Well after graduating just before Christmas I was doing really well, I had got up to nearly 5K and was running for 35 minutes three times a week.
On Tuesday I completed my run, was feeling really chuffed with myself, went and had a shower then managed to fall down the last 3 stairs while carrying the washing basket.
I heard the crack and knew straight away that I had broken my ankle.
What I didn't know, at this point, quite how badly I had broken it, I had managed to break all 3 bones so technically when I arrived at A&E my foot was not attached at all by any bone to my leg and it bloody hurt!!!
One of the breaks was a spiral fracture the others were straight forward breaks. So after having to have it manipulated in resus , which thankfully they knocked me out for then the following morning they took me into theatre and put a plate and some bolts to hold it all together.
I'm happy to say I was finally let out of hospital yesterday afternoon but I'm on complete rest, no weight bearing at all initially for 2 weeks then either 6 or 8 weeks in plaster and intensive physio before I can WALK again .
Totally gutted after it took so much work to complete the programme, I will have to start from the very beginning but probably not for months yet.
Feeling so sorry for myself, please someone give me that 'I did that and I'm ok now' story to give me some hope that I will run again! Please !!!
Written by
CrazyCat1973
Graduate
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Oh no! We worry so much about sport injuries but it is everyday accidents which can be the worst. It sounds very painful and drastic. Really hope you're being pampered and getting a lot of help. I can imagine how this must be getting you down. I remember you graduating from the programme too. Hope someone can post and reassure you. Keep us updated please.
you'll be back, sounds awful though. Ive had planta fasciitis , which made walking painful. It takes 6 months to sort. Finally I'm back on week 4. Years ago, I broke my ACL ligament and was on crutches and knee brace in uk. Was working in croatia, so hobbled back out there ( husband there and working) went to intensive physio place for 2 weeks and was jogging at the end.
Good luck with your recovery , but there may be some static rest of body exercises you can achieve in the meantime !! Check with physio.
Oh, Sweetie I did that, and I'm now back running (well actually I'm not, but only because I've got a chest infection at the moment, I was back running until the germs struck!)
I broke my ankle at the beginning of February last year (in an equally silly domestic accident) and restarted the programme on w1r1 exactly 5 months to the day after the accident. My break wasn't as bad as yours sounds, but my physio reckoned I had an undiagnosed broken bone in my foot as well which caused a lot of problems -oh and I broke one of the toes on my other foot at the same time.
It's awful and painful and frustrating and maddening but you will get through it, you really will! The worst thing was being so utterly dependant on other people for everything. Want a cup of tea, have to ask; need a hanky, have to ask; too cold, have to ask for a cardigan; need to loo, have to ask. Aaaagghh it drove me mad and my family were so lovely and supportive and friends came to visit and brought books and videos but I did find it all very frustrating.
If you go back and read some of my old posts, you might get a bit of an idea of the different stages of recovery and the emotional roller coaster you can expect. My recovery really speeded up once I started having physio -the joy of being able to walk unaided has to be experienced to be believed.
Redoing the whole programme was just wonderful and I found I enjoyed it much more second time around. Initially my aerobic fitness was just rubbish because of the 5 months of near-complete inactivity, so my biggest tip is to try and find some exercises that you can do whilst immobile. There must be heaps of stuff out there for people in wheelchairs etc to work out the upper body and build up a sweat. The trouble is, not only are you not running, but you're also not walking, climbing the stairs, carrying shopping, moving around at home and at work and doing the 1001 little things that keep your fitness ticking over, so I found I was out of breath almost immediately in the early runs. However it didn't take long to get it back once I put my mind to it, and I ended the programme faster and stronger than I did first time around.
So don't despair- you will get through this and you will run again. I found that checking into this forum regularly and reading about everyone's achievements and problems and races etc and seeing photos of new shoes and medals and the like meant that I never stopped thinking of myself as a runner, so there was never a possibility that I wouldn't run again eventually. Maybe this will work for you too.
Please pm me anytime you like, Cat, if you want to have a moan to someone who's been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Good luck, may the running gods send you patience by the bucketload to help you get through this
Hi CrazyCat1973 I am sorry to read you broke your ankle so badly I have broken my fibula and have had a plate put in. I see it was five years ago and wondered if you got back running and if it made a full recovery with the plate still in?
Poor you, that sounds really painful and so frustrating for you. Glad ancientmum has been able to inspire with her determination and successful return to running. You will get back too and probably more determined than ever. Lots and lots of healing vibes coming your way.🙂
When you have a plate, it takes a year before getting it removed. (Both my kids have plates and both have refused to have them removed).
So in your case the really really worse is if you have to wait one year before running? keeping that in mind, look after yourself and make sure you heal up properly and then start again.
AncientMum was off as well, check with her on time frame and what to do to get better.
Oh, no, so sorry to hear this! I can't offer any advice but you have loads of sympathy from me, and AncientMum will be brilliant at supporting you through it because she came back triumphantly from a similar injury. Chin up, and keep checking in with us on here so you still feel like a runner.
So sorry dont be disheartened. Similar happened to me 18months ago broke my foot the week after I joined my local running club. On crutches and in plaster 6wks. My foot healed fine but one problem I had afterwards was my achilles on my other leg because I'd put all my weight on it getting up and down stairs so take real care with the rest of your body. Im back running and volunteering at my local park run and hope to run my first 5k in March. Good luck with your recovery just need time and patience
Im so sorry to hear this, all that running we do and then we trip down the stairs, that is such bad luck.
Im sorry I cant offer any advice, I have never broken my ankle , I sprained it when I fell down the stairs many years ago , but I wasnt a runner then so it was just another thing that kept me on the sofa .
Please keep in touch letting us know how youre going on,
Big hugs and lots of soothing vibes for you. ((( ))) xxx
Fractured my ankle July 31st and had surgery next day; plates and screws like you. I am in my 7th week of non weight bearing of 10 wks and I wish I had done the couch to 5 k prior because I'd be in better shape for physio rehab and getting back to function!
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We worry so much about sport injuries but it is everyday accidents which can be the worst. It sounds very painful and drastic. Really hope you're being pampered and getting a lot of help. I can imagine how this must be getting you down. I remember you graduating from the programme too. Hope someone can post and reassure you. Keep us updated please.
Park run virginity broken
New Year's resolution broken but soooo glad! 
ankle pain advice please!
Week 6 has broken me!! 😬
Ankle pain after W5R3
