Calcaneus Surgery ORIF Success Stories?

Hi Lisa, thanks for the update. I am jealous that you will  be weight bearing in only 6 weeks. My surgeon was adamant that i was to have no weight bearing for 12 weeks! i am now 11 weeks and 1 to go :) I still have a lot of swelling around the ankle which is normal in the morning and gradually swells during the day - even though i keep my leg elevated. I asked my surgeon if he was ok that i wear compression stockings and he gave the thumbs up. I had a pair fitted this morning and so far the swelling is in check and not causing me problems. I'm not sure how the first steps will be in a week as my heel is still numb, so although i'm really looking forward to walking again, i am also apprehensive. i am currently doing stationey bike and also swimming. Keep in touch!

Karen Cauchi wrote: I’ve been reading through all your experiences and all of this gives me hope. I sustained my injury at work, I’m a teacher, and as I was trying to decorate and prepare my class for the new scholastic year I slipped off a table and broke my calcaneum which in turn injured my subtalar joint. My accident occurred on the 13th and I’m lined up for surgery on the 29th. I have always led an active and busy lifestyle and with two kids aged 13 and 10 it’s been very hard on me psychologically. I was excited about this new school year and now I have to be out of work at least till January. I’m going to have a plate and screws inserted too. My surgeon is optimistic but I was still told my life will never be the same again and that I will be left with a disability. I’m determined to beat this. I’m otherwise healthy and physically strong at 44 so I’m determined to do my best. I wanted to ask, how long post surgery did you all gain some form of independence? And would I be able to drive a regular car again? Thank you xxx

Hi again. I’m 3 week’s post op. Calcaneal ORIF 6 screws. Had my stitches removed yesterday - not a pretty sight! Cast also came off. Surgeon’s instructions are to move my foot up and down every day for 4 weeks to work my ankle. I’m finding this very hard. It moved easily when he pushed it up and down but I’m finding it very hard to do myself. It feels stiff and I’m scared I’ll rip something if I try too hard. Is this normal? Have you had similar experiences! I can move it slightly but it’s so tight!

Hi Karen, I recall lots of tightness immediately postop. Your strength and flexibility will return slowly. Once you are able to flex and dorsiflex, adding in resistance bands will be a good idea mostly for flexibility. However, I think the majority of your muscle recovery will begin once you are weight bearing. Ultimately you need large loads to rebuild muscle, you don't see weight lifters doing air squats for example.

Congrats on making it through the next phase! Are you having much swelling? Keeps us posted!

Hi Karen, well done in getting this far! My surgeon did not give me such exercises to do, although he did say I should try and roll my foot. So I did this using my hand and turning my foot clockwise and then anti. I am now 12 weeks and have been given the ok to start putting pressure on the heel. I also had my first PT session yesterday. It's amazing how my foot has almost seized up in the 12 weeks. The heel pressure is tough and it's sore. I have to use crutches. The surgeon tells me I could be down to 1 crutch in a week, but judging the way my foot feels now, I doubt that! The PT exercises are tough, but I am pushing ahead! My foot swells a lot after PT. I would say maybe ask a friend to gently do the exercise for you, until you get the hang of it. I took Calcium+ vits and also drank milk during my recovery. I really don't know if it helped, but I'm sure it didn't harm! Good luck and keep me posted on the progress.

Thank you. This is the only place where I feel I can get answers. It’s a tough injury as no one seems to understand. Not even family. They think it’s just a broken bone why the fuss! I got an iWalk hands free crutch and it’s helping greatly mobility-wise. But I have to take frequent breaks as I get very tired. Thanks again x

Steve sleo@global.co.za wrote: Hi Lisa, thanks for the update. I am jealous that you will  be weight bearing in only 6 weeks. My surgeon was adamant that i was to have no weight bearing for 12 weeks! 

Steve, I was surprised too! 12wks seems to be the prevailing protocol, including the first surgeon I saw (but she also was grim & said no surgery would help me). Can’t complain, as I’d already been off it 6wks before surgery.

I’m 2.5wks post-op, got the cast off on Thur. Still NWB in the boot another 4wks. Just ankle ROM for now.

Karen, I too have stiffness, it’s normal. I get it though, it’s hard to see.
I also have a decent degree of numbness in my toes, particularly my big toe. I hate the feeling, especially while doing ROM and my toes touch! Trying cotton between my toes so I can stomach it. The big toe is the worst (feels ‘wooden’)...I think the others have improved, hard to tell. 
My surgeon said this is normal & will resolve?!

Honestly, keeping up positivity has been challenging some days. I’m restless and feel caged, plus scared. But just focusing on taking it day by day, and doing the things I can for now.
One-footed climbing for the win!!! :)

Karen, I agree with you that friends and family totally don't understand this injury. The only way to understand it is when you experience it! We have to keep going forward as there is really no alternative. I should have got the iwalk and only released that too late. Anyway, as I said I am 12 weeks now and trying so hard to walk, but the fat heel pad is non-existant and it feels like bone on shoe when putting pressure on my foot. Today I got some heel supports in the form of foam. I actually wanted gel, but the shop didn't have. This has made a very big difference as I don't feel the bone now. The swelling is intense around my ankle. I am going to have dry needling coupled to isometric massaging on Wednesday. The dry needling is meant to relieve the swelling, whilst the massage is meant to help flush out the dead tissue. I'll give you feedback after. I am totally amazed at how much the foot deteriorates in 3 months. I am a very healthy and fit gut, but that didn't seem to count for much. Anyway, I continue with the PT with great hope!

Lisa, good to hear from you. Great that you are 2.5 weeks post op. I didn't have numbness in my toes, so can't help on that, but would it help to maybe massage them to get the blood flow going??
It is really difficult keeping positive when you see everybody walking around so freely and wanting to shout to them how lucky they are!! We have to literally take it day by day and try not to get negative. If you need to vent, just post it, we will all understand and you will feel better after:) Keep going and stay positive! We'll keep in touch to support one another!

@Lisa good luck with the rest of your recovery. It’s good to be in touch with others in the same predicament! I’m the opposite my big toe is fine although when I do have some pins and needles there and I cannot move my last two toes at all. The swelling is bothering me like crazy because I cannot move my foot back and forth as doc instructed. Well a day at a time!

@Steve you’re  totally right this really is a good place to vent as only those who have been through this injury can fully understand! Hang in there!!!!

Hi Moãna, 

Your brother sounds like me. I fractured my calcaneus, broke my femur, both wrist and elbow. This was 3.5 yrs ago. I was active before all of this. I'm 44yrs and I felt 90yrs old and lived with chronic pain. Aug22 2018 is the date that changed my life forever. I finally gave into my wife and a product she was taking. I started isagenix after I went and watch Dave MacArthur talk about isagenisis and there nutrition. I didnt believe that it would do anything. Well I was 1000% wrong. I'm back and fell like I can do what ever I want now. It has been a emotional experience. I gave up that it was ever possible. I take there isalean shake meal replacement and isagenisis product. I have never felt this good in my life. There is hope and you can be back. But you have to want to get up and get it. This gave me the drive and the body the key ingredient for it to work. My scars with nerve pain have now healed, my ankle and foot has loosened up in places that I thought was still broke. I wanted my foot removed, because it did nothing but cause pain. That is gone, but it also cleared my brain. The body and brain can do it, you just need the right nutrition. Here is the seminar I went to.
https://youtu.be/SXkIKIajJwE
Thank you
Jason.Castellari
Jcas00@gmail.com 
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Moãna Marie wrote: Hi Scott E, I’ve just been researching online hoping to find other people that have had calcaneous fractures and am replying to your post because I have a brother (also a Scott ;-P) who has been left with significant chronic pain post surgery.

It’s 5 years on and he experiences chronic pain all day, every day. He cannot sleep and suffers persistent and unrelenting cramping that extends all the way up his leg.
His surgeon has advised him that his best chance of eliminating the pain is to have the hardware in his heel removed but that there’s a 70-80% chance that he could suffer severe infection and as a result inevitably lose his foot (amputation as a result of infection).
I noticed that you mentioned you have had all the hardware that was in your foot removed. Were you ever advised of the same diabolical potential affects? How long did it take you to bounce back from the second surgery?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated...this injury has completely turned his life upside down. My Scott is also a very active and full of life kind of person but the chronic pain and lack of sleep is destroying him.
It hurts my heart to watch him suffer and I’m terrified that if he can’t get out of pain and back to the things he loves, he will continue to become depressed and give up entirely.
Thanks in advance, Moana.

Hello! I was so happy to find this site. I fell 10 feet from attic floor that gave  way with no warning. Concussion and shattered left heel. I have my surgery in four days, I am nervous of course and fear for the pain I will have after. I have heard all the heart felt testimonies of long term recovery. What I haven’t seen was how the first few weeks post surgery look like? Pain? I know you can’t put any weight on foot so are you using wheel chair, scooter?
Hope to hear those words of wisdom!
Much love,
Ricky 

Hi Ricky.  I found this forum yesterday and I wish I would have found it earlier.  I fell 12 feet from a ladder and landed on concrete trimming trees on my property on 6/15/18.  I broke both heels and had a plate and 11 screws in my left heel on 7/3/18.  I was told by my surgeon that this was a painful injury.  I didn't think the injury was that painful.   Day of surgery I had a nerve block and surgery was 3 hours.  I woke up and felt great.  Othro doc said nerve block would wear off in 12 to 14 hours.  Fourth of July around noon I could move my toes and I told myself the nerve block was wearing off.  Family wanted to see fireworks so they left the house.  10 pm I was in the worse pain I have ever been in my life.  I was taking narcotics and it didn't even touch the pain. July 5th I called my Ortho and he told me to up my pain medication and then it was tolerable.  I quit taking my pain medication Saturday night July 8th.  Once I was able to bear weight on my right foot Aug 20th I used a knee scooter.  Then when I could bear weight on my left foot I Sept 26 I used crutches.  Next week will be 20 wks post op.  I still walk with one crutch or a cane around the house.  When I walk with out aid I have a bad limp and my left ankle is still swollen and hurts.  My heels feel great.  This is a long recovery be positive and do your pt when you get the green light from the doctor.  Some days you will feel good and other days you will have alot of depression. I had a few nights I would literally cry myself to sleep  Keep your mind occupied

@Ricky. Hi there I’m now almost 7 weeks post surgery. I broke my right calcaneum and had a plate inserted with 6 screws. Pain immediately after surgery was bad because I was not adequately covered by pain medication. I spent 4 days in hospital and stopped the pain meds as soon as I got home because they wreaked havoc on my stomach. I was on crutches till the stitches came off 2 weeks post surgery then I started using the iWalk 2.0 which was a life saver. I was able to go back to work 3 weeks ago. Today after x rays I was given the green light to start PT. I will be partial weight bearing for two weeks using crutches. It isn’t as painful as I thought it would be but my ankle is super stiff so it’s hard to move still. A day at time. We can do this!

Karen Cauchi wrote: @Ricky. Hi there I’m now almost 7 weeks post surgery. I broke my right calcaneum and had a plate inserted with 6 screws. Pain immediately after surgery was bad because I was not adequately covered by pain medication. I spent 4 days in hospital and stopped the pain meds as soon as I got home because they wreaked havoc on my stomach. I was on crutches till the stitches came off 2 weeks post surgery then I started using the iWalk 2.0 which was a life saver. I was able to go back to work 3 weeks ago. Today after x rays I was given the green light to start PT. I will be partial weight bearing for two weeks using crutches. It isn’t as painful as I thought it would be but my ankle is super stiff so it’s hard to move still. A day at time. We can do this!

Ricky Haas-Reid wrote: Hello! I was so happy to find this site. I fell 10 feet from attic floor that gave  way with no warning. Concussion and shattered left heel. I have my surgery in four days, I am nervous of course and fear for the pain I will have after. I have heard all the heart felt testimonies of long term recovery. What I haven’t seen was how the first few weeks post surgery look like? Pain? I know you can’t put any weight on foot so are you using wheel chair, scooter?
Hope to hear those words of wisdom!
Much love,
Ricky 

Hey Travis here. Im coming up on 12 weeks after surgery. Im seeing my doctor in 8 days. Sorry about injury. All i can say is it gets better every day. The pain is bad but you will be surprised at how fast you heal. I have no pain and still none weight bearing. I'm hoping the doctor will give me permission to put weight on foot. This experience has been hard but time went by and i look forward to the next step. No one wants to lay around especially for us active people. I pray for a fast recovery. God bless

Hey Guys! Back again found a surgeon in canada after coming back from a couple bad surgeries in sweden -  and he took one look at my foot and has decided to do a Dwyer Osteotomy. Does anyone have experience with this how straight forward is it ... before and after feelings about it in terms of performance. At the moment its a lot of alignment issues and pain down the inside of my ankles in the soft tissue as well as cramping of the bottom foot and just a feeling of instability as well as the joint locking up on the outside (also not being able to stand on tippy toes of put forse through the foot because of the alignment)

Ricky Haas-Reid wrote: Hello! I was so happy to find this site. I fell 10 feet from attic floor that gave  way with no warning. Concussion and shattered left heel. I have my surgery in four days, I am nervous of course and fear for the pain I will have after. I have heard all the heart felt testimonies of long term recovery. What I haven’t seen was how the first few weeks post surgery look like? Pain? I know you can’t put any weight on foot so are you using wheel chair, scooter?
Hope to hear those words of wisdom!
Much love,
Ricky 

Ricky, I am now 18 weeks post op having fallen 15 foot and shattering my right Calcaneus. I had surgery with a plate and screws including nerve block for the op. When the nerve block wore off, I had a lot of pain for 2 days and then it got better to the extent that I had very little pain. What I do experience is weird pins and needles and also little shocks of pain every now and again. There's no warning, it just happens. It's pretty weird and comes and goes quickly. I am now basically walking without crutches, unless in a shopping centre or suchlike. If I walk slow, then I can take good steps, but if I try and speed up, the step is not proper. I am also trying my best to avoid limping as I don't want this to become the norm. I continue PT. Swelling in my ankle is still pretty bad - reasons unknown. My artho pod just tells me this is the norm. It's not easy to accept. The heel pad on my bad foot is pretty thin, so I use gel pads, but prefer walking in sandals due to the swelling and thin heed pad. Walking without any shoes is almost impossible, but I have to do it for showering and then I take small tentative steps. My ankle is very, very tight and the end part of my leg feels like a plank! it's the only way to describe it. Progress with walking has been extremely slow and although I don't see it, my wife says there is definite progress. Freedom of foot movement and flexibility is restricted and I hope this will improve with time and exercise.
I am totally numb around the heel. I believe this could be due to nerve damage. I'm told it will come right in 18 months and if not, I have it for life.
It's really a tough injury to deal with, but we have no choice. Good luck!

I (25 female at the time now 26) fractured my left calcaneus from a fall of supposedly 7 meters. When I see the bridge it doesnt look that high maybe four or five meters. It was described as a bag of bones and a hard boiled egg.dropped on the ground. The shoes I was wearing that day were total shit so it was like I fell barefoot basically. I was also supposedly struck by a car but im pretty sure I landed on the windshield. The report says otherwise. My hips are not aligned anymore, one is higher than the other so I have a limp (one leg longer than the other). I had fractures to not just my heel but also my pelvis, back, and femur. I now sometimes get sharp pains in my left heel and pain in other areas of my foot including other areas of my body like my hips, back, ankle, leg, knee, right foot. They didnt do a surgery on my foot they just put it in a cast which made me mad for a long time but another doctor said they did the right thing. Now I have a valgus deformity and my foot just looks so deformed its really upsetting and has ruined my confidence. I may be getting surgery in the future for the pain but I know theres nothing they can do to make it look like my old foot again..so disappointing. This really is a disabling injury and I wish it never happened to me. I just want my old foot and.body back but I took it.for granted and I.know I will be this way forever. Its really depressing and its been a year since my accident and.my body is still stiff and I cant walk normally or jump, run, or crouch. I have to wear orthotics and a heel lift. Im hoping they can do a surgery for my legs so that I dont need.the heel lift. This year has just been one giant neverending nightmare :(