ask: Living with an ankle fusion and subtalar fusion--Any advice?
In January of 2009, I fell from a ladder and suffered a catastrophic open-bone fracture of my talus. Not only was the talus shattered, but I immediately developed a serious infection and subsequent deep wound. 9 surgeries, 8 months of IV antibiotics, 9 months on a VAC device, and 15 months of walking in a boot, later . . . I am now looking at life following a complete ankle and subtalar fusion (no part of my ankle moves--except my toes). I am overjoyed that my fusion surgery was successful and am looking forward to learning how to walk again! I was just given the go-ahead from my doctor to begin using MBT shoes and to start physical therapy. I am just wondering if others have walked this road before and have any advice or insight. Thanks so much. Anneh8sldrs (Anne hates ladders)
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Hi Anne-
I bet you do hate ladders! I have not been in your situation, but I have seen a few people go through it. You have gotten through the worst part of the recovery, so congrats! Talus fractures are notoriously slow to heal and awfully painful, as I'm sure you can attest.
Your enthusiasm tells me you are going to have a great recovery. The therapy will be difficult at times, but it will be nothing like what you've already been through. Congratulations on the recovery and keep that awesome attitude going. You are going to be great!
April 1, 2010 - 7:05amThis Comment
Hi Anne - We have many threads on this site with comments from women who've had ankle fusions. You may find helpful information and advice in the threads, and you're also welcome to contact others directly through the site's email feature. I hope your recovery continues to go well. Take care, Pat
Here are some of the threads:
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/ankle-fusion-i-know-i%E2%80%99m-...
http://www.empowher.com/community/ask/ankle-fusion
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/ankle-fusion-2
http://www.empowher.com/community/ask/living-ankle-fusion-and-subtalar-f...
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/ankle-fusion-1
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/ankle-fusion-pain
http://www.empowher.com/media/video/ankle-joint-replacement-and-ankle-fu...
April 19, 2010 - 6:17pmHi Anne,
I am wodnering if you would mind if I asked you some questions re your op / recovery?
My mother is due to have her ankle fused in a couple of months and is absolutely terrified. I have some real concerns about how able she will be post op and how well I will be able to look after her and balance my job.
Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
You sound so positive and it would be wonderful to be better informed an fore-armed before the op.
Many thanks
Trude
June 21, 2010 - 1:15pmHi Trude - Thanks for writing on behalf of your mom. You may also be interested in some of the other threads on the site about ankle fusion, which are listed above. I hope Anne responds to your request. If she doesn't I wanted to make you aware that if you register and join the site as a member you will be able to use the site email system to send a private message to Anne at her user name which is anneh8sldrs. And, if you or your mom have specific questions just let us know.
June 22, 2010 - 6:06pmTake care, Pat
hi my name is ian in august 2009 i fell from a ladder and shattered my heel bone the surgeon counted 44 pieces since then i have had metal work taken out, i still cannot bear full weight on my foot without being in alot of pain having a second steroid injection in november they have already said about a double fusion of ankle and subtalar joints not looking forward to it but will be nice to be pain free anybody had this done or got any good advice about this
October 17, 2010 - 12:52pmHey Ian, don't know if you have had your fusion yet, but i had a similar injury and a fusion did help. I feel through our attic, landed on the concrete garage floor, shattered my heel. Again, the surgeon quit counting at 25 pieces. After is was still in pain and a boot after 9 months, i had the fusion. My hip was sore for a while (where they took the bone), but the surgery is was definitely successful. I still have pain and lack of movement, but i can walk. Dr. said it would take at least 2 years to get back to "normal".....whatever that is going to be. Vicki
August 22, 2011 - 1:35pmAnon - We have several threads on the site related to ankle fusions.
http://www.empowher.com/community/ask/ankle-fusion
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/ankle-fusion-i-know-i%E2%80%99m-...
http://www.empowher.com/bones-joints/content/ankle-fusion-vs-ankle-repla...
http://www.empowher.com/bones-amp-joints/content/what-ankle-fusion-dr-ho...
http://www.empowher.com/community/share/second-ankle-fusion
If you'd like to hear from others it would help to post your question or questions using the site's "Ask" feature so that more people will see it.
October 18, 2010 - 5:27pmWe have a lot of caring, informed members who've had ankle fusions.
Take care,
Pat
I'VE HAD ANKLE PROBLEMS FOR 12 YEARS NOW I HAD A BAD SPRAIN WHEN I WAS 14 THE DOCTORS DIDN'T REALISE THAT I ACTUALLY HAD TORN MY LIGAMENT I DIDN'T FIND THIS OUT TILL NOV 2006 ONLY BECAUSE I WENT TO THE DOCTORS CAUSE MY ANKLE KEPT GIVING OUT ALL THE TIME. I FOUND OUT IN NOV 2006 I HAD TORN MY LIGAMENTS IN MY RIGHT ANKLE MY SURGEON SAID I WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING A LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION. SO IN AUGUST 2007 I HAD A RIGHT LATERAL LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION DONE ON MY RIGHT ANKLE THIS WAS MY FIRST OPERATION AT FIRST MY RECOVERY WAS GOING GOOD THEN IN FEB 2008 MY PHYSIO FOUND A LUMP IN MY SCAR. WHEN I WENT BACK TO MY SURGEON HE TOLD ME THAT THE SUTURES THEY USED TO REPAIR MY LIGAMENTS WERE COMING LOOSE SO HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THEM SO IN AUG 2008 I HAD A SECOND OPERATION TO REMOVE THE SUTURES FROM MY RIGHT ANKLE. THREE WEEKS AFTER THIS OPERATION I DEVELOPED A TREMOR IN MY RIGHT LEG EVERYTIME I PUT WEIGHT THROUGH MY RIGHT LEG MY LEG WOULD TREMOR I CAN ONLY STAND ON MY LEFT LEG AS IF I STAND ON MY RIGHT LEG AT ALL IT TREMORS. THEN IN AUGUST 2009 THEY FOUND ANOTHER LUMP IN MY SCAR AND I ENDED UP HAVING A THIRD OPERATION TO REMOVE ANOTHER SUTURE AND SCAR TISSUE FROM MY EXISTING SCAR. I STILL HAVE THE TREMOR & THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT, I HAVE HAD FOUR PHYSIO'S & HAD 50 SESSIONS OF PHYSIO IN THE LAST 3 YEARS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. I HAVE NO HEEL TO TOE ACTION WHEN WALKING THERE'S NO STRENGTH IN THE FOOT OR ANKLE I HAVE HARDLY ANY MOVEMENT IN MY ANKLE AT ALL I HAVE TO WALK WITH CRUTCHES & WEAR AN ANKLE BRACE AS MY ANKLE STILL GIVES OUT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD MY LIGAMENTS REPAIRED. I HAVE A BAD LIMP IF I WALK WITHOUT CRUTCHES AND BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN LIMPING FOR SO LONG MY PELVIS HAS NOW TILTED. I'M IN A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN WITH MY ANKLE AND PELVIS EVERYDAY HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS NEARLY 4 I CAN'T EVEN DO NORMAL DAILY TASKS CAUSE OF MY MOBILITY PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN ON THE SICK FROM MY JOB FOR A YEAR & FIVE MONTHS AS I CAN'T COPE WITH THE PAIN I'M IN. IVE HAD PAIN INJECTIONS, PAIN PATCHES AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT PAIN MEDICATIONS WITHOUT ANY OF THEM WORKING. MY LAST SCAN ON MY ANKLE SHOWED THAT I HAVE LOST MOST OF THE CARTILAGE IN THE JOINT, MY ANTERIOR TALOFIBULAR LIGAMENT IS VERY THIN, I HAVE BONE DEGENERATION AT THE BOTTOM END OF MY TIBIA BONE & I HAVE A BONE SPUR AT THE BOTTOM END OF MY TIBIA BONE. MY SURGEON HAS DISCHARGED ME SAYING THERE IS NOTHING ELSE HE CAN DO FOR ME. I'M ONLY 26 & I'M FED UP OF BEING IN AGONISING PAIN EVERYDAY THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE THAT I'VE BEEN IN AGONISING PAIN FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS NEARLY 4 BEFORE I HAD THE FIRST OPERATION MY ANKLE WAS CONSTANTLY SPRAINING MY SURGEON SAID IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPERATION TO REPAIR MY LIGAMENTS I WOULD END UP BREAKING MY ANKLE & I WOULD BE WORSE OFF BUT BEFORE THE OPERATION I WAS MOBILE NOW I'M BASICALLY DISABLED I'M SO DESPERATE ILL TRY ANYTHING. THE DOCTOR HAS SAID THERE IS A VERY HIGH CHANCE THAT I AM GOING TO DEVELOPE ARTHRITIS IN MY ANKLE. I AM WAITING TO SEE A MUSCOSKELETAL SPECIALIST TO SEE WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO MY OTHER JOINTS AS I HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO STAND ON MY LEFT LEG & I STILL AM HAVING TO STAND ONLY ON MY LEFT LEG. I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE ITS JUST A STRUGGLE TO WALK TO BE ABLE TO WALK NORMAL AGAIN & PAIN FREE I WOULD DO ANYTHING.
January 24, 2011 - 7:25pmI'M CONSIDERING ASKING IF I CAN HAVE MY ANKLE FUSED I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OR WHETHER YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ANY COMMENTS WELCOME THANK YOU GEMMA.
Hello. I am researching what goes into a Subtalar fusion. Can you please let me know when you started PT and the frequency/duration you were seen for? I would greatly appreciate any information you are willing to share. Thanks!
March 4, 2011 - 9:41pmHi Anonymous,
March 8, 2011 - 2:28pmDo you have to have a subtalar fusion? I had a complete pantalar fusion which includes the fusion of the subtalar joint. I don't know how different the recovery process is for a subtalar fusion, but I'm happy to share some of my experience with you.
I started PT about 3 1/2 months after my surgery. I went three times a week at the beginning as I made progress it went down to twice a week and then towards the end I was only going once a week.
Have you asked your doctor about the recovery process (including PT) and how long it will take to heal?
Good luck and let me know if you do have this procedure done.
Ang