Time to Get My Foot Fixed

[jds holler]

It's been almost nine years since I fell off a roof, and shattered my heal bone. (calcaneus)
It was an awful injury, with about a month of agonizing pain, and another three months of strict NO WEIGHT on that foot.

The doc put a bunch of deck screws and simpson hangers in there, and all said and done, it healed up and became a working foot -- with constant pain. Not agonizing like the recovery, but pretty constant beginning really bad in the morning and improving during the day - but becoming stiff every time I let it rest.


I'm getting older, and the foot's getting worser, so I finally mustered up courage to hopefully make things better.
Having surgery, middle of November, to get the steel taken out, and a partial fusion of that joint right above the repair. What sucks is I'll be back to NO WEIGHT on it for probably three full months. And hopefully not agonizing pain like last time.

Sooo I've got a few months to enjoy myself, and get healthy and stronger for getting around on crutches and one of those I-walk peg legs.

I thought I'd see if anyone around here has had similar injury/repair -- and how it did. jd

 

[fx77]

Your doctor did a good job restoring height and alignment of the calcaneus. But the damage to the cartilage was done at the time of the injury. A subtalar arthrodesis ( fusion) should be quite effective in resolving your problems. U will find that walking on uneven ground may thereafter be a bit difficult. U will however adapt and overcome.

 

[EEP]

Some challenging days ahead, but will be glad of it when fading away in the rear view mirror. Prayers for you and the doctors!

 

[AndyA]

I had the same injury as you. That could have been a xray of my foot after the surgery. I had my metal removed and a fusion done with 2 lag screws from my heal into my ankle after about 10 years of constant pain especially after walking long distances. One wrong step and it would almost crumple me to the ground. It has been life changing after the surgery with the pain gone and able to do all the stuff I used to do without thinking of how I was going to pay for that later. My biggest regret was not getting it done sooner.
Feel free to hit me up if you want to know anything about how it went.

 

[6.5 forever]

It's been almost nine years since I fell off a roof, and shattered my heal bone. (calcaneus)
It was an awful injury, with about a month of agonizing pain, and another three months of strict NO WEIGHT on that foot.

The doc put a bunch of deck screws and simpson hangers in there, and all said and done, it healed up and became a working foot -- with constant pain. Not agonizing like the recovery, but pretty constant beginning really bad in the morning and improving during the day - but becoming stiff every time I let it rest.
View attachment 1686269
View attachment 1686270
I'm getting older, and the foot's getting worser, so I finally mustered up courage to hopefully make things better.
Having surgery, middle of November, to get the steel taken out, and a partial fusion of that joint right above the repair. What sucks is I'll be back to NO WEIGHT on it for probably three full months. And hopefully not agonizing pain like last time.

Sooo I've got a few months to enjoy myself, and get healthy and stronger for getting around on crutches and one of those I-walk peg legs.

I thought I'd see if anyone around here has had similar injury/repair -- and how it did. jd

I hope you have a good shooting buddy who can load/unload your gear so you can keep shooting at the range. I had one after back surgery

 

[jds holler]

Man, I appreciate hearing from you guys concerning the success of the fusion thing. I'm already in the camp of wishing I'd have done this sooner. I've come to the realization that this injury has absolutely changed my life since it happened. Any hard use with this foot today, I'll pay for tomorrow. -- so little by little, I've simply scaled back my activity level. I haven't bought a big game tag since this happened.

It's funny - actually miraculous- how things work out. The surgeon who originally fixed that mess has become a friend and brother at church. He an I, and a few other guys started a little group with teenaged boys to do "guy stuff", wood shop, engine repair, etc. His name is Ed, and as an orthopedic surgeon he brings a lot of skill to the group when it comes to fixing things.

Ed's been into both of my ankles over the years, and talking to him lately has been the encouragement I needed to go ahead and with this surgery. He's retired now so he won't be the one doing it, and I couldn't talk him into doing it at our little shop. jd

 

[Doug Casner]

Ive got a deal in my neck kinda like that. My neck fused back but the plate is still there. It will always be there. They would have to break my neck to get it out. Good Luck Doug

 

[Mulligan]

42 years of wild land firefighting will wear stuff out. I was peg legged Pete for a while with an ankle without any cartilage. The docs at the Steadman Clinic grew new cartilage in the ankle back in 2012….. way better than falling down all the time on uneven terrain.

Not an injury like yours by a long ways, but thought I would share because there is help for the bone on bone situation. I learned this after half a dozen local MD,s said there was nothing that could be done.

Good on you for getting it fixed. Staying active is important for lots of reasons

CW

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Not an injury like yours by a long ways, but thought I would share because there is help for the bone on bone situation. I learned this after half a dozen local MD,s said there was nothing that could be done.

That’s very interesting, if you don’t mind could I ask where this clinic is?
Very interested if this has been used on hip joints. Thanks!

 

[Steve Donlon]

They have come a long way now days from how they used to fix us up. I'm sure you will be fine. Just do the PT no matter what! I broke my tibia and fibula and shattered my ankle at the same time in a motorcycle accident years ago and they had to fuse it back together and had a fixator on it until it healed up. So it does not bend very well, so uneven ground is different. But at least it does not cause much pain. And that was 50 years ago.

 

[Mulligan]

That’s very interesting, if you don’t mind could I ask where this clinic is?
Very interested if this has been used on hip joints. Thanks!

The one I went to is in Vail Colorado. I think there are several around the country?

https://www.thesteadmanclinic.com/orthopedic-care/hip-surgery?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=8921022887&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2IDFBhDCARIsABDKOJ6CXBOSQeM4kE_XJ1RPbkNrDO0gj3Y_Jtll1DeMSf9VnDfyoZ-lvtgaAiZqEALw_wcB

Maybe Steadman Hawkins out East?

CW

BTW,
They drilled into my pelvis and drew out bone marrow, they spun the stem cells out of the marrow and injected that into my ankle with some Prep work involving drills and such. It worked!

CW

 

[Kracken McGraw]

The one I went to is in Vail Colorado. I think there are several around the country?

https://www.thesteadmanclinic.com/orthopedic-care/hip-surgery?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=8921022887&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2IDFBhDCARIsABDKOJ6CXBOSQeM4kE_XJ1RPbkNrDO0gj3Y_Jtll1DeMSf9VnDfyoZ-lvtgaAiZqEALw_wcB

Maybe Steadman Hawkins out East?

CW

BTW,
They drilled into my pelvis and drew out bone marrow, they spun the stem cells out of the marrow and injected that into my ankle with some Prep work involving drills and such. It worked!

CW

Thank You, I will check them out as well as ask my surgeon about it. Hip replacement 7 years ago, and now other side getting close to bone on bone but not as severe arthritis as the first one.

 

[powderbrake]

I had all the bones below the ankle fused because of arthritis. Totally eliminated the pain, but lost the ability to rotate the foot. Just had to learn to pick foot up first when rotating.
There were 10 screws in my foot, X ray only shows 6, 4 were taken out when I got my ankle replaced,( two larger blobs above the screws) which has worked out great. Click on pic for larger view

 

[Bugs]

I hope you have a good shooting buddy who can load/unload your gear so you can keep shooting at the range. I had one after back surgery

I've bounced around the Central Penna. long range benchrest circuit for 30 years or more. There are ALWAYS folks who are willing to help get your equipment to the line etc. etc. Just keep shooting, it might be difficult but you'll find a way, I'm sure.

 

[CharlieNC]

Good luck!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Regenerative repair has made great progress and will continue to using your own cells.

 

[ELR LVR]

It's been almost nine years since I fell off a roof, and shattered my heal bone. (calcaneus)
It was an awful injury, with about a month of agonizing pain, and another three months of strict NO WEIGHT on that foot.

The doc put a bunch of deck screws and simpson hangers in there, and all said and done, it healed up and became a working foot -- with constant pain. Not agonizing like the recovery, but pretty constant beginning really bad in the morning and improving during the day - but becoming stiff every time I let it rest.
View attachment 1686269
View attachment 1686270
I'm getting older, and the foot's getting worser, so I finally mustered up courage to hopefully make things better.
Having surgery, middle of November, to get the steel taken out, and a partial fusion of that joint right above the repair. What sucks is I'll be back to NO WEIGHT on it for probably three full months. And hopefully not agonizing pain like last time.

Sooo I've got a few months to enjoy myself, and get healthy and stronger for getting around on crutches and one of those I-walk peg legs.

I thought I'd see if anyone around here has had similar injury/repair -- and how it did. jd

DAMN!
is that...............is that part of an erector set in there?

 

[jds holler]

Having one of these things was a game changer for me last time. You just stand up on your good leg, and fasten a couple of straps, and -- walk.
When I was able to get up and around with this thing, I started feeling like I might actually live through it all. After laying pretty much in bed for a month, my body was craving exercise. I actually got out and raked leaves and such. jd

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Does that have a shock absorber on it to cushion your hip joint?

 

[jds holler]

Does that have a shock absorber on it to cushion your hip joint?

That one doesn't. Pretty good padding under the knee. I'm getting a "latest model" for this new surgery, and - maybe. That would be a good up-grade. jd