my cast came off from an ankle break and as the muscles and ligaments werent used to it my other leg had to compensate, which in turn has kinda messed up my position and I found that it was harder to put weight on it etc - and remember your weight goes down through your heels thus ur ankle.

But in saying that, if you can balance on a step with your heels over the edge like ur riding and do trot like motions and your balance is fine - also would try balancing on one leg - then go for it!

I was walking on my break from the end of the 1st week the cast was on, and even I found it hard to get back into riding, especially after riding every day b4 I broke it.

But thats just my non doctor opinion

 

[starsky]

Probably not the best advice, but when I broke my ankle (in 7 places) and dislocated my foot I rode when I had the plaster on my leg (was below the knee). Just like riding with no stirrups

 

[Chex]

Another vote for listen to the doctor I'm afraid! Its been over 4 months since I broke my leg, and I've still not ridden. I've been told to wait until next xrays in january, and I don't see the point in risking it. I was told if I fell off again before it healed and the bone shattered around the pin then they would struggle to put it together again!