OT....Broken ankle with plate and screws...How long?

OT..I broke my ankle on Sept. 29th. I thought I sprained it. So I wrapped it up and worked for 2 days. . Went to a local Doctor and had x-rays, Broke it right above the ball of my heel..the small bone. They installed a soft-walking cast with air support..but had to keep my weight off of it. Had to see a Bone Doctor the following week. For work was told I had to sit and I could drive with my left foot. On my next visit with the Ortho Doctor..he saw my x-rays and said I needed surgery. We had our annual vacation to Branson MO setup to leave the following Tuesday for 10 days. The Doctor moved things along. I left the exam room at 4PM and I had surgery the next morning. It wasn't much of a vacation for me but my wife had lots of help to move me around. My surgery was Oct 8th. I'm going to see the Doctor the 18th of November. I'm still on crutches with a softcast no weight bearing. I'm 57 years old..also diebetic..I'm controlling my sugars. How long before I can walk? I know others have had this done. What time frame did you have? I was going to try deerhunting Nov 26th. I muzzleload. Any ideas how to keep warm with a soft-cast with our MN weather. Hopefully I'll get the OK to walk it soon. Thanks for comments. Things are getting better. The State of Kansas finally sent me my check from a courtcase back in 2004. I bought something..never did get it. My crops are out. Being a grandpa is sure GREAT. Thanks again..mnjoe

Joe,if you start feeling any pain worse than you have,dont fool around...go see dr asap...my dad had a similar break and surgery...he hobbled around for nearly a week before he went to dr...sure enuff they operated on him and sent him home...month later he was still in pain and dr operated again...he didnt make it home from hospital that time...he was in excellent health before he broke his ankle...not tryin to worry ya...just a heads up.

Had a similar problem 25+ years ago while in the service. We had a "contract civilian" ortho doctor in the base hospital. He got paid whether he saw patients or not (so he preferred not). Mine was a pretty bad break & like you, I walked on it for a couple of days before going in. I didn't, however, get the surgery & plate. Splinted for a week waiting for the swelling to go down, then a "walking cast". I got crutches, but "doc" told me to only use them if I needed them. Looking back, that was the worst advice he could have given. It really didn't feel too bad walking on the cast, so I never used the crutches and did just about anything I wanted to. I'm no doctor, but I believe my recovery took much longer because I didn't stay off that leg. I was in a cast for about 4 months, and my leg didn't get back to "normal" (what ever that is) for nearly 2 years. IMHO, you'll be much better off to stay off your leg, maybe postpone some plans, and let yourself heal up without all the stress. By spring time, you'll be up & running again and will be better off for the rest! ...D

Broke mine in 2000, clean break a bit higher, had a plate and 7 screws put in the next day. Seems like your delay in treatment and surgery may prolong recovery, but I was on crutches for most of two months. Family took care of the milking, I started doing AI again after about a month. I made hand clutches for 3 of the tractors to do Spring fieldwork. (left ankle had the break) They made sure what I needed each day was hooked up and filled. Recovery was 100%, but you"ll be a good weather forecaster for a while. Advancing low pressure fronts- will feel it in the ankle.

Your doctor could probably answer this question better than anyone on this tractor board...but:

I broke my right talus (ankle) five years ago. I had surgery and got two permanent screws. I was non-weight bearing for six weeks, and partial weight bearing for two more weeks after that. After I came off the crutches, I walked with a cane for about a month. I was in my early thirties at the time, and a professional Soldier, so I am in reasonable shape. I still feel discomfort in my ankle when I am carrying a heavy rucksack and body armor, but I am able to run several miles a week.
My advice is to try not to rush your recovery, and remember the miracle of modern medicine. Just 100 years ago, these types of injuries would have permanently crippled us for the rest of our lives. I followed my doctor's advice to the letter, and every day am thankful that I did. Hope that helps, Ryan.

Joe, you're a farmer, right? If you're a farmer you aren't going to listen to any advice and go back to work anyway. That's what my podiatrist told me when he went into my ankle to remove a chunk of bone that broke off. He said he doesn't normally cast a person after the kind of surgery he did on me because it wasn't all that big of a deal, but since I'm farmer he wasn't going to take any chances so he stuck on a cast. Felt like I was wearing a five buckle overshoe to bed when I sacked out for the night. Jim

had 2 pins and screw in left ankle in 1977, was 19 years old, had cast - no weight for 9 weeks, then crutches for 2 weeks, no physical therapy back then, my dad fired up push mower and I learned to walk again as I pushed it still hurts when weather changes, other than that I do what I want, couldnt run anymore, would bruise up bad, dont want to run now at my age HTH Mark

The bone break isn't the problem, it will heal.

The real challenge is all those support and control ligaments and tendons that you tore or stretched.
Months of physio and it will take a year for them to get as good as they ever will.
Worst things to do is be lazy or a hero. And do too little or too much.