Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - May 24, 2010 - 01:13pm PT
|
Here's hoping all you smart tocaoans can give some advice while wearing an ankle cast whick extends to my knee.
A week ago I fell while climbing and broke my ankle.
Since then, the ankle hasn't hurt much, but the bruise traveled above the ankle to my shin, and every time I stand up (have been sitting with foot elevated) it hurts like hell in the bruise area. Is there any hope for getting rid of that? Before the cast was applied,(two days) I iced the whole area and it lessened the pain fairly well, but now it hurts when standing. I've tried icing the cast area, but it doesn't seem to penetrate the cast very well.
HELP!
A little background...
About thirty feet off the deck, I fell off an overhang in a pendulum fall, fell about 15 feet,slammed into the rock face, heard a pop, "That can't be good....must be the cams on the rack slapping rock....yeah, that's it...." Classic denial.
Downclimbed about 800' with climbing partner, then hiked out a mile, leaning hard on a branch, to the car. I waited two days to see the doc, because I thought it had to hurt worse if it was broken. (more denial) haha
The orthopedist said it was a clean break, no bone grit in the joint, thank God, and casted it.
So, back to the beginning...any ideas? I could sure use the advice.
Thanks in advance!
|
|
Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 01:18pm PT
|
man i can empathize..
did the doctor subscribe vicadins?
here's my tail: (note: posted previously)
the day i turned 21, i drugged my whole family.
then i marched them up to sugarloaf so's they could
witness the past time that had pretty much consumed me.
my mommy fretted endlessly about my impending peril, perched on the front edge of every moment that i entered.
"no mom. you're mistaken. it's a really safe pursuit. and friendly venue. come on, you'll see."
i start out on farley. my dad held a rope for his first time, belaying me with occasional tension, otherwise excess slack, but never just right.
placing hexes sideway, i failed to sew up that climb. all ended purty and well though, and my mom was half way convinced, peering over the rim of her port, at her beloved boy.
ah, that went so well, lets wander up and around the corner to the fracture. this is a piece of eye candy for sure, sure to entertain my yearning.
i dance on up, coaching my dad on beelaying and float thru the crux. just past the crux, on a bit of 10a finger crack, i missed a foothold rest and clung on with zeal. fumbling in a brand new #1 tcu, i pumped out. determined though i climbed up and put my paws onto the savior ledge. too weak to finish, i melted off and dropped 15 feet onto a slab.
instead of sliding down the rock i pushed off and completely f*#ked my ankle. to my mother's unfortunate horror.
i aided up to the chains on one good leg and one dumb, cause hell if i was going to bail off my shiny blue cam.
for the next 5 months i lived in true suffering, as i was camped out below highway 80 in my pickup, attending university. every morning i'd pedal my bike to and fro higher learning with one leg in toe.
the chicks were still not impressed.
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:19pm PT
|
Thanks, Ricky, but I don't want to put any of that in my body. I'd prefer something more natural.
|
|
ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 01:22pm PT
|
did you call yer doc to let them know of the increased pain? do that to make sure you aren't developing compartment syndrome or a hematoma isn't developing. You can try isometric calve pumps to see if the muscle pump decreases swelling in the shin area, keep the leg elevated as much as reasonably possible to decrease blood flow to the lower leg. I would first check in with yer doc to rule out any worse case scenario.
Peace
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:25pm PT
|
Thanks for the empathy, Norwegian.
Nice story.
Did you cast or ice it?
Don't exactly like hearing the five months part, but whatever...guess I'm resigned.
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:30pm PT
|
Thanks ron, I'll call today.
Will try the calf pump experiment.
And yes, the leg is elevated as consistently as the political threads here keep a' smoulderin'. :^)
|
|
Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 01:32pm PT
|
Quitepartner,
mine was a severe sprain.
so i did not cast it. nor ice it, really. i was young and dumb.
i think the 5 month heal time had to do with the soft tissue damage.
i turned my ankle "out", with the 'palm' of my foot facing down.
the tendons on the inside ankle, which i damaged, are much more substantial than those on the outside ankle, and thus take longer to heal.
best of wishes.
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:37pm PT
|
Rockjox
Funny as hell!
Yep, the military grade's gotta be the best....courtesy of their in-house pharma department.
No substances but aspirin. Too stubborn?
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:40pm PT
|
Norwegian
Thanks for the well-wishes.
BTW, I forgot to thank you for the good advice a few threads ago.
|
|
Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 01:43pm PT
|
Vicodine and gradually witch to weed+advil.
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:45pm PT
|
Dang Dingus, you're one tough guy! And a damn good writer too.
The pain isn't coming from the cast, it's the area where the ankle bruise migrated up the shin.
PS. She wrapped it pretty well so there's a fair amount of padding between the skin and cast.
|
|
Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 01:46pm PT
|
I broke my ankle so badly (actually the tibia) I had the cast on for 5 months. The first month was hell. Whenever I'd stand up the blood racing into the tortured ankle would almost buckle me. Only thing that helped was to keep the ankle elevated. Slowly it just got better.
I'm afraid there are no quick fixes unless the cast is screwy or there's something else going on, which is wise to rule out as Ron was saying. The bone heals fast, the soft tissue, not so much.
JL
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:51pm PT
|
Lambone, wish I could take that advice.....but no go :-)
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 02:02pm PT
|
Thanks Largo.
I also remember hearing the word tibia....the pain you describe sounds about right....only it's above the ankle.
|
|
Srbphoto
Trad climber
Kennewick wa
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 02:14pm PT
|
When your leg hurts, apply to left hand. It works sort of like a patch.
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 02:18pm PT
|
Haha!
|
|
quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 02:31pm PT
|
I'm with ya on the pharmy crap, Pate. The pain hasn't been bad enough to justify that. So far.
|
|
Ken M
Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 02:49pm PT
|
I agree with others that you should at least talk to the ortho office.
It may be possible to "window" the cast at the point where you are having the pain, to take the pressure off, without having to go through getting a whole new cast. Maybe not, though, if it would affect the structural integrity of the cast. They will know.
But it really shouldn't be hurting like that.
I also agree that drugs are not the treatment for this.
|
|
Stewart Johnson
climber
yo mama
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 03:08pm PT
|
welcome to the glass ankle club!
|
|
Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
|
|
|
May 24, 2010 - 03:32pm PT
|
Quiet Partner--
I can really empathize with your condition, having broken 3 ribs just a month ago. I would go with checking out getting re-casted, and only then using the vicodin. If you take too much vicodin, the secondary effect of severe constipation, will make you wish you had never taken the stuff. Been there, done that!
Get well quickly!
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!