Home Rehabing a 3° Ankle Sprain with Fractured 5th Metatarsal??

by Deborah

Thanks for all in info on your site. I'm American living in Italy and left to my own devices more or less. It's august in Italy and all docs are on vacation.

9 weeks ago I took a horrible banal fall and fractured my right foot with 3° ankle sprain (3rd ankle sprain but never fractured foot until this fall) - got up from a chair at a bar from lunch (no wine involved) foot was asleep, I did not feel my foot, and all 168 pounds went crashing down on right ankle. Heard a loud crack, felt 20*s of pain and then nothing- nerves all busted. ankle swelled up the size of a football.

Plaster cast 1 month, up in the air, then cam walker another month. Began light ankle rehab all non weight bearing at week 6. As it stands now at week 9 I am improving, albiet ever so slowly. Swimming began a week ago week 8, and that has really helped loosen things up.

I found info on net on home ankle rehab and more on fractured 5th rehab, but it has been hard to start ankle rehab with weight bearing due to fracture. Also working on range of motion has been delayed until week 8 as the foot just did not feel like fracture was healed enough.

Now i am full weight bearing and have begun standing ankle rehab like lunges, balance on one leg, but i am not sure what i should be doing.

Can you give me any pointers on people with double injuries like me. the ortho says the ankle is stable, but i'm not convinced. i asked him to do an MRI but he said it was not necessary.

I am walking with a slight limp and relatively pain free, but ankle swells up when i've been on it for a short time and it's very rigid in the morning. I am doing everything i can. By september i need to be in the best shape possible as I teach at public school and start at 8 am every day.

Any insight on double injury rehab like mine would be appreciated.

thanks so much,

Deborah in Italy