A ?? for those with hardware (specifically in ankle)...

AnnShh · Apr 21, 2009

For those of you with hardware in (specifically in your ankle), did you notice a bit of pain once you were out of the cast?

I was completely NWB for 3 weeks and then in a walking cast for antoher 3 weeks. I was just put in a CAM walker yesterday and was told I can take it off to shower, sleep, and when just sitting around.

I took it off yesterday when I went to bed and noticed a little bit of pain around where the hardware is. Now I'm sitting here with the CAM walker off and again some slight pain... Nothing bad and I'm thinking that I just need to slowly get used to being able to flex it (if you could call it that, my ROM sucks right now). I start light PT on Thursday (and my OS has told me to very lightly move it around)

My question is, should I put ice, heat, or both on my ankle? What would be most effective?

Lynn & The Chins · Apr 21, 2009

No experience with pins/screws/rods, but ice would be my advice.

I have chronic back trouble from an injury, and I LOVED to lay on the heating pad all the time because it felt so warm and soothing. I never believed that ice could be better -- my mind set was that it was cold and icky.

When I finally agreed to give it a try, I was amazed at the pain relief it gives!!! You should only ice for 20 minutes at a time, then 20 minutes off, and the ice pack or bag should be in a cloth cover so that it is not in direct contact with your skin or you can get frostbite.

I never thought that in the middle of winter, I would set my alarm clock 20 minutes earlier, get up, go to the kitchen, get the blue gel pack, wrap it in a cloth and go back to bed to lie on it for 20 minutes before getting up to shower!!! I'm telling you, it's great and I do it every morning!!! It really helps with the pain and surprisingly, the stiffness.

So, go ahead -- try it!!! I think you'll like it!!! :thumbsup:

addictedtochins · Apr 22, 2009

You really need to find out your post-op care from your Doctor for the quickest recovery, Good luck, geez, you poor thing!

Chinniechantel · Apr 22, 2009

Ouch. I had 2 plates and screws put in my arm, and it HURT afterwards. I had to do physical therapy for months, and even then it still hurt. So, they decided to remove the plates since I am so thin you could feel them in my arm when pushing on my skin. They said they usually don't remove them, but I have been so much better off since then. Heat worked best for me, and to stay out of cold weather! I swear that made it worse. I hope you feel better soon.

Lmbswimmer · Apr 22, 2009

I had 7 screws and 2 plates put in my ankle. At times I felt them, mainly because they were foreign bodies in my ankle. I had 1 pin olding my ankle on the inside back to the main ankle bone, and the rest were holding my fibula together. 1 pin had to be removed prior to me walking since it was attaching my fibula to my tibia.

I had my metal in 1 year and then had it taken out. I always felt it, you could actually see what type of screw head was used because the skin around the ankle was so thin. I remember it being really painful to touch. My recovery was very fast though - I heal quickly and I never needed PT. I went from completely not walking on it at 6 weeks after the incident to full weight bearing no need for PT leg muscles measuring within 1/2 inch in the next 6 weeks. My follow-up where I was supposed to go in to be assessed for PT turned into a "your good to go, just be careful for the next year". I did a lot of stretching (easy), toe pointing, muscle flexing, ankle carefully rolling, toe raises, leg lifts etc... Very easy stuff during that follow-up time, and it really helped.

I don't remember if I used ice or heat for the internal pain, the only thing that truly helped me was having it removed a year later. The worlds most painful thing that I ever remember is swinging around to get out behind a metal desk and hit the inside metal screw on the side of the desk. It was the resonance (sp/right term) of the metal - it sent vibrations up and down my leg for about 10 minutes!! So becareful around metal desks

Good luck!! I was given a prognosis of 65% use after surgery and 12 weeks post op I was within 5% of my other leg - both in flexibility and strength.

AnnShh · Apr 22, 2009

Lmbswimmer said:
I had 7 screws and 2 plates put in my ankle. At times I felt them, mainly because they were foreign bodies in my ankle. I had 1 pin olding my ankle on the inside back to the main ankle bone, and the rest were holding my fibula together. 1 pin had to be removed prior to me walking since it was attaching my fibula to my tibia.

I had my metal in 1 year and then had it taken out. I always felt it, you could actually see what type of screw head was used because the skin around the ankle was so thin. I remember it being really painful to touch. My recovery was very fast though - I heal quickly and I never needed PT. I went from completely not walking on it at 6 weeks after the incident to full weight bearing no need for PT leg muscles measuring within 1/2 inch in the next 6 weeks. My follow-up where I was supposed to go in to be assessed for PT turned into a "your good to go, just be careful for the next year". I did a lot of stretching (easy), toe pointing, muscle flexing, ankle carefully rolling, toe raises, leg lifts etc... Very easy stuff during that follow-up time, and it really helped.

I don't remember if I used ice or heat for the internal pain, the only thing that truly helped me was having it removed a year later. The worlds most painful thing that I ever remember is swinging around to get out behind a metal desk and hit the inside metal screw on the side of the desk. It was the resonance (sp/right term) of the metal - it sent vibrations up and down my leg for about 10 minutes!! So becareful around metal desks

Good luck!! I was given a prognosis of 65% use after surgery and 12 weeks post op I was within 5% of my other leg - both in flexibility and strength.

I'm hoping that I won't have to get these removed. I really don't want to go through another surgery! Two is enough for me!

My OS put me in a walking cast 2 weeks early because I had no pain and really good (considering...)ROM at the time of the appt... I have never had good ROM in either ankle so while it wasn't great, it was good compared to the ROM I do have in my good ankle. I could move it forward and back and to the side w/o pain and good flexability... doc was surprised but OK'ed me to go into a walking cast.
I have less ROM now than I did 3 weeks ago, but I'm thinking that's just because I've been stuck in a cast for a total of 6 weeks, so it's stiff. I start PT tomorrow and am looking forward to it but dreading what pain it will cause. Hopefully not to much... In PT she starts by putting heat on the area and then at the end of the session she puts ice on the area, so I'll be able to see how it feels after both. In the meantime, tonight I'll one a try...