Not the day I planned… but I got an ambulance ride!

I would beg, borrow or steal to get the money for private physio. Its between £40 and £50 a session and you might well get away with just a couple. The physio will pay for itself as it will get you back working sooner. Could you look at an interest free credit card? Or sell things on ebay. You'd be surprised whats lying around the house that you can liquidate.
 
Dexter said:
I would beg, borrow or steal to get the money for private physio. Its between £40 and £50 a session and you might well get away with just a couple. The physio will pay for itself as it will get you back working sooner. Could you look at an interest free credit card? Or sell things on ebay. You'd be surprised whats lying around the house that you can liquidate.
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Unfortunately I’m having to sell my saddle to pay to keep my horses at the moment. Everything’s a bit of a mess.
 
scats said:
Unfortunately I’m having to sell my saddle to pay to keep my horses at the moment. Everything’s a bit of a mess.
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I'm really sorry to hear that. Life is horribly unfair sometimes. Have you checked to see what benefits you are entitled to? And when you get back on an even keel make sure you get some income protection insurance.
 
I might have a chat with my brother to see if I can borrow some money. My wonderful Dad has offered to pay over £500 to get my shed of a car through its MOT. It’s in the garage today for the work needed but they rang at 5pm to tell me that when they were retesting it on the ramp, after doing the brake callipers all day, a brake pump exploded ?? Cars, like horses, do pick their moments!

Feeling positive tonight. I will get this ankle moving and I will get back to normal.
I’m now 7 days PWB and on my own I’ve managed to get myself from NWB to PWB and getting around the house with 1 crutch.
This evening I challenged myself to walk from the bedroom to bathroom with no crutch, just the boot. I blummin well did it!
I was a bit like a baby elephant learning to walk, but I did it ?
Going to build that up little at a time with the plan to be crutch free in the house next Friday.
 
To offer some positivity!

When I broke my ankle, it wasn’t quite as bad as yours, but I’d put 2 bones into 6 pieces… they played one side, but there was too much damage to put a screw on.

I was none-weight bearing for 8 weeks, then cast off and away I was supposed to go. Tried to book physio through my GP who said I couldn’t because I’d had surgery, and the hospital wouldn’t either. Was referred back to my surgeon who said ‘do your normal physio for ankle repair…’ as if I’d been really thick.

I have done ankle repair stuff before for a bad sprain, but he didn’t know that…

At least twice a day, but up to 5 times a day I did the following: draw the alphabet with my toes. I did this with both ankles, because the other caused problems too. Keep it elevated and iced when sore.

I was told not to use crutches after the cast came off because it affects the way you put your foot down.

Quietly, practice weight bearing. Focus on standing with your weight evenly through both feet. Then, slowly stand on the broken one only. Do this two or three times each time. As your strength builds, increase the time you stay standing on that leg. Do this standing in front of something you can grab onto!!

The next step is to do it with your eyes closed.

Then, you need to do the same thing, but practice standing on your toes. Then, on your toes on your broken [fixed!] ankle.

You need to be strong, but flexible through your ankles.

As for the swelling, mine was worse whenever I’d been on my feet for anymore than about 5 minutes. My consultant (the one useful thing he said!!!) was that as long as the swelling went down overnight, it was fine.
I’m now 3 years post break, and it’s fine. Very little pain, and only occasional swelling.
 
DiNozzo said:
To offer some positivity!

When I broke my ankle, it wasn’t quite as bad as yours, but I’d put 2 bones into 6 pieces… they played one side, but there was too much damage to put a screw on.

I was none-weight bearing for 8 weeks, then cast off and away I was supposed to go. Tried to book physio through my GP who said I couldn’t because I’d had surgery, and the hospital wouldn’t either. Was referred back to my surgeon who said ‘do your normal physio for ankle repair…’ as if I’d been really thick.

I have done ankle repair stuff before for a bad sprain, but he didn’t know that…

At least twice a day, but up to 5 times a day I did the following: draw the alphabet with my toes. I did this with both ankles, because the other caused problems too. Keep it elevated and iced when sore.

I was told not to use crutches after the cast came off because it affects the way you put your foot down.

Quietly, practice weight bearing. Focus on standing with your weight evenly through both feet. Then, slowly stand on the broken one only. Do this two or three times each time. As your strength builds, increase the time you stay standing on that leg. Do this standing in front of something you can grab onto!!

The next step is to do it with your eyes closed.

Then, you need to do the same thing, but practice standing on your toes. Then, on your toes on your broken [fixed!] ankle.

You need to be strong, but flexible through your ankles.

As for the swelling, mine was worse whenever I’d been on my feet for anymore than about 5 minutes. My consultant (the one useful thing he said!!!) was that as long as the swelling went down overnight, it was fine.
I’m now 3 years post break, and it’s fine. Very little pain, and only occasional swelling.
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Thank you, that’s really helpful.
My swelling definitely goes down overnight so that’s a good thing.
 
Amymay said:
You’re looking really great on that. How’s it feeling??
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The more I do, the better it gets. I’d just got back from a half hour dog walk (with crutches but I only used them for balance rather than to aid weight) so the pain had sort of levelled out to more of a kind of easily managed background noise. If I’ve sat for a while, the first few minutes are very painful, but the more I do, the less the pain.
Im hoping that’s a good sign, because it definitely doesn’t get worse the more I do.
 
I rode WITH stirrups this evening for the first time since Nov 28th, the date of surgery! My toe hasn't liked the pressure previously. With all that stirrupless riding, my dressage length stirrups now feel like jumping length, so I put them down a hole, which helped to ease the pressure. All okay & even managed a few strides of trot, which is all Thor can do anyway. If I'm going to ride with stirrups, I guess I'd better stop being lazy & riding in wellies...!
 
catembi said:
I rode WITH stirrups this evening for the first time since Nov 28th, the date of surgery! My toe hasn't liked the pressure previously. With all that stirrupless riding, my dressage length stirrups now feel like jumping length, so I put them down a hole, which helped to ease the pressure. All okay & even managed a few strides of trot, which is all Thor can do anyway. If I'm going to ride with stirrups, I guess I'd better stop being lazy & riding in wellies...!
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Excellent news!

I think my initial plan of riding mid-Jan was a tad optimistic, but I reckon I might ok mid Feb. I think I’d better wait until I’m at least out of this boot and in normal footwear.
 
scats said:
I also feel I must point out I’m not as chunky as I look there. My mum bought me those baggy joggers for Christmas because they easily went over the cast I was in.
It’s safe to say they don’t flatter! ?
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I have to say Scats that I think sartorial elegance is way down the list of your priorities atm!!!!!!!

Well done you - that walking is amazing.
 
Scats when you do get on PLEASE get a HUGE Solid mounting block (I mean 3ft at least) to get on, and more importantly, off onto. Will make a huge difference to you and your safety/recovery, I don't care how non BHS it is. I get off on the wrong side by literally taking my right foot out of stirrup, placing it on the block and steppting off onto it -I taught my cob this after less than 6 months of being broken in, being ridden 2-3 times a week. He parks himself there now (well, he would if he wasn't currently recovering from various disasters)
 
scats said:
The more I do, the better it gets. I’d just got back from a half hour dog walk (with crutches but I only used them for balance rather than to aid weight) so the pain had sort of levelled out to more of a kind of easily managed background noise. If I’ve sat for a while, the first few minutes are very painful, but the more I do, the less the pain.
Im hoping that’s a good sign, because it definitely doesn’t get worse the more I do.
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That’s great Scats - good to continue using your crutches to help balance for a while longer, they’ll aid your rehab far more than doing too much without any help and you can do timed with / without them.
 
Urgh. Had a great day yesterday. Popped into town with my mum and just took 1 crutch. Felt absolutely fine the whole time, so just carried on. We were out for a few hours, had lunch etc so some sitting down, but mostly just mooching.
Fine last night, no extra swelling or pain. This morning I’m struggling to walk. Really intense pain in the outer part of the joint and the top and outside of foot and ankle. Not an area that is normally sore to be honest.
So I’ve definitely overdone it. Trouble is, I don’t get any warning I’m overdoing it, everything feels fine at the time, so I just carry on.
To be honest, it’s the story of my life. If I feel ok, I just keep going… and going… and then I crash.

Quiet day today. Need to do my tax return, which I always put off, so I’ll sit down at the computer for the day and rest the ankle. I was planning on grooming my dogs today to see if I could cope, but think that’s a bad idea right now. Helpful tips for learning not to be an impatient idiot would be much appreciated.
 
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