Broken ankle people or medical peeps

[joenali]

I get my splint off tomorrow! Yay! But in the meantime I'm feeling some irritation and pain where I'm assuming the staples are. Whatever it is down there is driving me crazy! Can staples start to come out? I'm pretty sure I can wait until tomorrow in terms of pain and irritation, I'm just curious.

[mich1]

No, the way staples are put into your skin, they can't pull out on their own without a device to crimp the top of the staple, so it can release your skin. The staple is shaped like a claw and when the apex of the claw is crimped, the part grabbing your skin expands and releases your skin (with a little bit of pulling/pain). You'll have to watch them take the staples out tomorrow to understand.

It's a pretty cool procedure to watch.

[joenali]

Thanks! I must still be feeling irritation from surgery.

[Deleted]

Jun 14, 2015 17:33:47 GMT -5 mich1 said:

No, the way staples are put into your skin, they can't pull out on their own without a device to crimp the top of the staple, so it can release your skin. The staple is shaped like a claw and when the apex of the claw is crimped, the part grabbing your skin expands and releases your skin (with a little bit of pulling/pain). You'll have to watch them take the staples out tomorrow to understand.

It's a pretty cool procedure to watch.

This.  Also, as your skin heals it tends to get itchy. 

[joenali]

Jun 14, 2015 18:04:53 GMT -5 @blueyes623 said:

Jun 14, 2015 17:33:47 GMT -5 mich1 said:

No, the way staples are put into your skin, they can't pull out on their own without a device to crimp the top of the staple, so it can release your skin. The staple is shaped like a claw and when the apex of the claw is crimped, the part grabbing your skin expands and releases your skin (with a little bit of pulling/pain). You'll have to watch them take the staples out tomorrow to understand.

It's a pretty cool procedure to watch.

This.  Also, as your skin heals it tends to get itchy. 

It's more painful than itchy though.

[Deleted]

Jun 14, 2015 18:05:47 GMT -5 joenali said:

Jun 14, 2015 18:04:53 GMT -5 @blueyes623 said:

This.  Also, as your skin heals it tends to get itchy. 

It's more painful than itchy though.

Sorry :/ hope you get some relief very soon.  

[badgergrl]

Tip- if you have any strong painkillers left take one before they remove the staples. That hurt so bad !

[joenali]

Another question- what are the chances of the dr allowing me to swim? Ok more like water jog or just float? Slim to none?

[gumi]

Jun 14, 2015 19:35:28 GMT -5 joenali said:

Another question- what are the chances of the dr allowing me to swim? Ok more like water jog or just float? Slim to none?

sent on phone

I was cleared to swim right after my staples came out..... there just can't be any opening whatsoever to avoid infection.

[joenali]

Jun 14, 2015 20:32:41 GMT -5 gumi said:

Jun 14, 2015 19:35:28 GMT -5 joenali said:

Another question- what are the chances of the dr allowing me to swim? Ok more like water jog or just float? Slim to none?

sent on phone

I was cleared to swim right after my staples came out..... there just can't be any opening whatsoever to avoid infection.

Ok! Yay! I'm crossing my fingers!

[joenali]

gumi when were you cleared to weight bear?

[joenali]

Jun 14, 2015 20:43:20 GMT -5 kooshball said:

I couldn't swim until weight baring. I can't imagine they let someone with a broken ankle to swim until weight baring??!

You shut your mouth Google dr.! I like Gumi's answer better!!

[rbp]

Jun 14, 2015 20:37:19 GMT -5 joenali said:

gumi when were you cleared to weight bear?

I broke my fibula in five places and was NWB for 8w. 

Good luck tomorrow! I hope things go well. 

(I will be tagged in ankle injury threads until the end of time. Lol)

[mich1]

Jun 14, 2015 19:35:28 GMT -5 joenali said:

Another question- what are the chances of the dr allowing me to swim? Ok more like water jog or just float? Slim to none?

Slim to none.  They want the incision totally healed over and probably won't want you in water like this for awhile.  Whether they let you work in the pool with what you had done to your ankle, it really does depend.

After my hip osteotomy (bone was cut and pinned back together), at about 6 weeks I was allowed to cycle on a recumbent bike with no resistance.  The surgeon wanted me to take my hip through its range of motion, with no stress.

I also screwed up that surgery, trying to do too much, too fast.  LISTEN TO YOUR SURGEON.  Really, I wish I hadn't been so anxious to get back into shape because it really screwed me up badly.  Bone hadn't totally healed and moved out of position, so I had a non union of bone.  I was a dumbass.