Crushed Right Heel

I crushed my rt. heel in 2003. And it took me about a year and half to just walk around the block again. They didn't operate and it healed on its on. ( still crushed). I thought my climbing was over, but it wasn't. I started back on top-rope only to get my strength back somewhat. I learned to deal with the stiffness, 40% up and down, and none side-to-side. Although it did limit me a little, I can still hold my on. The hardest thing to deal with is the traumatic arthritis that has set up in my rt. ankle. That is where my limit is adding up now as I edge towards the golden age of a young 50. I just wear a brace on the rt. ankle and do the best I can. If your really passionate about climbing hang in there, except your limited abilities when you get injured, and bounce back.....!

Nice message, Stonyman-

And an encouraging reminder for everyone who deals with greater or lesser injuries that time and intelligent rehab--plus some desire--can get us back cranking.

Happy holidays.

Thanks for the good words...I have had a similar experience.

In 2002 I destroyed my talus and surrounding metatarcels - lots of fun.
I decided to have surgery to repair the damage - the prognosis was that I would not heal correctly and in 3 to 5 years develop severe arthritis and have my ankle fused at 90 degrees...In fact my surgeon said I should take up scuba diving. Which wasn't too funny for a 60 mile a week runner and a 5.10+ trad climber...Basically my life was over, which sucked.

9.5 months on crutches and then another 1.5 partial weight bearing - followed by 5 months of re learning how to walk. With the 2000 bucks of titanium in my ankle I had around 50-65% range of motion - so I waited another year - in totally arthritic pain - My friends in Atlanta called me the weather channel - because I knew that it would rain by the pain in my ankle.

After a full year - I had my hardware removed - began to walk normally and by January of the next year started to gym climb. This was the true test of humility - struggling on a route that prior to my accident I could have climbed as a warm up...

It has been 3 full years since I have started back climbing - I can once again climb 5.10 (sport) and have increased my grade consistently each year in trad to a 5.9...Hopefully be back on 10s in 2009.

I guess the moral of my story is that humility, patience, and determination can get you pretty far...Oh and Stoneyman61 - move to CO or where there is 0 humidity - It will improve your arthritis tremendously, it did for me.

Thanks for the post...especially around the holidays - because it reminds me of what I should be thankful for.

Stonyman,

I thought a bit before responding to your post. About 10 years ago I was involved in a belaying accident and hit the ground from 65 feet. The end result was a crushed right talus, two broken calcanei(sp?), a broken right leg, and four broken ribs. My injured right ankle was surgiclly repaired. I was completely off my right leg for 3 months and then completed about 3 months of professional sports PT. The comeback was slow, but not as slow as one might think. The accident was in August and I was able to summit the Totem Pole the next New Years day. I have since been able to climb at times close to my historic max.
My current status is brief stiffness every morning that resolves after a few minutes of walking or a hot shower. I think I have lost about 30% mobility. I can still do long(10 pitch plus) climbs with long (2-3hour) aproaches, and have recently ran a few 5k's. As I too near 50, I usually require a day off after one of these adventures.

The bottom line is that a body in motion tends to remain in motion! A few Advil now and then doesn't hurt either! Keep your chin up and be greatful that you too are hard to kill!

curious how the Stonyman61 and doug S injured their ankles?

Stoneyman, I'd be curious as to why you didn't get your heel fixed surgically? Was it something that was not suitable for repair. I shattered mine in February and was back leading in August and on 12s again in September. The surgery was definitely more painful than the break and I had the extra bonus of a blood clot too, but the fix seems to be worth it in terms of my current foot capabilities. I'm not yet close to 100%, but there's still some improvement. I think the most important thing is to stay off slabs and climb steep stuff, as well as drink beer.

Stu, seems we now have more in common than just our miscreant friends......

Wow, after reading these stories, I feel even luckier.

Back in about 2001 I broke both heals in a ground fall. Split them right down the middle. I consider myself lucky that was the only injury.

Oddly enough, the doctors said to just stay off them for them to heal. (no surgery, no cast) I took a few months in a wheelchair before moving to crutches. Several weeks of crutches to move to short stints of walking.

They were stiff for about a year, and getting out of the bed in the morning would hurt, but eventually that went away.

I consider myself lucky to have made a full recovery. I gave up climbing for some time, but eventually eased back into it. (With a different belayer.. ;) )

It is amazing the bodies resilience.

I too have had a similar injury or injuries. Bilateral calcaneal fractures. I crushed both heels. spent a few months in a wheel chair high as a kite on vicodin. then moved to crutches, picked up an awesome staph infection and had to have another surgery on the left ankle so they could remove the pins and plates. then had the pleasure of an infectious disease doctor place a pic line in my arm so that I could give myself high doses of antibiotic injections for a few weeks. I did lose some of range of motion in my left ankle which had the most trauma. definitely have arthritis in the left more than the right. and definitely can tell when weather is changing. used to love viox until they pulled it from the shelves. like the old vitamin IB, 4 at a time up to three times a day.
I almost forgot how this happened. climbing an easy 5.6 in the garden of the gods,on the red and white spires. I think the route was called potholes. anyway, I hit the corner of the side walk when I fell and that is what did the damage. I did this back in 97. definitely have had to modify certain techniques when climbing because of the loss of some of the range of motion. after this accident I definitely motivated to get in the gym and worked on the legs. lots of calf raises..

Paul Hunnicutt wrote:curious how the Stonyman61 and doug S injured their ankles?

Paul,

When I was young (read stupid) I liked high ball boulder problems...I was on a V6 (which was almost at my limit) and my feet were about 20 feet off the ground, with a sloped and rocky landing. I missed the last sloper and fell. Landing with my feet slightly uneven. I attribute the severity of the injury to the height and landing - plus my 40.5 LS Cobras being way too tight. That's how it all went down - pun intended.

doug s wrote: When I was young...

"Lives in Boulder, CO, 29 years old, Male"

That's just a low blow, Doug...really low.

Stonyman, I have shattered both heals from BASE jumping and whipping off Half Dome. Take it easy and do what the Dr's say. I'm hauling in 40years old with a crane and have done many Triathalons(as well as cool climbing)since the injuries. Short story gone long. relax and rehab dude. Your Talus and medial and lateral Malleoulus.(blew all those) will be fine. My wife just got a rod in her femur, thank your stars. I'll PM you with my phone number.

PS- Ankles suck!, But they will tell you the wheather conditions ....

Paul Hunnicutt wrote:curious how the Stonyman61 and doug S injured their ankles?

I shattered mine working. Got knocked off a billboard sign by a crane, what a whipper!! Hit concrete on my rt. heel.

Tzilla Rapdrilla wrote:Stoneyman, I'd be curious as to why you didn't get your heel fixed surgically? Was it something that was not suitable for repair. I shattered mine in February and was back leading in August and on 12s again in September. The surgery was definitely more painful than the break and I had the extra bonus of a blood clot too, but the fix seems to be worth it in terms of my current foot capabilities. I'm not yet close to 100%, but there's still some improvement. I think the most important thing is to stay off slabs and climb steep stuff, as well as drink beer. Stu, seems we now have more in common than just our miscreant friends......

It was crushed and at the time I smoked heavily, he said infection would be hard to fight, being a smoker. I'm allergic to one of the anesthesia's and they didn't know which one it was. The ankle is the problem, with traumatic arthritis setting up in my rt. ankle.

Shawn Mitchell wrote: From Doug's personal page: "Lives in Boulder, CO, 29 years old, Male" That's just a low blow, Doug...really low.

Sorry it should have read - younger - or (more) immature.

greetings fellow club members!
i took a fall while bouldering at flagstaff 4 years ago and crushed my left calcaneous, broke the talus into 3 pieces. the break was compounded, broken artery. bleeding all over the place. my heal was severely displaced. i was alone at the time, warming up before friends were to show up. i had to do my own first aid, treat for shock, etc. i used a shoe lace from my sneakers to apply a "turkeynet" until help arrived. no self rescue that day. thanks to boulder search and rescue for getting me to the hospital.
5 days, 2 surgeries, 6 pins later i was released from BCH.
Thank you to Stephen Paul for putting me back together.
3 months non weight bearing cast.
3 months in a walking cast
3 months in a boot.
tons of PT. i have some permanent nerve damage that left the bottom of my foot and by little toe paralyzed.
i am back to riding bikes a lot and am getting back to climbing ok.
i have some bone on bone in the sub-talar joint that hurts at times. and uneven ground can be a bitch, so i am slower on the approach. funny but the hardest and most painful thing is standing on a hard surface for long periods of time, like waiting in line for a concert.
no running allowed...i'm ok with that, but miss it at times.
all in all i'm back to being myself.
i can telemark ski, snowboard, mtn bike, road bike, drink beer, laugh with friends and i have some kick ass images of damage done.
it was a long ways back and i feel blessed every day for being able to walk.

We should start having a Front Range Gimp Climbing Day/Beer Night...to medicate after the climbing day...

any takers?

mark kerns wrote:greetings fellow club members! i took a fall while bouldering at flagstaff 4 years ago and crushed my left calcaneous, broke the talus into 3 pieces. the break was compounded, broken artery. bleeding all over the place. my heal was severely displaced. i was alone at the time, warming up before friends were to show up. i had to do my own first aid, treat for shock, etc. i used a shoe lace from my sneakers to apply a "turkeynet" until help arrived. no self rescue that day. thanks to boulder search and rescue for getting me to the hospital. 5 days, 2 surgeries, 6 pins later i was released from BCH. Thank you to Stephen Paul for putting me back together. 3 months non weight bearing cast. 3 months in a walking cast 3 months in a boot. tons of PT. i have some permanent nerve damage that left the bottom of my foot and by little toe paralyzed. i am back to riding bikes a lot and am getting back to climbing ok. i have some bone on bone in the sub-talar joint that hurts at times. and uneven ground can be a bitch, so i am slower on the approach. funny but the hardest and most painful thing is standing on a hard surface for long periods of time, like waiting in line for a concert. no running allowed...i'm ok with that, but miss it at times. all in all i'm back to being myself. i can telemark ski, snowboard, mtn bike, road bike, drink beer, laugh with friends and i have some kick ass images of damage done. it was a long ways back and i feel blessed every day for being able to walk.

Wow, we are about on the same page. I have some nerve damage in my rt. foot from the surgery( taking a tumor off my planter).

doug s wrote:We should start having a Front Range Gimp Climbing Day/Beer Night...to medicate after the climbing day... any takers?

Stuck in Ala.

Stonyman61 wrote: Stuck in Ala.

i'll have to raise a glass for you tonight.
cheers mate.

doug s wrote:We should start having a Front Range Gimp Climbing Day/Beer Night...to medicate after the climbing day... any takers?

Can I be the President? Whatever, I'm in anyway.

All these broken ankle stories..

I was warming up on an easy climb a couple years ago, getting ready to clip the third bolt and my handhold broke. I fell between 15-20 feet and decked landing w/ all my weight on my right foot. Yeah, there was a little bit of belayer error.

Sustained a shattered talus, broken tib, broken fib.
I've got 4 titanium screws and my ankle works surprisingly well.
I trail run and climb several times a week. Mtn bike as well.
I have reduced range of motion but I don't have too much pain. It's a little stiff and arthritic once in awhile.

Now I'm starting to sound like my dad catalogueing all my ailments...sheesh.