Fractured Calcaneus

Broke my heel ( like a dumb ass) bailing of a 12’ ladder cleaning windows at home.
Had surgery 7 weeks ago. My dr said to start walking in boot in a few more days, see you two weeks after that to game plan. I’m concerned about going to hard.
It hurts but I think I can push ahead. I don’t want to do more damage.
He is a little lacking in a game plan. I have been exercising it with therapy band.
Seems ok. Just some mild pain.
Any thoughts on hitting it hard in boot?
I don’t want to make things worse.

I just turned 52 ....
Thanks
Chris

I just got a few cracks in both my heals fell off something about 10 feet to concrete. Doctor says they are pretty small no surgery. I'll keep you guys posted. In a cast now. For 6 weeks. Most of you are saying I gotta take it easy for 6 months eh?

Fractured my left calcaneous on October 10th. Took a good lead fall onto a small ledge. After reading through these heel fracture posts, I’ve come to the conclusion that we should really be mindful of those ledges

I'll add my experience for posterity.  

On Feb. 21st. I fractured my right calcaneous while snowboarding.  I hit a jump with too much speed, overshot, and landed flat with enough force to fracture my heel, bite a hole in my tongue, and have me seeing stars.  I drove myself home, then to urgent care where x-rays confirmed a fracture with a small amount of displacement.  The fracture didn't extend into the joint.  

I saw an orthopedist three days after the injury, thankfully surgery wasn't necessary so I was put into a boot and told to come back in 4 weeks.  Crutches were given to me at urgent care, I purchased an iWalk on my own dime, and borrowed a knee scooter to make it easier getting into/around the office.  The iWalk was a game changer for me.  It can be awkward at first, but I got used to it quickly and it gave me my hands back which was big from a mental standpoint.  

At my follow-up ortho visit (5 weeks out from the injury), they cleared me to start putting weight on the foot while wearing the boot.  I started slowly using only 1 crutch and within 2 weeks was getting around without the crutch.  

By my next follow-up (9 weeks out from the injury) I was told I could lose the boot and start PT.  This was my last appointment with the orthopedist and my first day working with the physical therapist who I've seen for the past 3 weeks.  At this point, I'm walking with only slight discomfort, riding a bike fine, but not running on the streets yet.  

My timeline:  (because that's what I wanted to know when I found this thread).

Weeks 1 - 5         embracing the suck
Weeks 6 - 7         slowing trying to walk again
Weeks 8 - 9         transitioned from walking in the boot to walking in running shoes, this was also the point where I started venturing out without the crutches, iwalk, or scooter
Weeks 10 - 12    getting around normally and doing PT weekly to get my strength back and started running on the zero gravity treadmill (@60-70% of body weight)

Hopefully by week 15, I'll be back to running outside and living life as I was prior to the break.  

Good luck to those of you who are currently going through this.  

Rotech O'flarawrote:

Glad I found this thread.

I broke my left calcaneus on July 27th 2017 (took a lead fall in Spain, in a warmup route. The quickdraw came out of the bolt so my fall was longer than it should have been and I hit a ledge). My fracture did not require surgery (according to x-rays and CT Scan), just about 6 weeks with a cast (although the doc gave me a boot on the second week to replace the cast, but not enough instructions). The cast is removable, because it only covers the back part of the foot, and up to the calf, just below the knee.

ON A SEPARATE NOTE: I live in Germany. Medical attention and medicines are free, but I have to say it lacks quality and competency. The doc gave me the boot (actually just a medical order to buy the boot), but no instructions (should I weight bear? should I remove it to sleep? etc..). So Im getting a second opinion next week. 

Anyway, some doctors I know recommended me to not use the boot because is heavier, so I put the cast back on (until I get a second opinion).

It´s been 3 weeks, time goes by fast, and Im a bit sad to read that this thing (although it didnt require surgery, can take up to 1 year to really heal). Apart from climbing, I love running, so I guess that´s gonna have to wait too. In the mean time, Im doing pullups, pushups, and core. And when Im able to walk/move without crutches, I will consider swimming. I hope this will keep me in shape so that I come back to climbing in an ok level!

I have calcaneus fracture, no surgery but casting only. Its 4 weeks passed. 

I want to ask you for how many weeks you had casting?

And for how many weeks boots? 

When you started partial weight bearing?

Abdul Rahman Shah Hashmiwrote:

I have calcaneus fracture, no surgery but casting only. Its 4 weeks passed. 

I want to ask you for how many weeks you had casting?

And for how many weeks boots? 

When you started partial weight bearing?

I had 4 weeks casting and 2 weeks with the boot. After that I was wearing some sort of soles and still using crutches. 

Partial weight bearing was after 6 or 8 weeks, I can't remember exactly. I also started with rehab therapy. By the 10th week I was full weight bearing but still with some discomfort.

I tried some moderate climbing 5 months after the accident (just indoor top-roping). I then did some moderate outdoor climbing at the 6th month. 

At the 8th month I started to run again, but moderately. All in all it took a full year for me to really go back to climbing and running.

It's been 3 and a half years since this happened. Im fully recovered and crushing my projects. However, when it's cold, I do feel a bit of pain every now and then. These kind of injuries never heal 100%. But I can live with this "symbolic pain". It doesn't bother me. Im now projecting 5.12c and have climbed Mt Blanc du Tacul (4430 mts). 

Give it time and patience. In the mean time work out. Do abs, pullups and pushups. Oh and fingerboarding. That's gonna up your game.

Cheers

Hey! I’m 6 months post calcaneous fracture. I shattered my heel falling from rope swing in to shallow water. I’m walking but with a lot of pain especially as the day goes on.

Most my pain is in my subtalor joint. Any one else gave this issue? Doc says it should feel better in a year. Couple things.. I found out I was pregnant after I had surgery. So now I’m 30 weeks pregnant. The extra weight I’m sure isn’t helping. I’m 32 years old and was in good shape when this happened. I was a college athlete so this injury is hard to think I’ll never run again or walk without a limp. I guess I’m looking for advise on subtalor joint after this injury. Thank you!

Rachel,

Our accidents occurred about the same time. I fell off a ladder Aug 26. I'm now walking around a good bit, with limp of course but that's expected. Ankle swells a good bit but goes down quickly. Front to back movement is good but really no side to side. But to answer your question it hurts. My doctor told me the same thing, it will take a year. I don't think your pregnancy should affect the healing process. Just listen to your ankle and don't push it to much but on the flip side, no pain no gain!

Tim

If anyone is still reading this, it happened again!!! FML...

This time I fell off a route which was an on-sighting attempt, and fell when trying to clip the 3rd quickdraw. I fractured my right calcaneus. Once again, luckily it didn't require any surgery.

I'm on my 6th week today and I feel the foot is going quite well. Im wearing a boot and crutches and I have to go to the doctor in 3 weeks time to see how the injury is evolving and see if I can start weight bearing. 

I really can't believe this is happening again. I was at the top of my game, and felt in the best climbing shape of my life. Now I guess I'll have to start all over again...

Patience...

Thanks for all the personal stories. I have bilateral calc fractures. One had an ORIF. I was worried I’d never climb or run again. I see with patience and work it’s totally possible. 

Almost 3 years after the fractured calcaneus (right one), I'm doing quite well, although I must say the healing process was slower than with the left one. Why? I don't know... It still hurts a bit but only when I run or walk long distances. But again, it is more of an annoying pain than a real pain. I'm now climbing 5.13a (7c+), and projecting 5.13b (8a). However, I just had a baby, so perhaps my level will decrease as I haven't climbed in 2 weeks since my baby was born... Maybe there's a forum someone can recommend for getting back to climbing after having babies or something similar?