In the last ten years I’ve had surgery eight times on my right ankle. Most of them were ligament reconstructions and finally a complete ankle fusion. Making the decision to fuse my ankle was one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make but with the chronic pain, instability, degenerative arthritis and inflammation I agreed. It’s going to be two years this June and although it’s been a very long recovery and endless hours of physical therapy I can say I’m feeling good about it. One of the biggest challenges is finding shoes that help me walk. With an ankle fusion you have no range of motion so I need orthopedic shoes to help me out. I wear a pair of MBTs but would like to find something different that still provides the support I need, any suggestions? I’d love to hear your story and how you are dealing with the ankle fusion -- was it the right decision for you?
~Gimpy
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Hey, Ben. I wish you all the best. I broke my ankle at a pretty young age, too, 23. I suffered with it for 22 years, until I was 45. I had it fused last year and it is the best decision I ever made and cannot believe I didn't do it sooner, but I can't imagine having two ankles fused. Good luck!
August 27, 2014 - 11:27amThis Comment
I have had a fused ankle since 2003. I find that shoes with a slight heal help, but what really helps are shoes with shock absorption. I wear Nike Shox or Air Max every day (even to work).
Once you figure out the right size, you cane order them online. You can even customize a pair on Nike.com with your favorite colors or by selecting wide width.
August 24, 2014 - 1:22pmThis Comment
I had left ankle fusion on June 24, 2014 and have been out of the cast and into a boot for a week now. Doing some weight bearing and using one crutch and started PT - twice a week. My PT and doc recommend HOKA running shoes which they sell but I find them cheaper at 6pm.com and amazon. They are expensive but get good reviews from folks with ankle fusion. I'm not there yet but will probably buy a pair when I'm out of the boot!
August 23, 2014 - 9:25amThis Comment
I will say that I had one of the best surgeons. I saw Dr. Selene Parekh at Chapel Hill. He is now at Duke. Having a good surgeon is very important. Make sure you do research!
August 13, 2014 - 8:24amThis Comment
Did he do a fusion for you? Or a replacement? I cannot tell from his site if he even does fusions.
January 26, 2015 - 5:32amThis Comment
Hi, I see he does a lot of ankle replacements. I need to be evaluated for fusion alternatives. Does he do fusions? Was he your surgeon and if so, what did you have done?
January 26, 2015 - 5:29amThanks so much!
This Comment
Hi, I can't tell if this post is directed to me or not but if you are referring to Dr. Parekh, he did a fusion on my right ankle. I had the surgery in the fall of 2008. I was born with a tarsal coalition, meaning the joint was connected (mine was over 60-70% connected) as it didn't separate properly at birth. I always had a somewhat limited mobility, which made it excruciating pain if I was on it too long, walked too far, etc. The fusion was my only option to improve the quality of life, I was 27.
Anyway, he did do my fusion. It's not something that presents often, my specific condition, but I wasn't his first by any means. He is one of the best orthopedic surgeons. If you're in NC or surrounding, I would definitely make the trip to see him. I drove 2.5 hours just for his care.
Recovery was rough. It's a very delicate area and weight bearing so that's expected. I'm almost 31 now and it's not perfect, I still have a little pain every now and then mostly when the weather is crummy, it gets achy. Or if I run too hard for too long, but I could never do that before so that's huge! Every person and surgery is different, but I had a bad experience and prior surgery, and felt really glad to have found Dr. Parekh. Good luck to you!!
January 26, 2015 - 6:23pmThis Comment
I had my right ankle fused on March 25, 2014. Everything seemed to go OK, pain level was reduced significantly, and all indications was that it was a total success. Might I state that I am a P.E. teacher, on my feet constantly, and have a huge need for movement, balance, being able to stand for long periods of time, etc. I have felt that I could override any type of pain to get myself back to a position that I can teach without the use of a knee scooter, walker, crutches, etc. After removing my boot after 10 weeks, I was finally given the go ahead to walk without it. It took a few days, but the pain was mostly gone and I could put my entire weight on it pretty comfortably. But my walking has been extremely difficult and I have tried many different types of shoes, along with therapy. I still struggle horribly to walk. I feel that my foot is not level with the ground and tilted to the right. Any shoes that I wear, I find myself constantly pushing my foot back into the shoe correctly. My big toe rides about where the 3rd toe should be and it stays sore all the time, along with bruising, bleeding, blistering, etc. If I do not wear shoes, of course I can clear all of this up. I have even cut out the area where the big toe is in one pair of tennis shoes. I am so defeated right now. My Dr. states that it just takes time to adjust, but time has not cured this problem. My hips are so unbalanced that my pelvic area hurts, and I have to rest during the day to be able to complete my day. This is the first time in my life that I haven't been able to do what I need to, and I am at a loss. Can anyone offer me some help, hope, advice, etc?
August 12, 2014 - 4:52pmThis Comment
I had my surgery last May (2013). I, too, had pain in my hip. Yours, as was mine, is most likely Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction. It is caused from an abnormal gait. There is a lot of information about it on the web. I went to physical therapy for a couple of weeks for it and then realized that I was doing the same exercises myself with the exercise classes I attend so I discontinued the therapy. The pain in my hip has since resolved and I am back to normal. I am sorry you are having so much difficulty. It really sounds like you need a second opinion as the problems with your toe, etc. do not sound normal at all. I know it must be frustrating going from being so active. Good luck. Hopefully you can get back to some sense of normal soon.
August 13, 2014 - 6:17amThis Comment
Wow! I'm sorry you're having so much trouble! Maybe you should get a second opinion from a different doctor. I don't think you should be having problems like that. I had mine done April 15, 2014 and I am walking okay. I still have a limp and it swells a lot when I overdo it. But, the dr told me it would swell for about 9 months and that it would take about a year to lose the limp. My foot is not tilted to either side. That doesn't seem right. Also, if you're having pain in your pelvic area you could end up doing damage there. I really hope things get better for you soon!
-Jackie
August 12, 2014 - 5:12pmThis Comment