Hi everyone! Hope this past week brought some advancement for everyone, even if small, as often is the case with our injuries. I have a question I think someone out there may be able to help me with and would love to hear from you. I have started walking barefoot on stairs and seem to be able to walk up stairs, one leg after another (normal type stair climbing), without any problem, but when I try to go downstairs, I feel like my injured leg won't bend at the ankle all the way to go down the step, when I lead with my good leg on the lower step and try to step through with my injured leg from the upper step to the next step. Has anyone else experienced this? It feels kind of like I have a brace around my ankle which won't let it rotate fully. I am wondering if anyone else out there has experienced this and which exercises helped them. I am able to point and flex in exercises no problem, so I am not sure what to do to strengthen my ankle to accomplish this task and I wonder if it is normal to have this problem on the stairs. I think I may need to do more tiptoe holding exercises and Achilles stretches on the stairs perhaps, but really am not sure. Thanks for your help.
Hi Patti.
Yes I'm exactly the same. I've been told by physio to keep going down the steps and to bend my knee more with my injured ankle. My knee sort of goes out to the side because I haven't got the full movement. I don't know if mine will improve as its now 9 months post op. I'm hoping it will. 🙂
Yes Patti,I would have the same problem,but my physio said to go upstairs with the good leg and come down with the bad leg 1st.I have been doing all those tip toe exercises and strengthening ones,but I may be looking at another operation as my ankle is catching bone on bone.I will know more at the end of June.We brought our bed downstairs at the start of February and that's where it will stay.I just don't do stairs at the minute.At present my physio appointments have just levelled off as I am not getting any more improvement at present.But still hoping it will settle down.Since my accident at work in January this year I have buried my mother in law and my brother and now face the possibility of being made ill health retired because I am not capable of doing my job in a certain timescale.As if having the injury wasn't enough.But again there is always someone worse off than yourself.
Hi Patti same problem here. Going upstairs no problem but coming down have to go down one stair with good leg then bring bad ankle to same stair holding tightly on bannister. Two weeks ago was given exercise off PT just to stand and rise on tiptoes and to hold position to the count of 30. Also to stand just on bad leg to help improve balance. This finding very hard Infact don't think could manage this well before accident.
The most important thing is getting to where we want to be safely.
Hi MsCamboot,
As your a little ahead of me, can I ask you if you found that at times you seem to go backwards in progress? I returned to work three weeks ago that does involve a lot of standing, plus some days quite a walk back home. For the last week my ankle seems to have tightened up. Not getting the flex that I did have. Did at any point have you experience this?
Hi Gill.
I sometimes feel like I'm going backwards in one day, as I can be walking not too bad and then after sitting everything seems to have ceased up until I get moving again. I did have a job on my feet all day and I worked nearly full time but never returned. My job has just been terminated as my employers sent me to an occupational doctor who says I can no longer do my usual job but can only do work sitting down. My ankle and foot ( I get pain in my foot too) wouldn't be able to do the work. I walk Gill for exercise but I don't overdo it. My physio has moved me on to a physio who specialises in chronic pain. Apparently I have a lot of muscle damage with the op and the muscles are connected to my foot, hence the foot pain. I'm massaging everyday because my muscles are a bit out of place. I thought I had arthritis in my foot, caused by the op but the physio has assured me it's from the invasive op. Try and rest when possible at work Gill and I hope they are looking after you. 🙂
Hello Patti. I had/have exactly the same problem coming downstairs though i havent walked barefoot yet.. It sort of meant that with each step, there was a sort of jolt because my ankle does not have enough flexibility to negoatiate the stair movement fully and it did feel like there was a brae around my ankle. However, it has got better over time. I do soak my foot every morning in a hot sink of Epsom salts water for ten minutes, then follow by cold water. I then use bio-oil to deep massage my calf and achilles. I do scar tissue massage to the whole ankle area with a very small amount of oil as you need to do this quite expertly. I massage my scars and particularly across the front from ankle to ankle as this, as you say, is an area that feels tight and restricted. I then do my exercises which does incorportate stair work, lifting on to my toes and then calf strethching down. I have great difficulty balancing fully weight bearing on the injured leg as i am supposed to. So my PT suggested i start the exercise at 50% and gradually increase. I am now at about 60% but still dont feel my foot has the stregth to hold my weight and i am not heavy. I end my exercises with standing facing a wall with my toe near the wall and bending my knee to hit the wall. Initially, i could get nowhere near the wall but now have much more mobility. I would take advice however on any exercises programme as these have to be tailored made to suit your injury and time since surgery. Hope this helps.
I experience exactly the same and have done since being able to walk unaided. The angle of your ankle is different going up rather than down, hence a jerky movement or hop rather than walk coming back down. I do the same exercises as you, flex and point. I also was told to put my foot as far behind as comfortable and then stretch forwards also to squat down as low as you can get without moving you foot. Hope this helps and speeds up your recovery
I'm on my feet 10-12 hours a day, and returned to work in January.
I find that I have better days than others but notice small improvements from time to time. I know it's frustrating and recovery seeming like taking for ever but if you have noticed improvement then it will continue. The weather affects my ankle a well, strange but true. It will appear tighter as mine has done sometimes. I suppose it is all part of the healing process
I do the same exercises on the stairs, also been told to practice walking up and down using the bottom 2-3 stairs. I had problems with ramps and slopes but that seems to have improved slightly. I'm sorry to hear you have had a rough new year. I've had a bad year from last May with bereavements, family issues, then my accident, financial issues and now as with yourself, I'm not as fast at doing my job so could be retired off due to health issues despite working 60 plus hours each week recently.
I hope things start to improve for you
Thanks,As I say sometimes it's not just the injury we have to content with.Royal Mail not prepared to give me the time to come back to work,although walking that distance every day might prove difficult for me.But you feel as if they are just discarding you by giving you 44 weeks pay and away you go .So I will have to persue the injury at work claim. Sometimes you are only a number to them,and all they worry about is budgets and targets.
Hoping that things start to look up for yourself.
That's the problem Chris, loyalty, length of service, timekeeping, honesty are all distant qualities with employers of today. It's all about budgets, targets, bonuses and commissions for the big boys, as you rightly say.
The people at the lower end of the ladder simply don't count or matter.
As with so many agency workers to choose from, many on zero contract hours, it's easier to pay somebody off and replace them.
Its disgusting! I've worked for a national car hire company for 11 years and now 80% of their labour work force are agency staff.
I hope things start to improve mate for you.
Thank you for your kind comments Chris
Thanks for reply. Rest at work up and down off desk to counter to serve. Went back to normal time to prove a point. Boss had given some of my hours to another member of staff, thinking I wouldn't return. Have worked there for 24 years so was quite gutted, not once whilst off sick did he ask me about returning to work. So basically I am proving a point as in uk law states he cannot discriminate if you become disable, and should have put reasonable adjustments in place for my return. The only thing will not lift stock when delivered. The joys of broken ankles.
My return to work sounds just like yours. The doc said I could return on light duties and part time. None of this actually happened, back to as I was prior to my accident. The only time off was for 30 mins pt once every 3 weeks!
I have been at the company 11 years but now as 80% of labour staff are agency staff on zero contract hours, I am a liability to the company as I get holiday pay & SSP and am on the companies own insurance. I am frowned upon as I limp and as a result cannot run nor move around as quickly as previously. I regularly have to reinforce my status as the younger generation, and agency staff try to dictate to me! Bad mistake 😊 Anyway, don't let them bully or intimidate you, involve h.r if there is an issue
I have been with Royal Mail 17 years but it counts for nothing.I had a sector manager call me in for a meeting and more or less said I was putting off the inevitable ill health retirement as they wouldn't give me the time to recuperate from another operation if I need it.More or less said he would start the IHR procedure that day.I also had an interview by telephone with the OH that same day ,who said that he was breaking the law by saying that.The only way you can be ill health retired is with medical evidence and a scoping process which involves trying to find you alternative work with in your local area,an also of being aware of the disability act if the injury falls into that category.Even after the OH recommendations the manager does not have to agree with them,which they usually do.Like your own workplace the older hands are being pushed to one side and the zero hour contracts and agency guys are being brought in.They go mad for overtime and are easier to manipulate.So I can see you're point very clearly. Even though my accident happened while doing my work it counts for nothing.Rant over.
Hi Patti, at physio. I was taught when going up stairs good foot first down bad foot first. In the beginning I was more afraid of going up because it left most of my weight on my bad ankle, but now I am doing fine I just make sure I am next to the railings or wall in case I need some sort of support. I find walking up steep ramps more difficult than stairs. Also did a good deal of walking outdoors this weekend, so I feel great. I wanted to try drive my car up the road, but my husband would not let me, said give it one more week, he is afraid I won't be able to make an emergency stop. So I wait. Have a great week all.
Paul, go onto gov.uk web site and in search put "what to do if you become disabled. There is rules as to what employers have to do. Also the money advice service, search "support to help you keep your job when sick or disabled."
I had these at the ready to show boss if needed when I returned to work.
good luck
Work for small "family run company" so no HR. I started all those years ago working for boss father and uncle. Now the son runs the business it's become a different ball game. Decided two can play that game. No more starting early when he takes day off for golf. No more weekend working so he can spend more time with family. Bitter yes
I am exactly the same now. I don't open up, start early, work late.
It's a shame really as I used to enjoy working at the company.
I hope you get the issues resolved with this company, I'm not surprised you feel bitter towards them.
Feel for you,sometimes the more you do the more you get to do.These injuries change your way of life but do they care. Glad you are digging your heels in,because so am I especially when I see the Solictors on Tuesday.No more Mr nice guy.