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matekason
Feb 7, 2007, 6:33 PM
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anyone here climb after a broken ankle with hardware? I have 10 screws and and plate from last October that I am getting removed in July (thanks to landing on my ankle funny from 6 feet). I hear there's another several months recovery time after that to let the bones heal again.
Anyone know how long that might actually take? Is bouldering/leadclimbing still in the cards after a bad ankle break?
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crodog
Feb 7, 2007, 6:44 PM
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Hi, I have three screws in my talus and am leaving them in. I've started climbing again but check with your doctor; you don't want to be on crutches for the rest of your life
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lostcause
Feb 7, 2007, 6:55 PM
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Why are you having them removed? Are the screws working themselves loose? I have a very similar situation with a plate and 8 screws from rodeo accident.
I have no problems at all with them after 11 years (except when it gets really cold). I don't know what the issue would be with healing after having them removed but it only took me 3 months to start playing basketball again after having them put in initially and having ligament surgery on the ankle.
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granite_grrl
Feb 7, 2007, 7:07 PM
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If you do do this let us know how it turns out. I have a screw in my hip that pains me, but the doctor sugested I keep all my hardware in for at least 2 years before I think about removing it.
Fine by me, I alreafy have enough scar tissue by my hip.
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begood77
Feb 7, 2007, 7:20 PM
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I also landed a little funny from about six feet this summer and have 2 screws in my medial malleolus. I have done a bunch gym climbing on it this winter, and a little sport and trad that I was able to catch at the end of the season. I have not had too much problem other than a slightly weak leg.
(This post was edited by begood77 on Feb 7, 2007, 7:22 PM)
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matekason
Feb 7, 2007, 7:52 PM
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My ankle has been aching pretty badly. The two larger screws on the inside of my right ankle are protruding pretty badly, and they always seem to bang up agains things. I was also told that you normally wait at least a year to get hardware out, but because I am 20 and active, they say getting the hardware out might be better overall.
Because I rockclimb my OS suggested getting it out if I might be banging the ankle up a bit. If I take a bad fall I would break my leg above the plate, which she says would be worse.
We'll see! I am not excited about another surgery, but if all goes well I will be healed by early October.
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granite_grrl
Feb 7, 2007, 7:59 PM
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Yeow! Hitting protruding screws! That would suck....so much. After six month I still can't lay on my right side because of the pin in my hip, I have no desire to fall on it while climbing.
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antigravity
Feb 10, 2007, 12:28 AM
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I broke the neck of my talus. They put 2 screws in and then had to take them out 5 months later to get an MRI. For me the screws-coming-out surgery was super easy. It was out patient and I didn't even need to take the pain pills they gave me for at home. It was a piece of cake compared to the whole bottle of pills and being in bed and in pain for almost 2 weeks when they put the screws in. They took the screws out for the MRI and also because they were sticking slightly into my ankle joint so I couldn't walk on my ankle. Of course, I only had 2 screws. You sound like you have a lot more hardware. But in my opinion and I have heard this from lots of other people: out is way easier then in.
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ianjk
Feb 11, 2007, 12:37 AM
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I've had friends rock and ice climb while still in walking casts, albeit at a lower grade than when they are 100%. *I'm not a doctor*, but would probably be out climbing a couple grades lower than norm, keeping weight off the bum leg.
****Don't take my advise tho, go see someone that has more than junior highschool health class as their qualification.
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notapplicable
Feb 12, 2007, 1:35 PM
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I broke my arm almost two years ago and had to have a titanium plate and screws put in (see picture to left). I got tendonitis shortly after returning to climbing from the tendon wearing back and forth across it so I had it removed. I had another 5 weeks of recovery time for the incision to heal and swelling to go down but it still didnt feel good as new for awhile after that. So yes you are going to have a recovery time comparable to what you had for the original injury, it sucks but I'm sure the pins allowed it to heal properly and faster than with out. Good luck.
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md3
Feb 13, 2007, 3:30 PM
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Registered: Feb 13, 2004
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I had a tib fib with lots of screws and a plate. Pain was reduced significantly after the hardware was removed (about two years after it was put in). I have been running regularly and far on it for about 20 years since the accident. It seems that staying healthy and postive can help a lot with healing generally. Ignore those docs who try to tell you what you will never be able to do again, but don't rush it.
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