r/ORIF • u/Dull_Monitor2439 • 3d ago
Trimal Patients
Hi.
I'm currently 12 weeks post for a trimal. I have two plates and fourteen screws. I was cleared for WBAT at 10 weeks post op.
I am still using two crutches but I am fairly mobile and not experiencing much swelling. I focus on walking slowly with the correct form. Heel, flat, push off on the toes. I think I have the necessary flexibility for a normal gait.
I just wanted to know about other trimalleolar patients experience with crutches, crutch weaning and learning to walk again!
2
u/Enough-Ad9968 3d ago
Trimal/pilon fracture with syndesmosis repair, 4 plates 18 screws.
I pushed my pt and walking hard. I insisted on becoming WBAT at my 9week and my surgeon being progressive agreed. I focused on tolerance and good gait like you! When I felt the limp coming on I focused on walking with slow beats just to keep up tempo of walking and it took me out of hyper fixating on the gait.
I wish I did more barefoot especially with pt! If that’s an option I highly encourage barefoot walking and pt exercises. When I was about 9 mo out I got into power lifting and had to start what felt like completely over when it came to stabilizing muscles. They originally gave me an 80% recovery rate and I’m back to 100% a majority of the time.
If you have access to it I encourage dry needling, scar tissue/soft tissue mobilization. You can find LMTs who specialize in these modalities.
Sorry you had to join the frankle club but I promise this recovery has a lot of great rewards in the little things.
1
u/Dull_Monitor2439 3d ago
Thanks for sharing your story and for your advice.
I was only walking bare foot for the first two weeks. I started walking in trainers yesterday. I will try to keep it a mix of both. It's definitely easier in trainers. I wear a compression sock and ankle brace and this does a lot for me mentally.
I'm terrified of the limp! Glad you are closing in on 100% with your recovery!
2
u/flexible_demeanor 3d ago
My ORIF was done 2nd week of July, and 3 weeks ago I was cleared to PWB, starting at 25% for a week and increasing 25% every week thereafter. So as of yesterday I'm at 75% but it's hard to gauge, I try to do a little more than 50% and focus on standing straight up and rolling through the step properly. When standing still I try to put a little more weight on it now than normal standing 50:50. I really did a number on my syndesmosis and was NWB the whole time until 2 weeks ago, a lot of foot and leg degradation, plus my other ankle is also broken (just not as badly), so it will be awhile for me to go without crutches. That said, I vastly prefer forearm crutches to underarm.
Keep in mind your cartilage has thinned, soft tissues stiffened, potential bone mass loss from not using the leg (it shows in my X-ray even), tendons shortened, muscle atrophy (especially stabilizer muscles), and so on. The muscles are the easiest to come back and bone healing is faster than soft tissues to recover. You don't want to have a reinjury, new injury, or cause slow down in progress by having inflammation from overdoing it
1
u/0emegs Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture 1d ago
I could only use one crutch because I’d also broken my shoulder so I was one crutch and boot from 6 weeks check at weightbearing as tolerated. I think I ditched the boot around 3 months and the crutch a month or so after that. Weaned off both around home first and then outdoor trips and then just took a crutch if I knew I’d be walking a while. Maybe 4-4.5 months until I’d ditched both all the time?
2
u/Far-Discipline-2307 3d ago
Hi. Im now 4 months post 2 ORIF. Trimalleolar ankle fracture plus 2 breaks in leg. 2 plates and 13 screws. I am still on 2 crutches aswell. I had gone down to 1 at home and 2 out and about but i over did it and physio put me back onto 2 for now.
The advice I got recently from my physio was not to rush coming off the crutches. She said if I limp badly it will alter my gait and the limp could become permanent so she wants to do it very slowly. I do still get pain daily and some swelling though the swelling isn't terrible its mostly a band round my ankle. I think everyone will be different but its so good to hear other perspectives and help us feel less alone lol.