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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 5, 2011 - 01:13pm PT
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Here's the situation:
About four months ago I took a long fall bouldering and managed to put my right foot directly between two pads. Couldn't bear weight so I crawled out with the help of a friend.
At the time I had no insurance and not that much money so I decided to be my own doctor(yes I know I'm an idiot). I stayed off the foot for six weeks than slowly started weight bearing. I was able to walk with a limp and a lot of pain. Things started to heal and I was able to hike so I did. Tried climbing and it hurt like hell so I didn't.
Three weeks ago I hiked into Humphreys basin for some fishing. Spent five days out there and the pain was managable with 600mg of advil a day. On the hike out my foot started to really hurt. So I got home and decided to go see an orthopedic.
After some xrays it appears I broke my calcaneus and it heeled slightly out of alignment. I have to get a CT scan to see about the subtalar joint. If the subtalar is OK it seems I won't need surgery. If it's not I've already decided to have the surgery.
So I feel that after four months the pain should be subsiding but my doctor says these injuries can take over a year to heal. I'd like to hear from anyone else hear that has gone through this and how long it took to heal.
I'm usually not one to ask for help but this injury has really got me down. Stories or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Matt
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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Doc has it right. BIG bone, loads of weight bearing, not quick to heal. Limit pain, be patient, it should heal well with time. I'd think twice about diving into surgery at the sub talar joint, lots of movement comes from there and if you loose any from surgery, it may not come back so easy. Unless ABSOLUTELY necessary, think about it.
Peace
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 01:44pm PT
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Ron
The thing with having the surgery is it will prevent arthritis if that fracture line goes into the joint. I already have almost full range of motion in the foot and ankle. I've been really proactive with using it and started self imposed PT before I could even walk on it. Just frustrated that it is keeping me from climbing.
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Oh man that sucks. I broke my left ankle in '93 crashing a motorcycle -- a subtalar fracture; the ball in the ball-and-socket joint. 3 months in a plaster cast, physical therapy and years of not really trusting that foot. It was my first major injury and I should have done a better job rehabbing it. To this day the ankle hurts after a really long day; more than 15 miles and the next day it is so painful I am hobbling around. Ibuprofen is my friend :)
In March 2007 I broke my calcaneus in a highball fall on my right foot. Saw an ortho surgeon who put me in a thermoformed cast, then an air boot for a while, and finally a brace. This time I did range of motion exercises religiously as soon as I could. By July I was climbing again, but impacts were painful. I was climbing mountains again in August with stiffer-soled boots.
Doctors have told me the talus bone gets the worst blood supply in the whole body. Risk is high for "avascular necrosis" (bone death).
I'd listen to the doctor and PT(s). These injuries teach us the finer points of patience sometimes. Recovery takes time .. longer as we get older. Bones may knit within 6 weeks, but healing takes MUCH longer.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 01:49pm PT
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rhyang
Doctors have told me the talus bone gets the worst blood supply in the whole body. Risk is high for "avascular necrosis" (bone death).
I'd listen to the doctor and PT(s). These injuries teach us the finer points of patience sometimes. Recovery takes time .. longer as we get older. Bones may knit within 6 weeks, but healing takes MUCH longer.
The talus is on the inside of the ankle and it's fine. Doc says almost no chance of AVN with this injury. Good words about the healing time though. It's nice to know others have gone through similar things and are back to doing what they love.
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R.B.
Trad climber
47N 122W
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I broke my heel taking a lead fall on Catchy Corner, in Yos Cookie Cliff, back in '84. After xrays at the clinic, the doc said go see an orthopedic. Well all they did was put it in a walking cast, and told me to walk on it as soon as possible. I have this unnaturally large bulb on my heel which causes blisters all the time now.
I started climbing on it about 3 months after I broke it. It hurt like h@ll back then; It was a gnarly fracture, two tongue and groove fractures and three bone chips. It has all "glued" back together. No surgery for me.
The 28-year long term effects of this is: Blisters, slightly off gait, infrequent hip joint pain from the gait, spongy scar tissue on the site. But other than that, it's just a malshapen annoyance.
I still climb and hike; just have to live with two shoe sizes and blisters.
EDIT: It hurt 'til about 6 months after, in the first 2-3 months, it had daily swelling to the size of a grapefruit, only to go down again at night. I climbed some 5.11 thin face with tight shoes about 4 months after, OUCH! 4 months is not a bad recovery. Other side effects was my calf muscle atrophied a little bit during the mend. But Jumping in the saddle again was the best medicine. Not much they can do for a busted calcaneus ... in the words of my doc "pretty much have to let it all glue back together ... start walking on it as soon as you can." Good Luck
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Not all orthopaedic surgeons are created equal! Get a second opinion, and from a real expert. You only have the rest of your life to worry about a wrong decision now. Don't fuk it up.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 02:46pm PT
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R.B.
Thanks for that it's exactly what I'm looking for. You remember how long it hurt? Mines 4 months and still hurts like hell. Just livin the dream on advil for the time being!
Brokedown
No worries on the doc he's reputable. If I do need the surgery he's recomending a surgeon in San Diego who is WORLD class.
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coondogger
Trad climber
NH
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Hi,
I broke my heel several years ago and the timeline for pain varies but generally 18 months after your initial recovery is a reasonable timeline. 18 months after I took the cast off, I experienced the first day that I was active and only after climbing or whatever I realized, "Hey, I didn't think about the heel pain."
I would get in a deep water pool as before and after surgery for rehab and water walking with floatation. Burdenko method works for many in rehab.
good luck
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just_one
Mountain climber
CA
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i broke my calcaneous falling off a house on my 21st birthday. tequila makes everything seem like a good idea! i landed on the sidewalk and broke it clean in half. i was in a plastic cast for 3 months or so, then a walking cast for another month or two. it hurt like hell to climb or hike for several months after i took the walking cast off, but finally went back to normal after 7 or 8 months. it was super depressing, but buying a hangboard and working on upper body strength helped a lot with the mental aspect. hang in there man.
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landcruiserbob
Trad climber
BIG ISLAND or Vail ; just following the sun.......
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I fell about 25 feet soloing & landed flat footed on a small rock & sustained an impact fracture(dent).It took mine about 18 months to heal 100%. Remember there is very little blood flow to that area so it takes a long time to heeeeeeel.
Planter issues & A-Tendon issues can follow if you don't listen to your body.
Implement some swimming & biking to keep up the fitness.
Good luck.
Aloha & be well
rg
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 05:15pm PT
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Thanks
Starting to think that having range of motion and be able to walk after 4 months ain't so bad. The hangboard/upper body thing sounds good I just hate training. Actually reading this stuff and what others went through is starting to give me some perspective. Gonna go out thursday and try to do some climbing just to see how it feels. Thanks for all the replies and feedback.
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mwatsonphoto
Trad climber
los angeles, ca
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If you get around to the LA area, Kerlan Jobe has some incredible ortho surgeons. They were able to put this back together and, while it still hurts, I'm back climbing again.
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Reeotch
Trad climber
Kayenta, AZ
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Yeah, I broke my calcaneus taking a "test fall" on this route I was working on. Got whipped in to the wall at a 90 degree angle going feet first.
I had a crack going about 1/3 to 1/2 the way through this very thick bone.
The pain was incredible, way worse than any of the half dozen or so ankle sprains I've endured. I was on crutches for about 2 weeks. Then I graduated to one of those foot brace things with the air bags on the sides. It wasn't designed for this particular injury, but it did an ok job of keeping the weight off my heel. After that I wore these tennis shoes with an air chamber under the heel for extra padding.
I experienced discomfort in the sole of my foot for at least 6 months after the "accident". There are a whole lot of tendons that attach to your calcaneus through the bottom of your foot. Right after the injury, I couldn't put weight on my toes or my heel. Fuking hurt like hell!
The good news is that it was back to normal, without any residual pain or anything within a year. My ankles still give me problems after all the sprains, but not my heel.
I'd be wary of surgery for something like this. Remember there is a financial incentive for the docs to recommend something invasive like surgery. It could create more problems than it solves. Your body has an amazing ability to heal itself, if you give it enough time, rest, and appropriate therapy.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 09:38pm PT
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Yeah Riley surgery my or may not be neccessary and it won't be for realignment it would be to scrape stuff out of the subtalar joint if theres any in there. The missalignment is really slight. I couldn't notice it on the xray but the doc could. The thing is he's already given me the go ahead to keep hiking and trying to climb? I can't see screwin it up that much more by trying. It's not so much the bone thing that's getting to me it's the tendon and soft tissue stuff. It just won't stop welling. Kinda weird but if it takes a year it takes a year. Hopefully not.
Mwat
That is bad! stoked to hear it healed up ok for you
reeotch
Good point on the surgery. It's just the athritis I'm worried about. Seems like everyone is saying a year before any real return to normal. Guess I'll just have to learn to love 5 easy.
Thanks again guys feeling way more stokes by the post.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 10:35pm PT
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Base
Surgery it is. Cool yours wasn't displaced. Still 18 months is a long time to live with pain.
Riley
Surgery it's not. I think the CT scan should clear up whether or not the joint is fubared. If it is I'm going with base if not I'll go with you. Seems like a coin toss right now.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 5, 2011 - 11:44pm PT
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Base
By no means am I sitting on my ass. Just dealing with pain when I'm not on my ass.
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timt
Trad climber
Wheat Ridge, CO
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I shattered my calcaneus in a lead fall14 months ago. Got some screws put in and some extra bone frags removed. This far out, it still hurts every day, but i am able to climb at almost the same ability as before. It hurts, but functions just fine.
One of the issues I ended up having was that i developed lower back pain. I went to see a chiropractor & he told me my "limping muscle" was extremely inflamed. Go figure. Bottom line is that you should work at keeping your whole body in balance while you heal. It was my right foot that shattered & now i have issues with my knee and lower back on the left. Look at getting a body blade & doing planks for some core work to prevent issues from chronic limping. When you are strong enough, do plyometrics (jump boxes) to rehab the foot. These did wonders for me.
Be patient & be prepared for a long recovery.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 6, 2011 - 12:19am PT
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Timt
Patience is a virtue it's just one that I'm lacking. Well I lack many but that's beside the point. I'm starting to get it though. Expect the pain and just deal. As far as knee pain goes bet your ass my left knee is feeling a little stressed. I wonder what the your "limping muscle" is. I suspect after this mine might become quite strong.
Thanks
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Raafie
Big Wall climber
Portland, OR
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Up on Flagstaff above Boulder in 1989, I fell off a boulder problem when my shoulder spontaneously dislocated. My right cancaneus partially fractured when I hit the ground. Talk about a bad day of bouldering!
Same treatment as many of you: no surgery, plastic cast for 3-4 months, light use for a while after. It's definitely a painful spot to get healed up. The fracture was near where my achilles tendon connects, and a bump formed there that caused me soreness for several years after. In mountaineering boots and some rock shoes, the bump would get extra pressure from the shape of the heel cup, increasing the pain factor.
Over the next 8-10 years, it seemed like the scar-tissue-related bump gradually decreased in size, but never fully went away. But it was back to 100% function easily within a year. Conclusion: it's a frustrating injury, but eventually it will heal and not be at-risk again. It's annoying to have a source of pain, but it won't hold you back for too long.
Now, that shoulder was a different story. . . . . .
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, ruppel... get well soon...
foot, leg, or hip, troubles are no fun...
:(
great to see lots of shares here, too, to help you out,
as to various reasons, and support...
:)
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 6, 2011 - 12:59am PT
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Jim
27 years ago and you still remember it. That one made me laugh(in a good way). So 26 years 8 months from now maybe I'll relate something similar to someone else.
Raafie
If you ever wanna talk about shoulders let me know. Right or left doesn't matter!
neebee
Thanks for the support
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 6, 2011 - 02:11am PT
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Jim
"Gettin' old ain't for wimps"!
Love it man. Tell you're mom I'm gonna use that. I'm not that old and that just put a smile on my face.
Thanks
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timt
Trad climber
Wheat Ridge, CO
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Want to read about some shattered calcaneus nastiness, read Tomaz Humar's biography. He shattered his in a bad way working on his home. Rough recovery, but he ended up in the Himalaya again.
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Since blood supply is an issue with that area of the body, one thing that really helped a friend of mine years ago, when nothing else did, was hot/cold water therapy. You keep it in hot water for several minutes, then plunge it into ice water for 30 seconds; repeat the cycle, alternating hot and cold seven times or so. Gets extra building blocks of nutrients there faster.
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jopay
climber
so.il
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Broke my right Calcaneus many years ago bouldering at Cedar Bluffs, no one else was there basically ended up crawling out dragging my pack and rope. Didn't require surgery,got the cast and physical therapy which I've always believed was the weak link in my outcome. I have tended to wear shoes a bit differently on that foot, but I do think that over time my ankle is better than ever. The ankle used to be a bit stiff in the morning if I had run the previous day. I suppose it does something to the tendons/ligaments in the joint. My advise get some good physical therapy during rehab.
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Fishy
climber
Zurich, Switzerland
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Broken talus for me. A nasty experience all round - initial expectations were that the entire ankle would probably have to be fused after 6 months.
Avoided the fusion, abd 5 years on it works OK, but still swells up easily when hiking over uneven terrain.
Was still noticeably improving for 12 months. Didn't finish the healing process for probably 18 months.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 7, 2011 - 12:06pm PT
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Thanks for all the input guys. Seems I'm beginning to see the light. Hopefully have that CT scan scheduled for next week sometime. All in all I guess my recovery is more on pace than I would have thought.
Thanks
Matt
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JeffR
Trad climber
Cayucos, CA
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Don't forget proprioceptor training/rehap -- very important after any ankle or foot injury.
-Jeff Rininger
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Broke mine a few years ago jumping a gap on a descent. Kept climbing until a couple weeks after the incident. Me and MisterE went soloing and that day the pain got so bad from just walking around I had to finally see a doc. Sat on the couch for a couple weeks, self-medicating it with some ancient rituals involving fresh herbs, and started climbing again with moderate pain.
Pain was completely gone within 6mo, but mine was also a hairline crack, not busted into multiple pieces. I didn't have health ins at the time and had to call in a favor to get seen by an ortho. Good luck.
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 2, 2012 - 07:59pm PT
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Daphne
Yeah I'm still around I just gave up on this site a long time ago. For this I'll make an exception. For starters get ready to just deal with a lot of pain. Sounds like your break is pretty severe compared to mine. Mine fractured and had I seen a ortho right away they would have put a pin or two in it to straighten the alignment. As it is I didn't see a Doc until almost 6 weeks had gone by(yeah I'm thick headed). By the time I saw him he basically said it was well on it's way to healing. I did have a CT scan done because he was worried about a small fracture going into the sub-talar joint which can lead to major issues down the line. I was fortunate that the fracture line didn't continue into the joint. I started rehab on the ankle before I went to see the Doc and continued with stretching and strength exercises for about 3 months. After that pain slowly started to go away and I resumed more of a normal gait. I started really climbing again about six months after the injury. It's been just over a year now and I can still feel it every once in a while especialy with heavy loads but all in all I'd say I'm 95% back to normal. It's a long road that may seems daunting but just start down it and push yourself as hard as you can as soon as you can. And get used to netflix. Wish you a speedy recovery.
Matt
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Nate101
Trad climber
Aliso Viejo, CA
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I broke my heel 6 months ago when I screwed up the lower out into the stove legs. Rookie move. I've got four screws in the heel now. I'm still struggling with stiffnes/pain in the achillies tendon. Scar tissue and soreness at two of the screws. The plan is to eventually pull the screws, but the doc wants to wait another six months.
I'm cycling with no pain, but walking, hiking, and climbing are tough. I'd like to get out to Tahquitz this Sunday if I can line up a partner. Not looking forward to the approach!
Nate
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landcruiserbob
Trad climber
PUAKO, BIG ISLAND Kohala Coast
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Been there as well.
Mine hurt for a year but It got better and better each day. I was in my mid 30's when it happened, now I'm in my mid 40's running marathons, ironmans, surfing , & wind surfing.
I climb less than 20 days a year now because of all of my foot injuries, especially big toes. They hurt like hell, but I don't regret a moment of my time on the rocks.
My son made the same mistake you did and didn't go get X-rays.
Now get to Vail Colorado and go to the Steadman Hawkings clinic; it will be worth it to see the best podiatrist in the world. Your feet are tripods, you have screwed up a key link. Go see the best for the repair.
Aloha and be well
Rg
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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I had a hairline non displaced fracture in my calcaneus. I didn't need surgery or a cast. It hurt like a sonofabitch for well over a year.
Like the others, it was a bouldering fall of only 5 feet or so. I wasn't using a pad because it was a really easy problem.
The Plantar Fasciitis might have been worse than the actual fracture. Plantar Fasciitis takes forever to heal. Months and months.
Don't go messing around with your foot bones. You have 6 million or so bones in your feet that must do a lot of work. If one dies, you can live with it or have it taken out, but you will probably take it out if it causes pain.
I had avascular necrosis in my knee a couple of years ago, right on top of my tibia socket where one of the Femur knobs fits. That hurt like crazy, and I had a number of bad diagnoses until I got with a really good ortho who sent the MRI's to a really good radiologist.
Most people will listen to a doctor's view of an MRI, but if you really want to do it right, get a copy of the radiologist's report, copies of all MRI's and doctor's info.
Mine looked like a big cyst in the top of the tibia and I was diagnosed with arthritis 8 times. So I had it scoped, which is a really quck surgery to recover from, and they found clean cartilage all over the joint and zero arthritis. Despite this, I was still getting an incorrect diagnosis.
Supposedly it was caused by some sort of trauma, but there was no point where I hurt it. It just started hurting on its own. They thought it would heal, but over a year it kept growing. Subchondroidal cancers are nigh unheard of in adults, other than a metastatic spread of another cancer. Still they sent me to an orthopedic oncologist. So it wasn't bone cancer. Cancers within the bone usually occur in kids.
My doc said that he had never seen a cyst like that without gross arthritis, which I didn't have. I ended up getting half of my knee replaced and now it is much better, although I am limited now. They had to do a graft when they put in the appliance, and that knee is impossible to kneel on now.
My advice is to always get copies of your MRI's as well as all reports. The radiologist always makes a report, then get the doc's report, the surgery report's, the CT scans, and anything else. It is such a maze that the doctors always dropped the ball. I had to keep a "scrap book" of all of the work and different radiologist and doc reports, including surgery reports. You have to be your own activist, and if you find yourself having to orally explain it to a new doc over and over, then you need to give him a copy of all work to date to keep each doc on the same page.
I found this a terribly crappy problem.
So keep all of the paper trail.
I can't believe that you were getting around on a through fracture of the calcaneus. That is one break that hurts like crazy and never heals.
Get it fixed. It will cost 50 grand, but don't worry about that. The Republicans will find a church group to pay for it.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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The other amazingly painful break was the big toe.
I know that people stub their toes really bad and assume that it is broken and will heal. That is almost certainly not a break. Trust me.
When you break a toe bone, especially the big toe, it hurts like crazy for many months.
I fractured a tibia once, and that was nothing compared to the calcaneus and metatarsal breaks. The big toe hurt for well over a year. So did the Plantar Fasciitis from the calcaneus fracture.
If you end up with avascular necrosis, like I did in my knee, you are looking at all types of bad scenarios.
Just go get it x-rayed first. That is cheap. Then go for an MRI if you need it. An MRI is over a thousand bucks if you don't have insurance.
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jopay
climber
so.il
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I fell bouldering (pre-pad days) and broke my Calcaneus, crawled to my truck, spent six weeks in a cast, didn't require surgery. After six weeks doctor wanted to leave it casted longer, but I was anxious to get it off. I then went to rehab that was a joke, basically a whirlpool foot tub and some range of motion with a belt? That was years ago, and most mornings that foot is slow to loosen up, particularly after climbing, I can almost always feel that foot is weaker, though it doesn't bother me once I'm warmed up or even to run. My advise get some good rehab.
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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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I'm another one who had a non displaced calcaneus fx and crawled back to my truck. I have no lasting pain from the injury. Good luck to you.
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Frozenwaterfalls
Ice climber
California
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Good to hear about all the recoveries! I did the "foot between the mats while hopping off the bouldering wall" in the gym (the humiliation) and dislocated my ankle and fractured the talus bone. A large quantity of swearing, I reduced the dislocation myself, but couldn't weight the thing at all so was carted off the to the hospital. I was on crutches for two weeks while also in a boot. The boot for a total of one month. Then carefully walking. It has been four months now and I finally have been able to start climbing (only on TR and no cracks) again. I did go to PT but had to fight for it (Kaiser). And I was sent to a podiatrist but had to fight to see an orthopedist (who did the MRIs and found the fracture). It has been pretty frustrating, but to hear that I am about on par with others who have had similar accidents for recovery rate makes me feel a bit better. I have water skiied on it (not so smart) and windsurfed (proprioception training right ;)?) but walking/hiking still hurts a lot, especially hills. I am definitely lacking in all ranges of motion. Any suggestions for that other than traditional stretches (achilles, quad, etc)?
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Daphne
Trad climber
Black Rock City
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As of April 29 I'm a year out from breaking my calcaneus in a lead fall. I drove my talus into the joint and shattered the bone. Surgery, pins and a plate, then another surgery in December to take the metal out and debride the scar tissue. This is a long, long recovery. I just put my foot back in a crack 2 weeks ago-- couldn't begin to face that idea but it was fine when I stepped up, hooray.
If you are in the sf bay area, I can recommend an insanely expensive but immensely good pt-- he works with the dancers at the sf ballet and is an athlete and understands feet completely. I've gotten great help in understanding what kind of movement to practice to bring back full functioning.
My first steps in the morning are still painful. If I am hard on my foot, I pay for it. But it continues to get better and better and I can do everything I want to do, except there's pain after.
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Frozenwaterfalls
Ice climber
California
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Daphne, could you post the name of the PT in the Bay Area? My Kaiser PT has been good for basics, but the Kaiser methodology seems to be "if you are walking again, you are fine" rather than getting active people back to as close to 100% functionality as possible. I didn't have to have hardware put in nor surgery so my injury was mild compared to yours, but the soft tissue damage was pretty bad so I think more PT would be great since my range of motion is still not there. And I am a slab climber and an ice climber so if I can't drop my heel, I am doomed :)!
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Daphne
Trad climber
Black Rock City
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Frozen, check your email
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Daphne
Trad climber
Northern California
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Ick. Bad memories.
And I still hurt every day.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Portland Oregon
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Falling Parameters
Height in meters 8
Mass in kg 80
Speed at impact:12.52 m/s or45.08 km/h
Time until impact: 1.28 s
Energy at impact: 6272.00 joules
You were in a 28 mile per hour crash. It was always gonna hurt.
How's your back? I'd be more concerned about compression there. Ask me how I know.
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dkny
Trad climber
Irvine, CA
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Hey folks, thanks for sharing your experiences on this thread. I fractured both of my heels in January. I've been trad climbing for nearly 20 years and fractured my heels bouldering of all things. It's been 10 months and I'm still in disbelief.
My left was an extra-articular fracture (outside the joint). My right was intra-articular and basically shattered into several pieces. I spent 2 months in a wheelchair and was non-weight bearing on my right for a total of 3 months. Now after 3 surgeries, lots of PT and exercise, I'm about 75%. Walking, not quite jogging yet.
I'm really happy with my progress, but wonder about people's experience at this later stage of recovery. Were there particular exercises that you found useful? I'm constantly tinkering with different exercises and have a pt and trainer.
Here are some I'm finding particularly helpful:
1. Stairmaster: I try to imagine I'm on a approach hike in the Sierra. Also like this for the ability to objectively measure improvement. (80 flights in 20 minutes, etc). I find it is really good for strength in the quads and glutes, but somewhat limited in terms of range of motion.
2. One leg bend overs on a Bosu ball: Stand on the flat side with one leg. Bend over and touch the opposite hand to the edge of the flat surface or a cone on the ground. Great for regaining balance and proprioception. Advance to pistol squats or use the rounded side for added challenge.
3. Toe walking: I hate this one, so I know I should be doing it more. Basically not much more to it than what's in the title. But really humbling when you can't do it.
Hope this is helpful and interested in hearing more experiences from others. Thanks. - Dennis
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ruppell
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 4, 2015 - 11:11am PT
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Lorenzo
I don't know whether that was directed at Daphne or me but I'll give you the 4 year 5 month post injury report from my fall.
I'm climbing harder then ever and still highball. It's raining in Bishop right now and my ankle has no idea. It's at 100% and has been for the past 2 years or so. Range of motion and packing heavy loads on uneven terrain is not a problem. The only time I ever even notice it anymore is when hiking sideways along a slab. That rolls the heel just enough to remind me that it was broken at some point. Not painful, just a weird sensation in the heel.
As far as my back goes, I'm a 41 year old white male who's worked construction most of my adult life. Everyone in my field regardless of ankle injury has a sore back every once in a while. Add my chosen profession to the fact that I boulder a lot and the old back can hurt. Nothing a few minutes of stretching in the morning can't take care of.
I feel pretty fortunate that I took the path I did to come back strong. That path involved pushing the injury as hard as I could as soon as I could. It may not be the best idea for others but I'm convinced it made a huge difference in my recovery to 100%. Days after the injury sitting on the couch I was already rubbing, prodding and poking the ankle and heel. Weeks after I started weight bearing. Like splint wrapped in duct tape, put in hiking boots with the laces reefed tight. Then some more duct tape over the boot. Then go fishing up at South Lake. I must have been a pretty funny sight to see back then.
So, that's where I'm at man. Now, what's your story?
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Shattered calcaneus left foot:
Hurt like hell for 6-8 weeks afterwards. Classic elephant foot. After 3 months it didn't hurt so much. After about a year, I could walk a mile with a stiff ankle, but climbing was a joke. Even at 2 years I was taping my ankle to give it some support, but I was climbing again even if 3rd class approaches with a pack were difficult. Third year things were more or less okay, but the left leg was still weaker than the right.
Since your heel isn't shattered in hundreds of pieces like mine, you should "heal up" quicker baring complications.
Patience.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Portland Oregon
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So, that's where I'm at man. Now, what's your story?
Since you asked, I'm male and 68. I also worked in the construction industry for 40 years.
I had injuries to both ankles and both knees playing Lacrosse and Football in college back when joint surgeries were pretty primitive. Folks looked like slaughterhouse accidents after surgery. I elected not to have the surgeries then and I think it was a wise choice. I still have a couple bone spurs from that, but the pain is either minimal or I have a high pain threshold. If I move carefully, there isn't really pain. Running ended for me in my mid 20's. That's why I took up climbing.
I have had three climbing injuries, a reinjury to one ankle at about age 30 from clipping a ledge on a short fall ( 6 months recovery) , a shoulder dislocation at age 40 which required surgery and about 18 months of rehab. Recovery from that was mostly total until arthritis set in, which was always a danger, my surgeon told me then. I have lost a bit of flexibility over the years.
Also knee that got cut wide open from popping a nubbin and hitting a flake and exposing my patellar tendon on a 15 footer in tuolomne a year ago. First real fall in 28 years. $14K of surgery and lots of rehab. That's mostly healed, but there are funny clicking noises still when I do knee bends. ( yeah, I know. Don't do them) MRI shows mostly soft tissue scarring. Not sure I will do anything more about it. We'll see. I can still hike (slower) but steady.
Worse injuries were construction related. At age 45 or so, I walked off the end of a scaffold and fell about 4' carrying a beam. Crushed cartilage in my lower back and bent the fingers back on my left hand. That hand has limited flexibility now., strength is OK. The back means my heavy lifting days are over ( I reinjured it lifting a granite slab. still managed Salathe at 48)
The real problem was as I got older. Arthritis ( and stenosis) have set in on most of those injury sites, so I retired ten years ago and and am paying for the abuses my body took years before. It remains to be seen how much climbing is in me. Climbing will be with other old men, I expect. The days of hiking in someplace with heavy loads are over.
I hope it doesn't happen to you, but there is payback in later years for your old injuries sometimes. Getting old ain't for sissies.
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bixquite
Social climber
humboldt nation
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i shattered my calcaneus about 8 years ago. best thing ever cause a byproduct of my physical
therapy was my son Tasman now 7. I keep climbing and surfing, building and gardening but
often feel a restricted range of motion and mornings after hard days can be slow. I got some
cannibus infused salve that i rub on and it seems to help loosen those tight joints. no pun intended.
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Paul Martzen
Trad climber
Fresno
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Great thread. Very informative. I am 61 years old and 17 months out from falling 8 feet off a ladder onto my right heel. Fractured the heel but not enough to need surgery. In a cast for two months and in a walking boot for one month.
Swelling, soft tissue and tendon issues were the worst. The tendon that runs behind the outside ankle would "pop" out of place during certain movements and the pain was excruciating. That has dissipated.
In the morning when I get out of bed, I need slippers or shoes, else I can barely walk on it. Once I get the foot moving and warmed up it isn't too bad and I can even walk barefoot on hardwood floors. For a long time, it felt like I had bonespurs on the bottom of my foot which were very painful. That seems to be less the case now.
I can climb fine in the gym and pretty well outside, but I do have reduced range of motion and reduced strength. I really notice the limitations in movement when climbing outside, but range and strength are still improving.
I have been hiking and extending my hiking range, but still unsure about hiking more than 4 miles or so. At some distance the foot and the rest of my leg is just exhausted. Climbed Tenaya Peak last week and felt fine on that, so I am optimistic that I can climb stuff further from the road.
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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To increase blood supply to the area, get two buckets of water; one as hot as is comfortable, and the other ice water. Put it in the hot water for five minutes, then the ice water for 30 seconds; repeat this at least seven times, do it 2-4 times a day. It will heal faster with the increased blood supply.
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