Talus fracture and partial displacement, healing advice and support

Alec Vela wrote:

What’s up everyone! I fractured my right talus dome 3 months back. I have two screws now and have just been released to PT.

The foot feels a little wobbly, and I do feel pain on the top right side of my foot when I step, which is weird because that area wasn’t broken.

Any recommendations on things I should or shouldn’t be doing? I am going through physical therapy, but I would like to see what some of you say. Also, what are some reasonable expectations for recovery times - I’ve been non-weight nearing for 12 weeks. 

Hello there I am the person who posted prior you and It had been also 12 weeks after my surgery. I don’t wear the cast anymore but use crutches and just like you i still feel pain on the top right of my foot also. Time will heal I trust and hope. In this together

Harold Wibo wrote:

Hello there I am the person who posted prior you and It had been also 12 weeks after my surgery. I don’t wear the cast anymore but use crutches and just like you i still feel pain on the top right of my foot also. Time will heal I trust and hope. In this together

I’ve been going to PT for 4 weeks as of this past Friday (16 weeks since injury). It’s been tough, but I’ve seen improvements week to week. I went out tonight for the first time without my walking boot on. It was a little painful, and felt that I had a slight limp at times, but being able to get around without crutches has been  tremendous.

I highly recommend physical therapy. It’s been really good for me. 

I broke my left talus and ankle in two place a year ago. Due to the pandemic, I did not receive proper treatment at all. I was only put into an air cast for two weeks, then nothing. It’s a year later with continued pain and swelling. My recent bone scan shows that my talus is still broken. Finally seeing a surgeon next week.

Any one else have a similar experience?  

Scott Biegert wrote:

That really sucks!!! I really hope they get it figured out!! I got my ankle x-rayed at local chiropractor. Who noted that I dislocated my ankle. They tell me I need to get to doctors office immediately, so load up drive to next town over. I went to urgent care where nurse couldn't believe they sent me out of the office without any sort of cast or boot. Doctor comes in and looks at the x-rays and examines ankle. He determines I sprained my deltoid ligament in addition to being dislocated and says that can't do anything and informs me to keep weight off it and tells me I need an appointment with a specialist but I have to wait a week so the swelling can hopefully go down to get better images with x-ray. Get sent out of that office with nothing on my foot and using these old hand me down crutches I'd located from a relative. So week passes I go to specialist and get more x-rays. The guy comes in and pulls up new x-rays , takes one look says "oh shit, well that fucking sucks" apologizes and says he needs to make a phone call. Several minutes later he comes back in, tells me I need a cat scan and he's scheduled me for surgery the following day in another office. He fitted me in a boot to keep it protected. Turns out I had several non displaced fractures, along with bone fragments in heel region but his biggest concern was I shattered my talus dome of my left ankle. Got the cat scan and than surgery. Took a little while for ankle to heel so I could get stitches out and than boot off. FYI the surgical incision takes forever to heal!!! Now other than some pain and a lot weird noices it's pretty decent. Definitely takes awhile but it gets better. I do remember how frustrated I was with the lack of information and pretty much the whole situation. Well that's my story

Oh my. That is horrible. Thankfully you finally received answers and are on the mend!  I will keep you updated!

Scott Biegert wrote:

Well that's my story

Yikes. One of the crazier misdiagnosis stories. Getting whipped around from "I know what a sprain feels like and this is not that" to "The x-rays say nothing is broken, here are some crutches." to "These new x-rays say something is obviously VERY broken and you need surgery ASAP" was so incredibly frustrating for me and that general storyline seems to be very common. Ugh.

So they finally figured out what’s been going on since I broke my talus a year ago!  A piece of talus bone broke off and has been sitting in my joint. So surgery in a week to remove it along with some cartilage and scar tissue. 

Hello! I broke my right talus bone a couple of weeks ago and am so grateful to have found this discussion and community. It's been hugely comforting and helpful so far! I am wondering about "the boot." I am having surgery in a few days, the surgeon tells me that they will give me a boot for greater mobility about 2.5 weeks after the surgery, but I am having a hard time imagining what greater mobility means since I will continue being non-weightbearing even with the boot. Does anyone have experience with it? If so, what kind of activities were you able to do with the boot? I understand that each person's healing process is different, but am also wondering how long after the surgery you were able to get out of the house for a short walk (with crutches)? I've been cooped up in my apartment for the past couple of weeks and it's starting to get a little frustrating (I also have a dog and knowing when I'll be able to take her out even just for a pee break around the house/bloc would be great). Thanks in advance for any advice!
Misha

Misha,

Check out the I-Walk crutch. I broke my talus last summer and it allowed me to do a lot more than I could with crutches.

I've been meaning to post on this forum for a while. I crushed my talus and broke my heal last June. I had surgery and was non-weight bearing for 6 weeks. By November, I was hiking and climbing again with a fair amount of pain and restricted motion. Now, I'd say I'm pretty well recovered. Hiking tons and climbing a bit (more once the teaching year ends). 

I certainly found solace in this forum and had been meaning to pay it forward. Good luck with your recovery. 

Sean

Misha Appeltova wrote:

Hello! I broke my right talus bone a couple of weeks ago and am so grateful to have found this discussion and community. It's been hugely comforting and helpful so far! I am wondering about "the boot." I am having surgery in a few days, the surgeon tells me that they will give me a boot for greater mobility about 2.5 weeks after the surgery, but I am having a hard time imagining what greater mobility means since I will continue being non-weightbearing even with the boot. Does anyone have experience with it? If so, what kind of activities were you able to do with the boot? I understand that each person's healing process is different, but am also wondering how long after the surgery you were able to get out of the house for a short walk (with crutches)? I've been cooped up in my apartment for the past couple of weeks and it's starting to get a little frustrating. Thanks in advance for any advice!
Misha

Hi Misha,

This forum is great, no doubt. I fractured my talus dome on Dec 28th. It will be a long road ahead, but the time will pass regardless. I was non-weight bearing for a total of 12 weeks and it sucked.

To answer your question, the only added mobility that the “boot” gives you is the ability to remove it to shower and stretch your foot, that’s literally it…especially if you’re recovering from surgery and will be non-weight bearing. Other than that, It will just act like a cast for the other 20+hours a day lol  

I also purchased the I-walk crutch, and it helped a lot for getting around. I never did try a scooter, but they looked like a good option too.

Go slow, and take it a day at a time. Good luck!

I used a knee scooter for a few months while non-weight bearing https://www.amazon.com/s?k=knee+leg+scooter&gclid=CjwKCAjwyryUBhBSEiwAGN5OCCX6vyw2heLcKwn_3R9oRbQsR_NCsFOg0RfRkPjbvEcMTETW9xU8yRoCsG4QAvD_BwE&hvadid=242073649890&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1026178&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4632479856120683007&hvtargid=kwd-399981916711&hydadcr=21852_9445345&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_46qjvdaex3_e

You might be able to find a used one on craigslist or ebay.

On a separate subject, it's been a few months since I had the hardware removed and I can't believe the difference.  I was actually able to run without pain for the first time since the accident in 2019.  If you're on the fence about having yours removed you might want to do it.  Speak to your doc but man I'm glad I did it.

Hey to all my Talus People!!! On April 8th, 2022 I went out climbing with a partner I didn't exactly trust... yes dumb. My gear was at my shin when a foot popped and I fell about 18-20 feet (No clue what my partner was doing down there!). About 1/2 way through my fall, my right foot landed (with all weight) on the only jug on the wall. Pretty clearly I'd messed myself up pretty bad, so cleaned my gear, did a rap, and crawled to the car. I was diagnosed with a non-displaced comminuted fracture of the talus neck and body... yikes. I had internal fixation surgery on April 13th, landing me with 6 screws holding my Talus together. Emotional rollercoaster ensued; fear, pain, regret... you know the feeling. I work the fire season and ski patrol in the winter, so I need my ankles (as you all do!). I believe it was a Hawkins 2/3, but my surgeon actually went to have his own surgery done the day after my operation so I've been unable to communicate with him. I decided to move in with my parents in Philly and see a specialist at Penn since my surgeon in Utah was unavailable. I didn't know the severity or outcome of this injury could be so bad until I saw this specialist and he started talking about AVN, Fusions, Total Replacements, and Amputation... Jesus. I'm 23, I'm not getting an ankle fusion... I'd rather they just take my whole leg man. The Penn Specialist basically told me that my outcome was a "crapshoot" and that we'll just have to see what happens. He was pretty astonished that my Utah doctors had told me not to move my ankle for 8 weeks though, and had me promptly start with mobility when I saw him, around 4 weeks post-op. I can't tell you how important this has been! I can't imagine still having my ankle locked and 90 degrees until my 8-week follow-up. I'm pretty blessed that my parents have a pool, so I've been able to do a good bit of walking in check deep water. I think this will pay dividends when I'm cleared for full weight-bearing on July 7th. I'm just going to slowly up the water level as July 7th gets closer and closer. I have every intention of Ski patrolling this season, and I think having that goal in my helps me stay on the strict PT schedule. The pain has been pretty bad through this whole ordeal. Those first 2 days after the initial injury with no pain meds were definitely the worst. But I've had a lot of nerve pain stemming from the surgery, which has slowly been getting better. I still take a Percoset to sleep (which is the most uncomfortable time of day) but other than that I'm off pain meds. I never had flexible ankles to begin with, my good ankle only goes around 10 degrees past 90, so my bad ankle is already almost equal. I've certainly struggled to find motivation for productivity with my whole life getting destroyed, but It's slowly coming back. I think patience and aggressive PT will be the name of the game for this injury. Gotta stay positive ya know. If you all have any advice or ankle mobility exercises I'm all ears. I'll likely post again after my 12-week follow-up unless anything changes. Stay strong everyone!

Good attitude Jonathan and keep up the hard work!

A few notes of experience for those interested in/looking for information about the few weeks post-surgery - I know I was looking for info but couldn't find much:
1. Everyone has different preferences, but I recommend this: tell your friends and family members to do things for you, instead of them telling to you tell them if/when you need something. The thing is I am single, live in an apartment building without an elevator, have a dog. While my friends have been super helpful, it's not like they call to ask what I need; they generally wait for me to ask them - and I often feel like I have to beg people to do things for me, which doesn't feel great. Moreover, since my absolute priority is that my dog gets walked (though I did hire professional service), I haven't felt like I could ask for or, even, really needed help with anything else - I can have groceries delivered, I can hand-wash laundry, I can shuffle my ass on the floor to sweep my place, etc. This is to say, the first few weeks when one is a couch potato are really hard in multiple ways, not just because one cannot go running/climbing/hiking. I would definitely communicate my needs differently next time (though I truly hope there is no next time).
2. As many people on this forum have written, it's good to live the few weeks post-surgery one day at a time. Things have definitely gotten way more frustrating the better and more mobile I have felt. I had my surgery three weeks after the injury (btw, it seems that recent research suggests that recovery and AVN chance doesn't quite depend on whether the surgery is a few days or a couple of weeks after the surgery). Got the CAM boot three weeks after surgery and will be non-weight bearing for another 4 weeks. The CAM boot is such a sham! They advertise it as more mobile and better, but the only good thing I can say about about it is that I can take it off (though even that is a huge improvement). It's big, bulky, uncomfortable, my ankle bones hurt in it quite bad, it's more difficult to sleep in it. I have it off most of the time. Oh, one more thing: my foot gets purplish pretty much every time I put it down, so (frequent/constant) elevation/icing weeks into post-surgery is definitely a must.
3. BUT! I got the iWalk contraption as soon as I got the CAM boot - and it is a total life changer! I haven't felt that elated and optimistic in weeks. It's not for everyone - requires good balance - but it prevents thigh-muscle atrophy and is such an incredible help when doing even the smallest things around the house like making myself coffee or cleaning up the place. I've even gone on a short walk around the bloc and am hoping to go to a grocery store soon. (It's making me feel so good that I've even been dreaming of going back to the gym to at least belay - the iWalk thing is quite stable - but my climbing buddies are way more reasonable than I am and want me to heal first :))

Here's to good and speedy recovery to you all!

I’m about 6 months post op and 3 months walking on it. On days that I do PT, walk, exercise, etc. the following day (mainly immediately out of bed) sucks. I get these shocking pains on the outer ankle side and top of the talus that last a few minutes. They get better as the morning goes on, but still cause a slight limp.

Question: for those that have been here, how long does it take to get to a point where this is more mild and less frequent? 

Dear Scot and Alec,

Thank you for sharing. :) My story is pretty similar to alec. I am at 6 months post operation also and I am still limping. I believe it will vanish in the 3 /6  upcoming months. So Alec this to say I believe it is normal to still limp a bit. I am with you. :) Just like you guys my foot hurts the most when I wake up but after some exercises it gets better. The pain does not go away but it is less. I tried to ‘run‘ very slowly  the other day it went ok until my foot gave me signals to calm down. I am a Belgian citizen living in Portugal so since my accident happend here the surgery also took place here in PT. 

My doctor told me to go against my fears and pains and run as normally but I think differently... following my gut and listening to my body since indeed every body and fracture is different. I try to flex my foot to the place where the screws are since my doctor told me this is the only way I will gain back my mobility fully hopefully. Is it recommended to take out the screws 1 year post. surgery? Thank you for sharing your stories and experiences. The help and support this community offers keeps me going. sincerely Harry 

Hey Alec,

Back in 2017 I suffered a fractured talus and complete tear of my ATFL and CFL ligament. I was 25 years old at the time. I had surgery a month after the accident because I had to let the swelling go down before the operation. After the operation it took me 6 months before I was able to feel stable on it. I started climbing again 7 months later and it’s been bomber! I’ve taken some nice lead falls on it and it’s held up pretty good! I think being active and taking care of your body (doing tons of pt) even though it hurts is important. Currently my “injured” ankle is a kankle but feels strong, sometimes it feels stronger than my uninjured ankle lol. My orthopedic surgeon said I might have severe arthritis by 50 but for now it’s been holding up great. Cheers and be safe out there! 

Alec, it wasn't until I had the metal removed earlier this year that all the pain went away.  I'm not saying you'll always have pain but for the first year, the pain was daily for me.  The second-year was similar but less frequent but still an odd step and it hurt again for a few weeks.  Since March, when I had the metal removed, I haven't had a painful day.  I walked ~25k steps on Saturday and ~35k steps Sunday and other than stiffness and swelling it's been pain-free.  Everyone is different so you may have better results.

Thanks for all the replies! This is an awesome support group. I’ll continue to push through. This is a pretty challenging injury, but in the grand scheme of things, I’m more than sure all of our injuries could’ve been a lot worse. Cheers, guys.  

Hello! 

I just very recently broke the talus neck on my right ankle. By recently, I mean tomorrow will be 2 weeks since my fall. Me and my boyfriend had gone to San Diego to visit a different climbing gym and during this visit I fell off a bouldering wall. I was roughly 5-7 feet off the ground, and didn't panic as I slipped because I figured I would get right back up and try it again However, my foot hit a huge jug on my way down and I immediately felt the pain and my foot went numb. Looking back it was a terrifying experience and as passionate as I was about rock climbing, sometimes these past weeks even watching a rock climbing video makes me feel anxious. However, I am sure that will all pass. This happened roughly around 3:30pm on a Sunday and I was in surgery by 7am the very next morning for a Hawkins 2 talus fracture. I had 6 screws put in, and 2 plates. I went home just a couple hours after surgery and was told it was successful and to return in 2 weeks for a follow up. 

These past two weeks have been awful. I am filled with so much fear. I am scared that I will never be able to walk, run, or climb again. This fear consumes me, and I have spent every day since laying in fear and its so difficult to distract myself from those thoughts as I can hardly move. Reading other peoples stories here has helped me a lot and I am very grateful that you all have chosen to discuss your experiences. I will continue to document my progress as well in hopes that one day it will help someone else. I have attached an x ray of my ankle from before surgery. 

Aileen M wrote:

Hello! 

I just very recently broke the talus neck on my right ankle. By recently, I mean tomorrow will be 2 weeks since my fall. Me and my boyfriend had gone to San Diego to visit a different climbing gym and during this visit I fell off a bouldering wall. I was roughly 5-7 feet off the ground, and didn't panic as I slipped because I figured I would get right back up and try it again However, my foot hit a huge jug on my way down and I immediately felt the pain and my foot went numb. Looking back it was a terrifying experience and as passionate as I was about rock climbing, sometimes these past weeks even watching a rock climbing video makes me feel anxious. However, I am sure that will all pass. This happened roughly around 3:30pm on a Sunday and I was in surgery by 7am the very next morning for a Hawkins 2 talus fracture. I had 6 screws put in, and 2 plates. I went home just a couple hours after surgery and was told it was successful and to return in 2 weeks for a follow up. 

These past two weeks have been awful. I am filled with so much fear. I am scared that I will never be able to walk, run, or climb again. This fear consumes me, and I have spent every day since laying in fear and its so difficult to distract myself from those thoughts as I can hardly move. Reading other peoples stories here has helped me a lot and I am very grateful that you all have chosen to discuss your experiences. I will continue to document my progress as well in hopes that one day it will help someone else. I have attached an x ray of my ankle from before surgery. 

Hi Aileen,

First of all, it sucks to hear about your story. I fractured my talus dome almost a year ago. I can completely relate to the anxiety and fear that you are feeling.

As soon as you’re able to start physical therapy, I highly recommend doing it. I started physical therapy the day I was released from non-weight-bearing activity. I was still on crutches when I started, and I feel like that helped tremendously. You should probably even start looking for a physical therapist that you like now, so you’re not just going wherever once you’re released.

Try to stay positive and keep your goal of getting back to doing things you love at the front of everything. The anxiety and the fear will be there, but just know that there’s a bunch of people here that have had successful stories, way more than you read about when you Google search it.

Good luck, and we all hope to hear about your progress going forward.