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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PLEASE tell me where you got boots for outdoor activities I am desperate!
September 4, 2018 - 3:47pmThis Comment
Hello... I have had four surgeries on my right ankle. I now have a revised ankle fusion, plus a subtalar fusion. Basically only motion is in toes. Question....can you have a rocker sole put on only one shoe, or does that mess up your back? My fusion foot loves the rocker soles, but my good foot gets achilles problems from it. Thanks!
September 29, 2017 - 12:33pmThis Comment
Hi, I had infection in my ankle joint which left my ankle partially fused. I decided not have full fusion as I found out about a brace - an offloader by Blatchford UK - it is designed for fused ankles and now I am running and walking without pain, my story is here
July 21, 2017 - 9:57pmhttps://www.facebook.com/feelthefearnz/
Also before considering fusion, I was told I would know how much it had healed after around 3 months of my last surgery. By then I was still in a lot of pain and thought was as good as it was going to get. However, one year later the pain has reduced considerably and although I don't have as much of my ankle - I can't hop, for example, it healed a lot more over time than I was told. :)
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Hi Ang :)
July 18, 2017 - 6:23amJust read (July 17 & 18, 2017) through all the thread responding to your post on April 11, 2008. Technology has changed a lot since 2008. I am heading toward an ankle fusion, MUCH to my disappointment. Auto accident in 2008 (someone crossed the center line & hit me square head on) ... many broken/shattered bones, many surgeries, complicated ankle fractures .... Through much PT & damned determination the only thing I want to do & cannot is run again :( I was a marathon runner. I still grieve this loss. Presently, hardware has to be removed in order to have an MRI. Then determination will be made about how to surgically address my recent inability to weight bear. Current orthopedic dr is thinking AVN (necrotic talus) & that an ankle fusion will be necessary because I may not have structural bone integrity to have an ankle replacement. I have learned a lot about ankle fusions by reading this thread, of which I had no idea. Like many, numerous times, I have considered & requested amputation ... thinking that then I can run again with a blade prothesis (at least, in my fantasy, I can). Nearly 10 years later, for you, what shoes are you finding helpful? If it is possible for me to make a choice, how do I decide the degree of ankle placement (this is something I learned from this thread)? I am nearly 10 years, post-accident (Jan 22, 2008). I am surgeon shopping ... I am willing/able to travel nearly anywhere for quality & skilled care. Suggestions? What should I be asking of the 2nd & 3rd & 4th consultations? Eventually, I will bite the bullet & be Nike: Just do it! For now, I don't want to forfeit any of my summer & fall plans. I have several trips planned, including England to meet my 1st granddaughter in November. I am reserving my energy & movement & getting many complementary therapies to help me function & bide time (massage, laser light therapy, acupuncture with estim, Feldenkrais, osteopathic manual manipulation, sympathetic nerve block injections). Currently, I'm walking in an aircast & using a knee walker, when necessary. I use those electric riding shopping carts when in stores. After the accident, when I could walk again, I had to give away all of my shoes. I love shoes! The shoes I wear now are (orthotically modified) Merrells & Birkenstocks. It sounds like, from these comments, I won't be able to wear the Birkenstocks or open back sandals post ankle fusion :( Post accident, I have limited movement in my ankle, but enough to allow me to keep open back sandals on my foot. I have Smart Toe Implants in my toes on that foot, which eliminate toe gripping to keep on shoes. Oh, Ang, When will those dark clouds all disappear, Where will it lead us from here, You can't say we never tried, Remember all those nights we cried, All the dreams were held so close, Seemed to all go up in smoke, Come on, (help me) dry (my) eyes, (I want to say) ain't good to be alive.
With much gratitude and blessings to be showered upon you & everyone else here,
Angeela
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I broke both ankles and back in 2003. I demolished my right ankle, breaking the talus in 4 places and almost blew part of it out the side of my foot. A good surgeon put it back together but the talus died and after 7 years of daily use, my talus collapsed and was smashed flat. My surgeon moved so I found a new surgeon to rebuild my ankle in 2010. He did an amazing job. I now have 2 plates and 11 screws in my right ankles. He removed all the dead bone and used the bottom part of my fibula to fill the void. If you are looking for a great surgeon who is skilled and experienced, http://drjohnkrause.com/
September 14, 2017 - 9:29amThis Comment
I have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I am now 52 years old. Over the span of the last twenty years I have gone to three surgeons that all said ankle fusions were the only option. I finally found Dr.James Brodsky in at Baylor in Dallas. He agreed to take on the task of doing two part surgeries to each foot. The first surgery is to prepare the foot for an ankle replacement. The second surgery, which is coming up on July 25th for the right foot, is to put the ankle replacement in (I welcome any prayers). I am labeled by him as his team as a very complicated case. Maybe and hopefully he would be able to help you. His office number is 469-800-7200.
July 21, 2017 - 8:37amThis Comment
Hi, I was in an MVA and crushed my right ankle, almost amputating it. My toes were facing the back of my foot on the right. I was bed-ridden for 3 years whilst having close to 8 surgeries on the left foot and 2 surgeries on the right knee and femur. My right knee was up in my thigh. With 8 surgeries to try to save the foot and salvage some motion. Finally gave in to the pain and said yes to the fusion! It was a grand surgery that took months of wearing an external fixator. Have it tightened every week to make the bones meet together and fuse. After fusion was successful it was a year or so getting use to walking
March 28, 2017 - 10:14pmThis Comment
Just saw your posting and not sure if you're still listening to your followers. But I feel your pain I'm following the same footprint as you but with the left foot. How are you doing after all these years?
My foot been a chronic problem since 1988 when I broke off majority of my ligaments on the lateral side. 48 now with reasonably decent arthritis in two of the major joints in the foot, Telus is crooked and shifted forward, arches collapsed, and now I have no media ligaments. I'm faced with the foot fusion of some kind maybe even if I'm lucky ankle joint replacement. But I think I'm excluded from there due to damage. I feel like I might just be too active for infusion of major consideration and if that's what the doctors would like to do, I'll find out in a week or so. I'm not sure if I can live with that type of disability. I'm just a little too active. Have you ever ever considered that you made the wrong choice and should've gone with amputation? Because that is what I'm actually thinking is be best for me. Open for other opinions if there are any.
October 4, 2016 - 9:08pmThis Comment
My sympathy to all but no good news . I'm 88 years old, have dealt with it 40 years. Flat feet & then left ankle started to turn in, diagnosed as shortened Achilles. Two $600 braces were tried (plastic & metal) , hinged foot & wrapped around my leg (2nd one due to the pressure on the 1st causing it to break)! Then N.Y. orthopedist came to our town, said he'd fix it with arthrodesius,
October 1, 2016 - 2:04pmlots of cutting, screws and staples, months of non weight bearing. 10 years later similar ttreatment for right foot, which happily is still going strong. Left has been continuing Hell. 5 yrs ago x-ray showed screws & staples all broken. Ankle transplant too iffy at my age so fusion only answer with steel rod placed from ankle up leg to 1 cm from knee replacement. Another year of non weight bearing etc but then back to walking 4 miles! One night 2 years later the whole foot collapsed & nothing could be done! 0It is like walking on razor blades since. Wear New Balance plus pedorist- created thick inserts with hole cut for callus that formed on sole, plus callus pad and trudge on. Recently, I have seen a couple of successful ankle replacements in younger individuals so maybe there is hope for the future.
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To those who are looking for a rocker bottom that is just enough to help with a bad ankle. Mine is so bad, I basically have no range of motion. (I will be finally getting a fusion, for pain relief.)
August 6, 2016 - 5:17pmThe shoes I love are sold at The Walking Company. The best ones are called Abeo Rocs' Ashlin in the white. I've tried every type of shoe there and everywhere, and the Ashlins are the best. I also suggest a homeade foam heel insert under a Sofsole full arch insole. Works great for my issue, which the dr said is very close to being fused... But with alot of pain. I can walk for 4 miles with almost no pain, with these shoes. But, I still suffer after effects of my joint still moving a tiny bit bone on bone. Looking forward to the fusion. And the Dr said the Ashlins will work well for this, too!
Oh, if you want to tie the shoes runner style, you'll have to buy some 55 in laces, as the shoes only come with 48 in.
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