It's been almost a year since I broke my ankle.  It has not been right since then.  The only time it doesn't hurt is when I am biking.  (I'd love to make that an excuse to always ride my bike, but considering it has been over 65 hours that we have been below 0, I don't think it would be reasonable! )    So, today, the surgeon took the screws and plate out of my ankle.  He claims this will fix everything.  But, in the meantime, I'm back on crutches for a week or so. 

This should be a quick recovery - or at least I hope so!

Well, here's hoping that the surgeon is right, and that he has some good ideas (and you have some good resources) for getting some strength and flexibility back in the joint.

I hope that whatever you were doing when you broke your ankle was enough fun to make it worth it!

When you get off of your crutches...look for a myofascial release therapist in your area.  Its not quite massage and its not quite Rolphing and I've had some amazing results from it and my injury is 16 years old.

Hope you're well soon!!!  Oh yeah, its going to be 79 degrees at my house today 

Wanna come over & ride your bike? 

Sakina - taunts like that are just...... mean!        I'd love to come to your house and bike!

So far I am very optimistic.  I can already put weight on it and I've not needed any pain meds since last night.  The strange thing about all of this - I've always had flexibility in the joint, it just hurt when I would walk or stand for any length of time.  The doctor tried to explain that it is a ligament that was rubbing across the screw heads when I was on my feet.  The cold weather would make it even worse.  (and we have been experiencing significant cold this past week!)

Now I have this very pretty, shiny titanium plate and 6 shiny screws.  I keep trying to figure out how I could make a necklace with them..... any ideas??

bikerbraid wrote on Feb 5^th, 2007 at 8:43pm:


Isn't this a good thing? Did Dr. plan on leaving this hardware in there forever? 

Well, if you have to be on crutches, it may as well be when it's zero outside. It could be worse. International Falls, Mn. had a low of -30F!

rodent wrote on Feb 6^th, 2007 at 11:30pm:


The hardware could be left in forever, however a significant percentage of people who have the plate and screws do have them removed for the exact reason I had them removed.  THEY HURT! There is a tendon that has to cross over the screw heads, and SURPRISE! that hurts!.  

Yes, I'm glad I'm not in International Falls or Tower or Embarass MN - all have been posting extreme temps.  But in my opinion - anything colder that -10F is just plain cold.  It doesn't matter any more.  You just don't spend much time outside.  

But even here in MN, there are some idiots that don't believe cold is cold.  There is an 18 year old that during the Superbowl half time, he followed the family tradition of running around the yard, barefoot.  It was -17 with windchills of -35 at the time.  He was outside barefoot and in a Tshirt.  He has 2nd degree frostbite on both feet and has a good possibility of losing his toes - maybe even his feet.  STUPID!  He was outside only 5 minutes.

The drawback of being on crutches right now - the snow is very slippery/icy, so I have to be extra careful when outside.  But at least this time I can put some weight on the foot, so I can stablize easier than before.  And, on the upside - it is a great upper arm workout!  

Oh dear the hardware was giving you trouble?  I hope your feeling better soon!

oh i am so sorry i hope you get well soon