Hello lovely runny peeps, just thought I'd let you know where I am. Well, I'm at home on the sofa, but I have just come in from a little walk, without crutches, without bloomin boot, just me walking (slowly) for about 40 minutes. How'd you like them apples?! 😁
I've finally had a face to face with my physio, and she's given me the ok to start ramping up again after I re-sprained my broken ankle. The biggest challenge for me is to not limp, so she told me to take slower, smaller steps and she watched me like a hawk until she was satisfied that I was walking properly. It takes a lot of concentration, weirdly.
Anyway, it was lovely to get outside, very autumnal. Was going to post a photo but my phone is not cooperating 😬
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grumpyoldgirl
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Oh! It has been a while! Well done to you. What patience you must have developed! I am hoping for a first physio phone call on Monday. Looking forward to it.
I have some questions for you if you have time to answer. How did your garden manage without you? Did Mr G help out? Did you manage to do some with one crutch? Not at all easy. I think I picked runner beans on crutches, must have been one crutch. I was wearing a skirt with pockets.
How soon after your fall did you start having appointments with your physio? How often were your physio appointments? And how much time a day did your physio want you to carry out exercises and how long did they take? Perhaps as your ankle healed the physio gradually increased the amount of time and difficulty level for exercises. Sorry too many questions,
I was originally told I had soft tissue damage, but a subsequent MRI scan revealed a tibial plateau fracture. (Also turns out that I have a medial meniscus tear, large Baker's cyst, arthritis, cellulitis and rather unexplained lumps!) I was not given a different exercise sheet when the fracture was discovered.
I am so looking forward to the physio's help as I felt my orthopaedic surgeons feedback wasn't over useful. I think they perhaps want to carry out an operation or send you away!
Oh poor you! I had a similar experience with my stress fracture. The orthpaeduc guy was interested in xtays, oain and swelling but nothing else. After 4 months (waiting or in a boot) I asked about physio. You don't need it he said, you exercise anyway if you were old ir sedentary we'd maybe arrange something. I should have calked him out, but I was so shocked and sad!!! In the end I kept going gradually until I was painfree walking. I then used a Caroline Jordan rehab routine for foot and ankle that strengthened and mobilised all parts of foot and ankle - I will look out a link for you. Why not give your gp a call and ask them if they will give you a physio referral ?
You'll be pleased to hear that I have already been in touch with my GP. They prescribed antibiotics for the cellulitis, gave me the physio telephone number and I am due to have a physio telephone appointment on Monday. Really looking forward to it.
That's really positive the ohysio can give you a personal program which will be so much better. I will look for the link once I'm at my laptop though, because itsa good all round foot and lower leg routine!
It's shocking how much of a lottery it is whether we get decent after care. I was like you with my old sprain, I didn't know what I should expect, and I'm not good at asserting myself with doctors for some reason.
OK casting my mind back (and consulting the online calendar)...
Broke my ankle on the 6th of June. Urgent care centre (formerly my nearest hospital) x-rayed it two days later, told me it was broken, put me in a walking boot. Fracture clinic called me next day and warned me not to put any weight on it. First visit to fracture clinic June 16th. Second visit July 7th, another x-ray, all good, signed off. Consultant told me I'd need physio and they'd be in touch but warned that covid was messing things up. Got a little leaflet from the physio department a week later with some stretches to do. The actual department was shut at that point because staff were redeployed. Got my first video appointment on August 3rd, then every two weeks. Would have continued with just video if I hadn't resprained my ankle in September, prompting another x-ray and my first face to face.
I gradually weaned off boot and crutches. Boot went first then one crutch. Then back into boot after resprain. (I tried with one crutch and no boot at first - useless!)
This was all much better than when I originally sprained that ankle 2 years ago and tried to access help through my then GP. They fobbed me off for months. (It was regularly taking 3 weeks to get an appointment). I know now that if I had gone straight to urgent care they would have given me a walking boot so that the ligaments could heal properly without undue pressure from walking.
Thank you! Your re-sprain knocked you back, for me it was the cellulitis that knocked me back, so much. But in a way at least because of it I had the MRI and found out more about the extent of my knee injuries.
Probably didn't feel like it but maybe a blessing in disguise. I know I feel like I'll heal better this time around, it's much more down to me and under my control.
I was seriously taken aback to realise that I had a fracture. The treatment for the fracture would have been a different type of knee brace and crutches for 12 weeks. Happily they said my rehab path as issued by A&E for supposed soft tissue damage had done me more good than what they would have recommended for a fracture. My fracture was apparently undisplaced, so nicely lined up and healing well. 😊
Anyway! The garden is a hot mess. Mr grumpy watered the veg like a goodun. Nothing got fed or pruned and my runners and tomatoes thrived on the neglect. Sadly, so did the honey fungus galloping through the borders. And the slugs, well, you could throw a saddle on them and go for a slow ride. Huge!
I would make my way down to the veg on my crutches, throw one casually aside, and wiggle through to the veg. Container in a bag slung over one shoulder. Abandon the other crutch while picking. Reverse the process. Tomatoes all outside in planters, so not too much bending required. As I got better, I would sometimes get back to the house and realise I had left a crutch or two behind 😂
About the physio exercises. They started simple, and if I was coping and progressing they got replaced with more challenging ones.
Some are held stretches, some are sets up to 10. Mostly 3 times a day. Now I have some that are as and when, throughout the day, "as comfort allows".
I have a yoga mat on the living room floor for hip exercises, and a dining chair nearby for balance while doing calf raises. Both set up so the physio can watch me through my laptop during assessment sessions.
I've got a crib sheet on the mantelpiece to remind me of the exercises I need to do because I've got a brain like a sieve. And my phone buzzes 3 times a day to remind me to get off my butt 😂
Wow! All seems mega organised and disciplined. Well done to you! 🏅🎉🎉
Thank you so much for all that. Your physio - have you kept the same one throughout? - must be very pleased indeed with you.
Thank you for using the name honey fungus. I didn't realise what it was, but I have just looked it up. Yikes it kills perennials! I think I shall go straight outside ignore the drizzle and attempt to get rid of it. Have you had it before and has it killed any of your plants?
Must admit, when I resprained it, I went into a bit of a fug and didn't bother properly for while. Pulled myself together eventually. If I don't organise myself, I forget to do things. I missed my first face to face physio because I didn't put it in my phone, *only* on the calendar, and I got my weeks wrong 😬
So do you think there's honey fungus in your garden too? It's a #£@@#*!
Good news GoG...moving away from that injury couch with very small mindful steps. Feels better doesn't it.🙂 Good luck as you continue to improve and recover fully. 🙏🤞🍁xxx
Part of the reason I started trying to get fitter and run was reading a book by Atul Gawande called Being Mortal.. especially a bit about the dangers of falling once we get to a certain age. It seems the importance of strength and balance can’t be overstated.. obviously something I took to heart as an amputee.
Two suggestions.. I make sure I wear trail shoes if I’m running or walking anywhere uneven or wet. Secondly, on limping.. I remember when I got my first prosthesis I used to walk along the landing, looking towards a long mirror, to try to walk straight. Maybe you could do that to make sure you get in the habit of following the physio’s advice.. do you have a long mirror somewhere?
Take care.. hope you will be off again safely soon..😊
It’s thinking about it now so that you form the right habits that’s important isn’t it.. then when you start running again you will be balanced and running evenly and comfortably.. I think I read somewhere in the advice on this forum that it takes twelve weeks to form the habit of running regularly.. I’m hoping we will achieve that.. eventually..😊
Great stuff Grumps!! Back in play and all set for the final comeback phase. Your amazing determination will see you through. Just take it steady........(says me🙄); looking forward to seeing those K's being clocked up. 👏👏😊😊😊😊😊
Glad to hear you're getting there. Now the challenge will be to follow the physio instructions and not get carried away. Difficult when an injury starts to feel better.
Ha ha. I remember being desperate to get back to normal. All the time it hurt I was careful but there's a phase where it feels ok but it's still weak and there's a big temptation to overdo it 😏😊
Excellent that you finally got a face to face with the physio grumpyoldgirl. Take it nice and slowly and post your runs so that we can follow you our progress. 🏃♀️👏👏🍁🍄🍂
It can be extremely frustrating on the injury couch but everything you do is another step closer. My target was always to get running again and my physio was left in no doubt about that. Do post your updates though , even if they aren’t runs yet.
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At Last!
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