Fused ankle

clif371827 · Joined: 31 Oct 2015 Posts: 22

I had an extension ladder collapse and drop me 30 feet. It severely fractured the bones in my left leg and ankle. At 7 months I am just putting some weight on the left foot. The ankle is very unstable and the doctor is saying it might be best to fuse it. I will lose the ability to move my foot up and down. Is anyone else sailing with a fused ankle? Can you steer the board? I don't want to give up windsurfing yet . I sat up on the jetty today and watched my friends ripping around in 20+ knot winds. I have to get back out there!

Jim.od3 · Joined: 25 Aug 2012 Posts: 90

Oh, man that sounds awful. I don't have any experience with fused ankles, but I wish you well.

beaglebuddy · Joined: 10 Feb 2012 Posts: 1120

I had a friend who had his ankle fused. He wasn't a windsurfer. After this he was basically disabled and could no longer do construction work. He was left with a permanent limp. No way could someone windsurf this way using foot straps. There is a video of some guy with a peg leg windsurfing but... Sad

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

Bummer.

I think I would be looking at a number of expert/sports oriented orthopedic surgeons to get other opinions.

It seems like a very long recovery period if you are now just putting weight on it. Something doesn't seem quite right.

Lack of stability is a muscle/tendon issue, and after 7 months of no weight, you should have a big stability problem. Don't buy into the fused solution just yet.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

We have a couple of peglegged WSers in the Gorge who sail big conditions. I haven't watched them or asked just how they manage it. Realize, too, they have lost sensation as well as mobility. It's dooable.

But you say "the" doctor, as in one. No way I'd accept ANY "one" doctor's opinion on something that important or permanent. Hell, I argue with, often even put my foot down (sorry!), with much less important medical decisions.

WHY is it unstable, for example? Weak muscles/tendons from disuse? Shredded ligaments? Bone deformations? I'd be consulting multiple prominent sports physicians first (and I've validly rejected some of them, too).

My ankles rolled over and sprained -- sometimes very seriously -- a few times per year for 35 years ... until I happened across a cure 35 years ago that strengthened them so thoroughly that I haven't sprained either one once since then.

That cure was windsurfing in straps.

Mike \m/

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3550

The ankles play such an important part of keeping the board flat I think that fusing your ankle would end your planing windsurfing career. I think you could still windsurf in non planing conditions where trimming the board is not as important.

I'm definitely in the camp with the others on getting a second opinion, or better yet going the physical therapy route. My injury wasn't as bad as yours, but I did shatter the fibula and snapped off the tibia along with obviously dislocating my foot. My surgery was 6 hours, they used a metal plate, 5 screws & some bone paste to re shape & construct a new fibula for me & two screws through the tip of the tibia. They told me that I would lose 15% of my ankle mobility and have a slight limp. I thought "screw that" and after three months in a fixed cast with crutches I started doing physical therapy as soon as they put me in a Marino Boot. I was very religious about my therapy and only ended up losing maybe 1-2% range of motion in my ankle. Definitely no limp when running or walking.

Coachg

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I should add that neither of my ankles has ever extended/pointed/plantarflexed beyond about 130 degrees (90 degrees = standing upright). Seeing women's ankles extend beyond 180 DEGREES just from gravity as they sit cross-kneed in a chair gives me an involuntary shiver. Yet I have no problem flattening out a hull. If a particular deck angle needs more than that 130 degrees, I may loosen the back strap way up, roll my foot onto its inner side, and use leg rotation to flatten the board (or just bend that knee so my shin is more vertical), but I haven't felt the need to do either in many years (but then I don't ride race boards, either).

wynsurfer · Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Posts: 940

Broke my left arm hang gliding in the 1970's , very bad fracture of both bones on my left arm just above the wrist where I was wearing a watch. It looked like I had another elbow there, my hand was at a 45 degree angle, no bones protruding through skin, so not a compound fracture. I was told at the emergency room that I absolutely must have surgery or I would loose my ability to do most everything and that I would probably never play the guitar again!. I had broken bones before and they healed in about 3 weeks, a collar bone, clean break, no cast needed. I had no insurance and could not afford the operation and was skeptical, so I just said to set the bones as best you can, no hardware involved. Been playing the guitar just fine now for 40+ years.

I did loose a little mobility, but can do everything I need to. Only problem I have is doing pull ups when I get a little over zealous and then my elbow gets a bit cranky.

It's all about the money, and what isobars and others have said. Talk to other MD's

merriam2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2013 Posts: 33

Agree that you should seek other opinions. Ankle fractures can be very difficult to manage. Also consider a brace (AFO,Ankle Foot Orthosis.) They are often used to conservatively manage this situation and may allow acceptable functionality in lieu of a fusion. They can be used daily and may also work for sailing but you would have to wear a water shoe. Also be aware that a fusion can create other problems with the foot such as forefoot pressure and calf atrophy. Good luck.

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

I play doubles tennis at a high level. My partner (an anesthesiologist) and I played this guy and his partner for a tough hour and 1/2 match. We came in the clubhouse after the match and he lifted his sweat pants. To our astonishment he had a titanium leg from the knee down with a tennis shoe on a fake ankle.

We could not notice it at all during play. He jumped, sprinted, pivoted, lunged with incredible quickness. His leg worked perfect, shoe and all. Never tripped, never lost his footing or balance, no sign of anything. The ankle pivoted as if it were natural.

I do not know what kind of leg he had, but he was superman.