Training after a Broken Ankle!!!

Hi, This is my first post on here, I was wandering if there was anyone out there who is running again after breaking their ankle??

 I broke my ankle in 3 places just over a year ago, I am back in the gym and running on the treadmill, and last night i attempted to run on the road for the first time since i broke my ankle,it went well! and i felt so good to be out running again, but i keep getting told that i can't do this now, that i will be causing problems with my ankle.................mostly from non-runners mind! My ankle is plated and pinned - don't know if that makes a difference?  Can anyone advise??

Comments

  • I was told aged 12 that I could never do any impact sports again or else I'd end up crippled.  Lasted for a few years then thought I didn't want to spend the rest of my life like that, and who knows what happens in the future.  Turns out the medical expert that told me that was talking utter rubbish.  My ankles are a bit of a disaster zone, achiles tendons, chips, breaks, wear orthotics to correct over pronation, and am in a cast now after having two ligaments pinned and  repaired last week.  But I'll be running again in February, and whilst I'll not be racing triathlons next year, I'll be back for IMUK in 2010. 

    So talk to your Orthapedic Surgeon, and get a good physio as you will more than likely need some help along the journey and regular (ie monthly) MOTs to spot things before they develop is the way I go now.

  • Thank you for your advice, I also have limited flexibility in that ankle, and the pin on the inside of my ankle tends to stick out a bit!! Not overly attractive LOL but not really a problem.  I was seeing an excellent physio therapist, and more recently have paid for a course of personal training in the same place, but I can't seem to get anyone to say that it will or won't be ok? The proffessionals all seem to sit on the fence a bit?? so it is really good to hear of others with similar injury and still out there running!
  • My personal thought process was like this:-

    1) If I exercise I may end up in pain later in life.

    2) Even if I don't there's a history of arthritis in the family, so it's going to happen anyway

    3) They may find a cure / pain treatment in the next 20 years

    4) If I don't exercise I'm likely to die of a heart attack before I'm 50 anyway (again, family history)

    5) I could get run over tomorrow anyway, so I;ll worry about what happens when I'm in my 40s and 50s later.*

     Hence, I decided to do what I wanted to, take care and use good trainers, get some good orthotics and realise my limitations, but to get out there and have fun.

    *This was easier when I was 18, as opposed to now when the 40s are getting within sightimage

  • My ankle is plated and pinned.  I didn't run before I broke it, and I didn't start for a year or two after I recovered, but once I decided I wanted to start running I just made sure I built it up slowly and it's been fine.  It's still swollen from having the pins put in and a bit less flexible than my other ankle but I've never really had a problem with it.  I've run 6 marathons and countless halves on it, so I'm hoping that if it was going to flare up on me it would have done it by now image
  • THANK YOU ALL!!!!  Thank you soooooo much, i just needed a bit of reassurance and you have really given that to me, sometimes you feel like you are the only one with these problems!!! I agree D74 - life is for living!!  and well done to YP1, knowing the reservations i have had with starting running i am sure you must have had the same, and so you have achieved sooo much!! your ankle sounds exactly like mine.image so that is really encouraging.

  • I only broke mine in 2 places though image  Seriously, I did it in January 2003 and you can still see the swelling so I guess I'm stuck with it permanently.  But I figure as long as it works I can't complain too much, to see the looks on the doctors faces when I arrived at hospital (several days after I broke it - long story involving repatriation from somewhere with useless doctors) my mother thought they were going to have to amputate it!  She overreacts, but still it wasn't a pretty sight.
  • It does sound bad, I was in for two weeks before they could even attempt to operate as it was so swollen and just wouldn't go down, i had it elevated with ice packs, but it just wouldn't go down enough for them to be able to get the plates in and then close the skin up again!!  The recovery afterwards was the worst though, I don't know about you but I seriously thought i would never walk normally again!!  and having that ability taken away from you like that really makes you not want to take it for granted ever again, but i have been quite fearfull of doing some things which is why i got the personal trainer, so that i had someone there to push me and i could feel safe with the limits i am pushing because he is there should anything go wrong!!image  I really just have this urge to get up and run!!
  • CindersCinders ✭✭✭

    I only broke mine in one place but ended up with 2 plates and screws. I had to have the plates and screws taken out after a year as they were too near the surface and caused problems, ie shock when I touched them!  However, that was 4 years ago and I've been back running with no problems.  Just getting back again after having a baby but that was a diff story!

    Listen to your physio and you'll be fine.

  • I "only" had to wait 8 days between breaking it and the op, which included 3 days when my ankle was in a temporary cast but hadn't been put back into position, so the jagged ends cut off the blood supply and caused a patch of skin/flesh to decay.  By the time I got back to the UK the blood was showing on the outside of the temporary cast...

    I still remember going into the foreign hospital on crutches and having the entire waiting room turn round, stare and point.  That was after my mother in a spell of doziness parked at the furthest end of the car park because that was the only space.  Why she didn't pull up outside, let me out and then park I'll never know.  Luckily I already had crutches by that stage (my family is the sort of family that has them lying around, just in case...)

    Yes, the recovery was long and slow.  I remember getting frustrated at not being able to do really simple things during physio.  I still sometimes feel a bit unbalanced, but it doesn't hinder me too much.  Except I'm currently out of action with a leg injury, but I don't think it's an ankle related one...
  • It sounds awful!!!!!! but at the same time encouraging if you were still able to run after all that!!image

    I hope your current injury heels quickly for you .......and isn't too serious, image

  • I've just broke my ankle, 4 days ago, had surgery with plate and pins fitted. I was competitively running the day before, I'm keen to hear how quickly people have got back to racing pits ops......mine was single fracture, right side!

  • Hi I've also just broke my right ankle in one place with pins & plate. Two weeks ago, doing high jump.

    Going to fracture clinic Wed to have sutchures removed and replace with a lighter cast.

    Like you i'm desperate to run as soon as possible. Reading some forums really worries me, that i may struggle to walk let alone run!

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