Calcaneus Surgery ORIF Success Stories?

RE: Life going forward, even if you were never a Climber now after this injury, you are . . .

Coming up on the 25th anniversary of my injury. Shattering the left heel into pieces and pulverizing the right heel/ankle/foot,  
Recovering from the dual injury took 4 years to come back to be 90 percent.
 I was able to return to climbing at a high standard but never hiked with full weight or ran without pain/swelling again.
Depending on the severity of the injury, a persons age, fitness and one's location/ability to get high-quality care at the time of the injury
 the level of life-changing after-effects from this injury varies widely.
While both were strongly recommended, I refused both fusion and removal of hardware from either foot.
A fusion of the one foot might have allowed for  Swimming laps to have been an exercise option...

As I've aged the loss of the ability to run & hike/walk long distances has had a great impact.
I like to say that I blame the 3 "W's": Walking, Weight & Work The 3 things that increased the most over time.
  Mobility in the early years of recuperation was a chore that I kept up with; actively pushing myself exercising & working out.
 Over the span of the last 10 years, an ever-increasing pattern of aging & sedentary lifestyle due to the demands
 of work & family obligations has led to what was the eventuality of increased arthritic pain & loss of range of motion.  
 

john gregory ·Wrote: 9 mins ago

I am a surgeon who performs this surgery and a lifer climber.  happy to answer questions directly or even review xrays etc...Bottom line with this fracture is the damage to the cartilage and the joint and how well that can be put back together.  if the joint isn't broken and alignment can be repaired, then return to active life is possible. Younger, healthier (people) joints fair best.  The other challenge comes if there are other injuries/fractures sustained at same time further delaying recovery.  Bone takes 6 wks to heal and most people take 6-12 months to total rehab.  

The Other 2 page Fractured Calcaneus thread

is actually an older thread,  having been opened 4/1/2012

Going to throw a Happy Father's Day out there to you fellas.  Your kind words and stories have helped me in some dark times. Have a great day.

I am a surgeon who performs this surgery and a lifer climber.  happy to answer questions directly or even review xrays etc...Bottom line with this fracture is the damage to the cartilage and the joint and how well that can be put back together.  if the joint isn't broken and alignment can be repaired, then return to active life is possible. Younger, healthier (people) joints fair best.  The other challenge comes if there are other injuries/fractures sustained at same time further delaying recovery.  Bone takes 6 wks to heal and most people take 6-12 months to total rehab.  

Thanks Jeff and a happy fathers day to you!
Pete, I know how you feel with the swelling - I had the same, but mine was right foot.
Thanks to John Gregory for offering advice and maybe John can explain the reason you had a screw placed under your foot and also the reason you have a cut on your ankle.
I had a shattered calcaneus and had screws and a plate fitted, but my cut was under my ankle bone. It would be good to know the reason.

these extra entry points are true stab incisions where we put big pins into the bigger chunks of bone to toggle, joystick the fracture back in position.  

Still in recovery/rehab mode here, went twice to rehab place not much good news,so far, leg needs to come back more up (im minus 15 on it) left to right only little movement , still cant curl toes down, and im 1 week out from hard cast,the people at rehab they good but can only do so much.... now good news ,no pain in it and im putting about 60 to 70 % weight on it...Honestly i think the rehab is the hardest part in this injury, and how lucky  you get...Thanks Steve,Jeff ,Bryan and now John for all the nfo

Gog bless you all,

Some pics from today,
still have to clean leg little more

Some pics from today,
injured led wont come back like other one

Some pics from today,
(rehab people told me to use compression sock during the day)


Before x-ray right when broken ,left after surgery.

2 weeks after surgery.

Anyone elses calcaneus deformed like this? I have a valgus deformity. They didn't do a surgery on it they just put it in a cast. My family doctor told me I cant wear open toes shoes anymore. But I don't believe that. Certain sandals do hurt my foot but some I walk normal in. My knee is also always bent upon standing and she said that's permanent and I wouldn't find a doctor who could fix that but I'm not gonna live with a bent knee forever. Like fuck that. What kind of shoes do y'all wear? Do u need orthotics? My foot is totally jacked up. 

Mims, good to hear from  you again and that you are walking. Can regular PT not help your knee? I wear soft trainer shoes with orthotics bought from a local shop and that supports my arches. I can't see your deformity from the pics, but we have a surgeon specialist in this area by the name of John Gregory who reads these posts. I am sure he will offer you some advice.
I also wear sandals often as I struggle to walk with no shoes. It feels like there is no padding under my injured foot and it's uncomfortable. Good luck and keep in touch

Hey Steve thanks for the reply. I haven't started physical therapy yet but I really do need it. I had a physical assessment done by a doctor and she said it might be a weakness that's causing my knee to bend outward like that. It's very annoying and uncomfortable to stand. I really hope it can get resolved. 

Still here, rehab mode, close to 2 weeks since hard cast removed, still using both crutches and in boot, but i can put almost full weight on leg and so far dont feel any of the long screws, up and down got little beter movement, left to right about same, still cant curl the toes all the way like the good leg,leg is still huge ,getting some muscles back in little,now leg is still big wonder if that has something to do with me been able to move leg/rom less..

Gog bless you all,

Give it time my man.....................look how far you have come since day 1.  Remember; always look at the sunnyside view from the mountain top vs then cloudy. 

You right Bryan,looks like this injury take allot time and it's slow ,can't make it faster... i guess, gets depressing ,almost 3 months  feels like is 6 yrs ,i need to go work ,i dont have any income now..but can't like this...so yeah its depressing...
Leg still big.

God bless you all,

Hello, I’m new, one week and two days post surgery and was happy to find this group.  It’s scary not knowing anyone who  has been through this and there are way too many terrible search results about this injury.  I’m not a climber, but I am an active 45 year old wife and mom of 3.  It’s killing me to sit around.  I’m up several times a day on the knee scooter or wheel chair just to try to feel normal.  Made breakfast for the first time in two weeks (fell off a ladder trying to hang curtains on Father’s Day night) and am considering that a small victory.  I’m less than a week away from my first post op visit with my dr and I’m hoping that I will start PT right away.  I feel like I have blisters on my heel, but I can’t see them since I’m in a splint/cast... and my toes can move but are very tingly!  Does that sound normal a week and 2 days from surgery?  

Hello Candee,Myself im 3 months into this horrible injury. ,one month since started rehab, biggest thing is not  surgery,its when you start rehab, the rom ,to be able to move left to right will be  biggest and hardest thing to do and to curl toes down that takes time and its super slow..,,and yes i had same thing with my toes so i say its normal.
Also after surgery i was in splinter for 2 weeks,then removed stitches  and got  6 weeks in hard cast, and then rehab.
You will heal (your age is not that old) just it takes time  and lots of it,with time it will get better...i promise.

God bless you all,

pete petem75 wrote: Hello Candee,Myself im 3 months into this horrible injury. ,one month since started rehab, biggest thing is not  surgery,its when you start rehab, the rom ,to be able to move left to right will be  biggest and hardest thing to do and to curl toes down that takes time and its super slow..,,and yes i had same thing with my toes so i say its normal.
Also after surgery i was in splinter for 2 weeks,then removed stitches  and got  6 weeks in hard cast, and then rehab.
You will heal (your age is not that old) just it takes time  and lots of it,with time it will get better...i promise.

God bless you all,

Thanks, Pete.  I’ve been reading through all of this and you all sound so much younger.  I was blessed to have been sent home with a nerve block after the surgery and it lasted until around lunch time on Thursday.  So I only had to take the pain medicine post op from Thursday through Saturday, mostly out of fear of returning to the pre op pain I experienced the day after the injury.  I’ve never been in pain like that!! My ten year old daughter told me the next day that I was whispering all day and when she asked me what I was saying, I told her that I was pretty sure I was talking to Jesus.  I can handle the aches but the pain I had right after my fall was excruciating.  Anyway, so thankful to read all of the stories and hope you all know how encouraging you are.  Prayers for all of us for quick healing and patience. This is quite the humbling experience I didn’t want to sign up for.  

I thought maybe you guys would appreciate this, this was last night.  So I am 8 months post initial surgery.(12pins and a plate) and I'm about 3 weeks post hardware removal and boy my foot sucks. Although climbing was easier than I thought it would be it's walking and trying to maintain any longevity in hours of working that's hard.

I wish all of you a happy Fourth of July

Candee Goff wrote: Hello, I’m new, one week and two days post surgery and was happy to find this group.  It’s scary not knowing anyone who  has been through this and there are way too many terrible search results about this injury.  I’m not a climber, but I am an active 45 year old wife and mom of 3.  It’s killing me to sit around.  I’m up several times a day on the knee scooter or wheel chair just to try to feel normal.  Made breakfast for the first time in two weeks (fell off a ladder trying to hang curtains on Father’s Day night) and am considering that a small victory.  I’m less than a week away from my first post op visit with my dr and I’m hoping that I will start PT right away.  I feel like I have blisters on my heel, but I can’t see them since I’m in a splint/cast... and my toes can move but are very tingly!  Does that sound normal a week and 2 days from surgery?  

WAY TOO MANY TERRIBLE SEARCH RESULTS.  I can also say that this group definitely helped my point of view regarding my injury.

Nice Jeff ,good to know u getting better,gives hopes to others to,myself im 1 month into rehab and it's slow process with little improvements ,from rom to 0 to 4...up and down from -14 to +10 so yeah  people can recover from this just how much depends... Hardest thing is rom left to right and to curl toes down (the big toe hard)
How is your rom Jeff ?
Slow recovery ,feels like ages but it does get better with time i guess..

Happy 4th

God bless you all,

Welcome Candee! Did you have a plate and or screws inserted? I am close to 12 months anniversary since my fall of 6 meters from a ladder. I have a plate and 6 screws. My surgeon told me right from the start this injury is 24 months recovery and my foot will never be the same. 12 months down the line and my foot is still pretty tight and very weird at times. It's an awful injury and only understood to the unfortunate recipient!!
It would be good to know if your surgeon allows you PT so early. I was not allowed foot pressure for 3 months and thereafter little pressure. I had major muscle atrophy and slowly its getting better. 
Good luck with your check up and please let us know how it goes.
Jeff, nice going and I admire you for getting so high off the ground! I think if I go a few steps up a ladder again, it would be too high for me!!
Pete, my left to right is really slight, but it doesn't bug me so much. I can bend my toes up and down and my walking gets better all the time. 
All the best guys. 

Hey Steve ,do  you still go to pt? i go twice a week and do the  home programs,u doc told u 24 months wow..

God bless you all,