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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...I had mine fused around 99 and I still wear thick socks. My foot isn't comfortable unless I have some type of shoes, slippers or socks on my foot. Even at home! I took Ibuprofen also for about 5 years. I finally went to a specialist for sports medicine and legs. He ran tons of tests, found out I had rsd which is why the ibuprofen stopped working. (deterioration of your sympathetic nerve system in the lower part of your body) I'm now on a cocktail of meds which helps, but none of us will ever be totally pain free. Take your docs advice and get the rocker bottom shoes. They help a lot. Skecher makes a good pair and they're reasonably priced. Skecher's running shoes have helped my hip and knee pain a lot. I don't want anymore surgeries either. I was 45 when I had my accident and I'm 62 now. My body had never been the same. I've had so many surgeries on my lower leg and ankle, I can't fathom another recovery. I can't stand crutches or walkers or wheelchairs....I had to use all of those for quite awhile. Another thing that has popped up all these years later, problems with my wrists from the walker, wheelchair and crutches. Pain if I put weight on them. The whole thing is a crazy merry go round. Hang in there kiddo.
April 10, 2015 - 12:48pmThis Comment
I was in a bad car accident in 97, which resulted in my right ankle needing to be pieced together. I now have plates, pins, screws, fusion and a muscle flap, as well as little to no range of motion. I am looking for a good sneaker that will be comfortable for me to wear. It the side of the shoe (where foot goes in) has to be lower than the average shoes, in order to accommodate my flap...my arch has also fallen. Any suggestions?
March 27, 2015 - 9:37pmThis Comment
I was also in a bad car wreck in 97....right ankle totally screwed up. I'm fused. I love Skechers...I wear their rocker bottom shoe. I have recently discovered their running shoes & I love them. I have hip and knee pain on the right side also and these eliminate that pain. I didn't realize it until I walked all over Walmart & got to my car. Needless to say I am thrilled. I bought mine on ebay....they were $39.99. I found my rocker bottoms at Big Lots of all places and a ridiculously low price. I figure if I have to spend $40 every few months it's worth it. I can use orthotics if I want. I'm also flat footed and it helps that.
April 1, 2015 - 6:44amThis Comment
I crushed my heel in 1978. I also have a TKR in my right knee. After asking my doctor to please amputate because I was in such severe pain, I had a fusion in 2002. It was great for a couple of years (despite it healing at an angle because it had been injured so long) but no one told me that eventually the foot compensates for the fusion by moving in ways that it was never meant to. 12 years later the pain is as bad but is now the entire foot and ankle. My foot is deformed and finding shoes is a nightmare. The revision surgery sounds like a horror movie. I wish I could tell people that fusion was the "end all" but it is just not. Driving is very difficult because it locks up and by the end of the day my ankle "turns" when I walk. I would love to hear about a good shoe. I wear Merrells at this time but I need a new pair every 3-4 months and they are expensive. It's so nice to find this website and realize I am not the only one.
March 18, 2015 - 2:25pmThis Comment
Hi! I am 49 years old, and had a right ankle fusion when I was only 9 years old, due to an undiagnosed fracture on the fibula's growth plate. I recovered well from the procedure, and my foot learned to compensate for its lack of movement in creative ways due to my young age. In the last few years however, things have been challenging. I am completely flat-footed now on that foot, due to overstretched and worn out tendons/ligaments in the arch area. This is causing strain and pain in my achilles, my right knee, and my left sacroiliac joint. When I see doctors for options at this point, they seem to be at a loss. I wear custom orthotics and awesome Wolky lace up boots that support and hold up my ankle, but the pain is ever-present. I would love to hear from anyone who has had an ankle fusion for a long time, and anything that you have experienced that might help, or just let me know I'm not alone in this. Thank you so much!
February 17, 2015 - 9:54amThis Comment
Hi all. I would like to approach this from a different angle. I broke the talus bone in my left ankle sliding into 2nd base. I was 30 at the time. Never healed properly. Learned to walk with it. Could hide my limp almost completely until about 45 yrs old. Pain got so bad went in for oats procedure, part of another persons ankle in mine. Had a 2nd surgery to clean out joint 4 yrs later. 54 now, constant weight bearing pain. Am already experiencing back and hip pain from the limp. My surgeon says only option left is fusion surgery. NO!
February 11, 2015 - 5:50amNow the twist. After hearing all the stories about fusion problems, almost everyone has still has pain and discomfort early, and future back,foot and hip issues. Am I the only one who wants his diseased foot/ankle AMPUTATED. Rid of lifelong pain. Rid of lifelong pain. Whenever I mentioned this option to the surgeon he would pick up his recording device and repeat what I said making me feel stupid/insane. He would never even engage in the conversation. Why? No more fees? Insurance wont pay? Does anyone else feel this way? Wouldn't a prosthetic foot make more sense. Is my pain clouding my judgement? I have had 24 yrs of ankle pain. No more. Feel better after writing this, however I been sitting for 1/2 hour, lol. Good luck. God bless all of you. Ron Policella South jersey resident.
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I'm sitting here sobbing reading all of these stories -- and I have been fantasizing about amputation for over a year, and am made to feel like some horrific person! I am 45, have had MS for 15 years, single full custody mum, tripped 3 years ago and tore ankle, three surgeries since and I haven't had one day where I can weight bare. On meds all the time with horrible side effects - or under medicate myself and end up yelling at my son for no reason - but I'm in agony. Then on Dancing with the Strars, they keep featuring amputees, and it makes me seep with envy that they seem to be in no pain and living lives while I have become a shut in, lost all of my friends - have no life, nothing to look forward to. No one will ever love me again. I will never get to go on vacation again. All I have is pain.
September 2, 2015 - 8:53pmI guarantee if these doctors and people tried to exist in my pain for even a week, crawling to go to the loo Bc hurts to much to walk... Showering every two weeks. Surrounded by pills and loneliness - they would view my desire for amputation totally differently.
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Hi Ron, I had my left ankle fused 8yrs ago. It took pretty much 2yrs before I got over the 'should have got it cut off' Yes it still pains me, but I would imagine the recovery and then learning to walk with a prosthetic would be far and away beyond the 'rough stuff' I have been through.
April 7, 2015 - 8:33amI absolutely 'get' where you're coming from.
You can always opt for amputation after the fusion. You can't grow a foot back though.
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No I'm with you I had 3 surgerys on my right ankle last year and the final one was to get it fused and that was in November. Now it's April I'm about a week away from 5 months and I'm in much more pain now than I was before this fusion. The last 2 DR. visits I dam near got on my knees and begged him to just cut this foot off. He just tells me I got to give it time but after all the 3 of the surgerys I'm just tired of dealing with this.
April 5, 2015 - 2:14amThis Comment
Hiya, 2yrs is how long it took me to recover enough from my ankle fusion op, to have more good days than bad. I hated hearing 'It takes time' 'Persevere with the exercises'
April 7, 2015 - 8:52amI still have more good days than bad 8yrs on. The bad days are about a 6 on the 1-10 scale.
It's going to be ok.
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