Calcaneus Surgery ORIF Success Stories?

Thanks, Steve and Jeff.  I know I had screws, but not sure yet if I had a plate or how many screws.  The surgery took 3.5 hours, but the surgeon told my husband that everything went well and that he would see me back in two weeks.  I hope the dr at least says I can do some sort of exercise, even if just arm weights.  I’ll let you know.  Pete, how long did your dr tell you?  And Jeff, I’m impressed with the 8 month post op and already climbing

Candee , must likely  (like i was) when u go doc after 2 weeks he will take new x-rays, and give you the hard cast for a month or 6 weeks.now my surgery was done with 4 long screws no plate.

Let's remember, when u have this injury the heel take most of impact but also the joints (ankle ligaments,talus) which i think is the worst to recover from (rom ,left to right ,and even up and down) at least in my case...Also doctors don't know how long ill take some one to recover they just guess..

Happy 4th all and as Pete said about the joints,movement and all.it simply takes time.  My win today was a nice one.   My oldest and I went and picked up some beer and walking around to the back porch to ice it down the handle on one of the 12 packs tore. So one ( just 1 ) broke.  We got it cleaned, rinsed of the part of the porch etc.................Later going barefoot I stepped in the grass on a fine sliver and cut my heal. First thought by not just me but wife as she came running out was the cut and blood.  Since the initial surgery (7 screws/1 plate) in 2013 to recent hardware removal the scare would of been my surgery injury.  This time it was the basic step on glass and cut.  Not that it is a good thing of course.  Talking to my bro in law over a beer as grandkids played it hit me........................it took time, patience and energy but the fear of the initial surgery is dead.  My wife, kids and myself 1st thought about the stepping on a slice of glass over my injury.  Inside I had no idea how stressed I was and of course my wife and family were since 2013.

So in time once the physical part heals the mental will as well.  Never thought about the mental so don't you and yes duh on me bring it up LOL.  But give it all time.   

Thank you, Bryan.   

Hey Bryan, saw u post and course got little energized and pushed myself like i use to before this injury.lol.. ... ,so went outside and just started walking around the block without the crutches but in boot  ,for first time in 3 months,its not perfect i say 80% normal.and did it for like 25 mins.Also didn't feel any of the 4 screws,(specially the one going up from bottom of heel) so i guess its a big win today here.
Now to curl the toes down and work on rom ,ect ..Maybe i got lucky since i didn't need the plate and more screws who knows...Im stuck with 4 long ones..
Little pain in ankle when i walk but not much like when i first started rehab 4 weeks ago.
Now looking at leg not swollen any bigger than it was earlier  so im fine with it.

This is big, after 3 months first time i was able to walk without crutches using just my own legs.

God bless you all,

Pete, that is awesome!!!  I’ll be right there doing it soon too

Candee ,ill take time but like myself and others here but there is hope to get back to normal or close to,with some luck on u side .
I suggest u read this thread its now 23 pages when i got here was like 17 and fallow the good advise from some people who had this injury posted here.

God bless you all,

I like all the positive news:) Well done guys and girls!
Good to hear from you Bryan. How about walking in the grass with shoes for the future:) Actually I struggle walking barefoot since my fall. I can, but it's uncomfortable as it seems my heals have very little padding. Anyway, as long as the beer is cold, it can't be all bad!
Pete, i'm still doing PT and stretches as I go to gym 5 times a week. Are you able to upload your home exercises? It would be interesting to compare with the exercises my biokineticist gave me.
1 year on and my foot is still tight with weird feelings now and again, but I can't complain as i'm playing golf twice a week (walking with my cart). I don't believe my foot will ever be the same again, but things could be a lot worse.
Candee, I actually didn't ask my surgeon if I could do upper body exercises at gym, but just assumed I could, so I did! It was definitely my sanity as i'm also a very active guy, so couldn't sit with my foot up all day. Please remember to wiggle your toes to avoid atrophy. At 58 my bones seem to have healed ok, but I also took a lot of Vits to help the bones including Calcium.
All the best to everybody and keep smiling:)

Good stuff Pete and take the small wins and of course you will have some small losses but overall you will be in the win column.

i had not done the "real" test and that is a volunteer event for the Knights at my church manning a stand at Toyota stadium in Frisco Texas.  Lots of standing.  Expect to be a bit sore the next day to get back into shape.  But the labor is all us volunteering and we get 20% of food/beer sales and man the largest stand.  Just like the pros have spring training or go to minors after a DL stint.

Keep at it but don't over due it being Superman LOL but it gets better and you feel better about yourself inside.

Yeah Bryan im taking it easy ,still gotta work on rom and other things , still  to be able to walk without crutches 4 weeks after surgery almost perfectly is big thing
Gives me hope and others about this injury.

God bless you all

Right Foot, Initial pulverization & Surgery in Aug '94;
2 surgeries, pediatric screws & plates;  no hardware removal,
 Cadaver & iliac crest used to approximate Calcaneus, experimental Talus/ "flip" rebuild of Subtalar joint.
Left foot ; Calcaneus cracked into 4 pieces, pediatric screws & plate, no removal.
What the right looks like now

Steve sleo@global.co.za wrote: I like all the positive news:) Well done guys and girls!
Good to hear from you Bryan. How about walking in the grass with shoes for the future:) Actually I struggle walking barefoot since my fall. I can, but it's uncomfortable as it seems my heals have very little padding. Anyway, as long as the beer is cold, it can't be all bad!
Pete, i'm still doing PT and stretches as I go to gym 5 times a week. Are you able to upload your home exercises? It would be interesting to compare with the exercises my biokineticist gave me.
1 year on and my foot is still tight with weird feelings now and again, but I can't complain as i'm playing golf twice a week (walking with my cart). I don't believe my foot will ever be the same again, but things could be a lot worse.
Candee, I actually didn't ask my surgeon if I could do upper body exercises at gym, but just assumed I could, so I did! It was definitely my sanity as i'm also a very active guy, so couldn't sit with my foot up all day. Please remember to wiggle your toes to avoid atrophy. At 58 my bones seem to have healed ok, but I also took a lot of Vits to help the bones including Calcium.
All the best to everybody and keep smiling:)

Steve, if it is like me the tight feeling is arthritis.  It is a tight feeling until i pretty much stretch it out.  That is part of the gig unless you get a total fushion which is even more complicated than my initial surgery putting in the screws/plate.  When the hardware was removed and tendons/scare tissue cleaned all I wanted was for it to be what it is.  Doc said the reason being is your muscles in the foot still try to turn even though due to the surgery you can't.  In time the muscles will get stronger along with your tolerance.  Walking in grass barefoot is the wore since the ground is unlevel, holes ups/downs etc..............Your heal is still sore because your using it and it is not 100% regarding nerves/tissue but that will pass and what i ended up doing was simply walking on the ball of my foot meaning once the hardware was removed I needed to learn to walk normal.  Sure the heal is still sore and swollen and that will take about 2 months.  But shoes, flip flops and barefoot works for me and no limping except maybe the 1st few steps in the morning or a few steps after sitting at desk a few hours.  Just walk it of.

so as far as artritis they have over the counter stuff for that or you can have it prescribed.  But as you get older like me that stuff sets in all over.  i don't take it yet since we all have issues.  I don't even think about it anymore since by the time I do it is stretched out is all.  Switching out shoes during work week helps as well.  The 2 areas where the cuts were and scar remains are still soft since on the 4th the heat got to it and it stung a tad.   Since leg was crossed i simply held a cold beer on it and when I got another simply sat different to avoid sun hittin is all.

Remember this is a major surgery and expect 3-5 years of issues going up and down various things is all.  Doc signed me off/release and said he doesn't want to see me again LOL but the soft pain will decrease, swelling decrease over a couple of months.  All that remains is artritis and once it cools down to use over the counter 1st and if it doesn't work he can give me a prescription or a shot is all.

Today doc clear me off the boot,give me ankle brace to use if needed in regular gym shoes,and no more crutches, new ex rays doc said everything is fine ,no screws moved and heel bone is heal and should be back to 100% in 6 to 9 months, still gonna do twice a week pt for 6 more weeks also he said no restriction on pt (got some good pt ppl), so i guess is full throttle ahead.
Two more days ill be 3 months in this since injury happen.
That's  all for now.

God bless you all,

So glad to hear that Pete!  Please say a little prayer for me. Tomorrow is my two week post op appt and I’m a little nervous.  Excited, but nervous.   Also, just got a call from my sister, my dad broke two bones in his leg and is being transported to the nearest medical trauma center for surgery.
 So proud for you, Pete!  Praying for all!  ❤️

Well done Pete - good news!
Candee, i'm holding thumbs for a positive result. Really sorry to hear about your dad. Hope all good with him and pulling for a strong recovery.
I had my 12 month x-ray and check up today. All good with no movement of the plate or screws. Doc says no need for any further visits, unless I have pain or complications.
I still have tightness which he says wil probably go within a year. Also my heel is totally numb, but he says that could be the deal for ever :( All in all, what can I say, it's an awful injury which will never be the same, but it could always be worse :)
Thanks for all the contributions and comments. Let's keep it going!

So much harder to walk and keep balance with ankle brace or using gym shoes ,ect.., with boot its easy,,,but gotta adjust to go without boot and no more crutches..so yeah ill take more time..
Hey Steve good to know u doing okay also i feel my heel still little zaps once in awhile ,i think my surgery is little different then some of you since was no plate involved and not to much cuts..? .., Bryan and Jeff hopefully doing better to.Candee ill take time ,every one goes thru it this way ,belive me i look for short cuts aint any.lol.

God bless you all,

Steve, thanks for the prayers for my dad.  They had a scare with his heart when they put him under so they didn’t get to operate.  Checked everything out and decided to do the surgery tomorrow.  So please continue the prayers.  
I went back to the dr today and they removed the splint and the stitches.   He said that it looked good for two weeks post op.  No xrays and the PA thinks they put 7 screws but I will know for sure in 3 weeks when I go back for xrays.  I’m in an air as tap I can keep my foot free when sitting/laying on the couch and sleeping, but shouldn’t get up without it on so I won’t bump it on anything.  
After, since I’m so stir crazy, my husband and I took our daughter to get school supplies at target then went to bed bath and beyond. I used my scooter but was wiped when we got home.  When we were coming in the house, I was on crutches bc we have 3 stairs coming into the house, I lost my balance and lightly put my broken heel down to keep from falling. Very weird sensation!!!  It doesn’t hurt now but it scared me.  Praying I didn’t do any damage

Candee i say you have to baby you leg for some time,can't take another injury to it,so they think 7 screws ? why not ask about it after all its u right to know its your leg..myself i got 4 but long ones.did they give u back the splint? weird they took  out stitches and not do x-ray, but then again all those doctors some times they think they know everything lol...Myself went today and got new gym shoes  half size bigger and man makes allot difference to be able to use the ankle brace in,so far i use  one crutch for balance for a bit then start go without it, now did i had a good surgeon? i think is not up to them is up to god and us how we will recover from this.

God bless you all,

Candee, i'm sure all will be good with your dad. Prayers continue.
I too had a scare once with losing balance and standing on my bad foot. I put a lot of pressure on it and had a sleepless night over that, but all was good. My view is that the screws are basically holding everything together and you won't have done damage. I didn't use a knee scooter and just decided to go it with the crutches - rightly or wrongly.
Pete, I had to go up a full shoe size to have comfort. I also use orthotics (bought from the pharmacy) and this supports my arches mainly as I have flat feet. They are also soft under my heel which gives extra comfort. How is your heel pad? Are you taking any strain with a flat heel pad? Mine was flat and I could almost feel the bone hitting the floor when I walked barefoot. It has got better, but I don't walk barefoot generally. My surgeon told me yesterday, the heel pad explodes on impact and it takes up to 2 years to build up, but never gets back to the same as before.
Keep smiling guys:)