I pulled a good one

Saturday I went out on the back porch my foot slipped and I got it tangled up in the toe rail and broke my ankle. All 3 of the bones the doc tells me. About how long does it really take to get back on your feet? Any suggestions to make it go quicker will be greatly appreciated.
Tks, JD

I'm not sure you're on the right forum. We can tell what anchor to use and what size Racor for your engine but I'd listen to your doctor.

Well, now it looks like his ankle has become an anchor

Every once in a while I tend to think we have seen it all on this forum and then read something that points out the folly of my assumptions.

Good luck and heal well

Ask your doc. Do the PT he tells you and work hard to get it back. We are all one fall away from starting the downward spiral that takes us away from cruising

OUCH! That sucks!!

Please allow me a proud Dad story...

Our daughter broke her ankle (just one bone though) a little over a year ago. She still went to the BC Winter Games for gymnastics with a cast on and competed on the uneven bars. Her coach lifted her onto the bars so she could do her routine, then was lowered to the mat so she could 'present' to the judges. She also just ran in the 10 Kilometer Vancouver Sun Run a couple days ago. She's 15 and probably heals faster than us old timers!

My only advice: when you start feeling good, don't do what your mind says your body can do...you're mind is going to want to go for it, but that's exactly the time when you need to be smart and give your ankle time to really get solid.

Good luck, and take this time to read about the systems on your boat, or do research on the many new ultra-fancy systems you can replace them with

Wow, so sorry about the ankle.

I would also encourage you to do as much PT as you can get your insurance to pay for. Just from my own history of a number of sports injuries, I have learned that not only do you have to restore strength and flexibility after an injury and recovery, but you have to work to restore the proprioception from the injured limb. This is importance to balance, which tends to get worse with age and is important on boats.

Soon as you can, swim swim swim, much smoother and less stressful than dry land exercise. For an ankle, once past the pain, I'd try flippers for extra stretching and rebuilding muscle.

It depends on your over all health. Sally fell 2 years ago and broke 3 bones in her ankle. She is a diabetic and is still healing. Refuses to flow the doctors advice. She has screws and stainless steal plate. It has been a real trip. Do what the doctor says and PT. I broke an arm falling into my cabin on the boat it healed in a couple of months followed the doctors advice no problems.

Thank you folks for the come backs. I will do what the doc. tells me and the PT for sure.

john61ct said:

Soon as you can, swim swim swim, much smoother and less stressful than dry land exercise. For an ankle, once past the pain, I'd try flippers for extra stretching and rebuilding muscle.

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Interestingly, after a particularly bad sprained ankle while doing trail running, I couldn't swim for about 3 years. Well, I could swim but I couldn't do a flipper kick with that ankle. I could run and race without a problem, but swimming was way too painful.

Pieyed47 said:

Saturday I went out on the back porch my foot slipped and I got it tangled up in the toe rail and broke my ankle. All 3 of the bones the doc tells me. About how long does it really take to get back on your feet? Any suggestions to make it go quicker will be greatly appreciated.

Tks, JD

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I broke the fibula right above the ankle right after Christmas. Also had some ligament damage. Tried to jog yesterday for the first time and it was not good. I will try to jog again tomorrow. It has been a VERY slow recovery for me. I'm 52.

Best of luck to your speedy recovery.

The rate of healing depends on so many things. Age, general health, excercise, state of mind, physiotherapy, diet.

I believe state of mind is one the most important. Don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself. Be determined to do everything possible to heal your body. I found being out on the water in the boat, was an important part of my healing experience. Find the balance between using you recovering ankle and resting it.

I have zero medical training to back up my suggestions, but I have had 100% recovery from a couple severe injuries which could have gone either way.

I'm with you guys. I was cleaning the gutters on my house on Christmas Eve and the extension ladder slipped out from under me. I fell about ten feet, dislocated my shoulder, broke a bone in my hand and gave myself a nice new wrinkle in my bald forehead...to the tune of 17 stitches.

I'm back close to normal now, but my shoulder still sends me shots of pain if I catch it right, my fingers are still a little sore and swollen and I can't make a real tight fist.

I'm 52 as well. Sucks.

Pieyed47 said:

Saturday I went out on the back porch my foot slipped and I got it tangled up in the toe rail and broke my ankle. All 3 of the bones the doc tells me. About how long does it really take to get back on your feet? Any suggestions to make it go quicker will be greatly appreciated.
Tks, JD

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3 to 4 months to get to 1/2 speed, 6 to 9 months to 90%, 12 months to normal. When the cast comes off swimming is the best therapy.

AusCan said:

The rate of healing depends on so many things. Age, general health, excercise, state of mind, physiotherapy, diet.

I believe state of mind is one the most important. Don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself. Be determined to do everything possible to heal your body. I found being out on the water in the boat, was an important part of my healing experience. Find the balance between using you recovering ankle and resting it.

I have zero medical training to back up my suggestions, but I have had 100% recovery from a couple severe injuries which could have gone either way.

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Good philosophy. I need to follow this more. You Aussies seem to have pretty damn good attitudes from what I've observed.

I gotta ask.....were you Pieyed when you fell?


Just kidding. I hope it heals well, and quickly.

Turner said:

3 to 4 months to get to 1/2 speed, 6 to 9 months to 90%, 12 months to normal. When the cast comes off swimming is the best therapy.

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Did this in April walking off the ramp to shore. Doc told me to expect the rate of recovery almost exactly as Turner quoted. Four months in to it and the fibula has still not calcified. 37mm rod, 4 screws and 5 pins (ankle) and still 5-6 months out for "normal".

Sorry to hear about your bad luck Mate. The only thing I can tell you in me Irish opinion is. Booze, Booze and more booze and you will be back on you feet in no time!

That is if you don't fall down and break something else.!

Cheers

H.

hfoster said:

Sorry to hear about your bad luck Mate. The only thing I can tell you in me Irish opinion is. Booze, Booze and more booze and you will be back on you feet in no time!

That is if you don't fall down and break something else.!

Cheers

H.

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I'll drink to that.

Pieyed47 said:

I'll drink to that.

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I'll drink to your ankle Mate.

Cheers!

H.