Living with an ankle fusion and subtalar fusion--Any advice?

hi i came off a ladder 13 years ago in 2000 smashed my ankle to peaces.they tried to rebuild the ankle joint.But after some little improvment then it got to the point were i was in so much pain as my caltrige was complety worn away bone touching bone. That they recommended fusion this was about 2 and a half years latter must say the pain as almost gone still some discomfart can jog abit i am now also a postmon have been for over 7 years but do find it harder to lose weight as i am not as active now

hi everyone. i recently had lateral ligament reconstruction and subtalar fusion. its been almost 7 weeks since my surgery and am in a moonboot. i have pain and can't walk unaided. i have always been flexible with my ankles and my right ankle had some damage due to childhood stupidity. I would love to know for those who have had this surgery, did you go through depression? i currently am depressed as i can't drive, can't walk properly, am in pain constantly. i can't see a future without having this moonboot on me. anyone else go through this?

When I was 25, I had a car wreck that broke my right ankle so bad that it dislocated 90 degrees. Luckily, I had a great Dr. that actually saved my foot. I broke the talis bone in half. He ended up taking the top half and fuse my foot. I had also broke my femur that put me in traction for a week. Over the next year & a half I had several surgeries. In 2007, I had another fusion surgery that helped with the pain from arthritis. I am now 51 and on disability. I still have discomfort, but am thankful that I have a foot.

i would like to share that in april of 2012 i had a subtalar fusion with torn and dislocating peroneal tendons.my doctor [dr.holt of annapolis,md.]was super;seeing how two previous doctors could not Dproblem also my calf muscle is very small from where it started.i still can not work and am affraid it cause damage to other parts of leg cause when my foot was injured i also broke hip shaft and femor both require rods.also let it be known my foot was realized of injuries one year after hip and femor operations.doctors told me i was crazy to complain of foot pain.said there was nothing wrong until i went to dr.holt.he found why i kept hurting so bad.i just want to know will i ever feel better.iam a union h.v.a.c. mechanic feel my career is over.iam a damn good hard working man.have a family and very scared.want to work so bad.i geuss what i would like to ask is there any hope i will ever heal? Thank You'Dennis Evans -St.Marys Co. MD

Hey all, I have great news for all of you! First off I want to say, that I read posts on this article and others, and it got me very anxious that my surgery could lead to similar things. Luckily, I stayed positive and set goals for things unrelated to my surgery based on business and life goals and ambitions.

I stayed positive with how the surgery would turn out also. I egg shell fractured my calcaneous bone, and they said this surgery was necessary ( I fell off of a deck.)

I was 22 when it happened and 24 now. I made sure to stay positive and juice a lot of veggies and fruits, before and after surgery. The surgery went well, and I was brought into recovery.

I tried not to take any pain killers as I was not in much pain, but the anesthetics did run out, and I started to feel a lot of pain, so I had to take some oxy-codeine. I'd suggest taking them before it hurts too much. Listening to Jack Johnson also helped sway the pain.

After surgery I went through physical therapy, wore a boot, and did the normal things. I have stayed positive, and just kept it at that. Working as hard as possible at my recovery. Now, it's 2 1/2 years later, and I can still run a 6 minute mile, and snowboard just as good as I use to.

Please stay positive, and set goals for yourself. Life is good!

I had a subtalar fusion last May and I was told that I'd enjoy a pain free life with hardly any limitations except the mobility. My biggest issue is no longer my ankle pain, so I guess the surgeon was right on that regard, but now the ball of my foot is so painful that I can barely walk. I got orthotics and the physio therapist said that the ball hurts because my arch has fallen and my foot has collapsed. She gave me exercises and the orthotics have a metatarsil support to help elevate the ball from hitting so hard. This joint and my big toe are taking all the weight and force of each step. Has anyone else had this problem? I can't walk without my orthotics without lots of pain, but my foot swells so much that wearing shoes so long is bad for my circulation. Just to go to the washroom at night is painful to walk. I'm so discouraged. I've gained so much weight sitting around and I thought I'd be able to go for a walk once my ankle pain went away. Now my foot pain is far worse! Any advice would be appreciated.

I fell from a scaffold in March 2010 and shattered my heel and broke my back. My heel was so badly smashed the doctors decided not to operate as there was so many pieces of bone to put together, after 3 months in a cast I was transferred into a "moon boot" but due to the constant pain the doctors decided to operate. I was told the pain was because the ankle joint was rubbing on the heel joint causing severe pain and that a sub tailor fusion would ease this and reduce the chances of arthritics in future life. My operation (Nov 2010) went well and after 3 months post op I was referred to physio to start walking again. Though the pain is greatly reduced 5 month later I still cannot walk unaided (one crutch). I lost my job after I fell (company decided I was no longer any use to them) and though my wife has a good nursing job I am very depressed at being out of work. I have been told I will never return to my trade (house builder) and will have to seek new avenues of employment which at 43 is quite daunting. I am due to meet a health board panel this friday (29/July/2011) who will decide if I am fit to return to work, as I cannot walk properly am in constant but reduced pain and my ankle swells to double its size when I excersize I know Im really not ready to return to work. My question is how long can I expect to be immobile and how long is the recovery period for my injuries, no doctor has ever given me a straight answer on this, probably because they dont want to be quoted if the time they give is not met. I am not a stupid man and would never hold a doctor to the answer but they just wont commit. I now have other health issues, I have gained 3 stone in weight since the accident, so now have high blood pressure, my bad leg has withered muscle on my calf and quad which is causing terrible cramps and sometimes my bad leg gives out and Ive fallen (once breaking a toe due to there being no movement in my ankle). I have alway been a healthy fit sporting person my hobbies were running, amateur boxing, football (soccer) and swimming. None of which I can do now. I really just wont to know when and if I'll get my old life back.