Weekly Lisfranc Surgery images during recovery

 Lisfranc photo recovery journal week by week

Lisfranc surgery image day 5 OUCH!

Lisfranc surgery image day 11 - still in a cast 

Lisfranc surgery image week 2 after cast removal

lisfranc surgery image after stitches were removed week 2

Lisfranc surgery image week 4

Lisfranc surgery image week 5

lisfranc surgery image week 6

                                                            Lisfranc surgery image week 7

Lisfranc surgery image Week 8

Lisfranc surgery image week 9

Lisfranc surgery image week 10

lisfranc surgery image week 11

At week 12, my recovering foot still turns purple.   I will know when it is completely healed when it stops changing color.

Lisfranc surgery image week 12

Lisfranc surgery image week 13

Lisfranc surgery image week 14

Lisfranc surgery image week 15

lisfranc surgery image week 16

Lisfranc surgery image week 17
walking on the treadmill 2 times a week at 1.5 miles per hour for 5 minutes 

Lisfranc surgery image week 18
I am pain free when my physical therapist manipulates and massages my foot 

Lisfranc surgery image week 19

lisfranc surgery image week 20

lisfranc surgery image week 21

lisfranc surgery image week 22

lisfranc surgery image week 23

Lisfranc recovery encouragement

I am so excited to find out that Maurice Jones-Drew will be back playing football this season!  I started following Jones-Drew's recovery closely after finding out he had lisfranc surgery on Dec 28th, 2012.  His return to full running back status has given me hope that I will indeed one day walk normally again without pain.  

I am nowhere near professional athlete status and knowing that Jones-Drew had lisfranc surgery, dealt with the long painful recovery and is now actually playing football again is inspiring.  Congratulations Maurice Jones-Drew!

(The following article was posted on espn.news...... click on Maurice Jones-Drew's name if you want to see the actual article on espn's website.

Maurice Jones-Drew has been cleared by the Jacksonville Jaguars' medical staff to participate in training camp, although he will be brought along slowly, coach Gus Bradley said Tuesday.

"We're extremely excited about the progress he has made," Bradley told reporters.

The 28-year-old Jones-Drew missed 10 games in 2012 because of a Lisfranc injury to his left foot. The running back underwent surgery in December and spent several months in a walking boot.

"Now, it's back to football," Jones-Drew told reporters. "It's been a long time coming. I'm excited to be out there running around and playing."

He said he was training during his rehab "like I wasn't hurt."

“

Now, it s back to football. It's been a long time coming. I'm excited to be out there running around and playing.

”-- Maurice Jones-Drew

Lisfranc surgery scar

I am10 weeks into recovery from lisfranc surgery and now I am noticing how ugly my  scar is!  I guess I never thought about it before now because I was concentrating so hard on coping with recovery pain and learning to walk again.

My physical therapist suggested vitamin E oil, so I am going to start applying that daily to my scar and see what happens.  If anyone else knows of something to make a scar less noticeable, please post it on my blog!

It is kind of nice arriving at this point, where my biggest concern is scarring!!!

lisfranc surgery scar 10 weeks post op

lisfranc surgery scar 10 weeks post op

10 weeks post lisfranc surgery

10 exhausting painful weeks of lisfranc surgery recovery are finally behind me! 

This week my physical therapist told me I am doing too much physical therapy.  I have been going to the HydroWorx pool 6 days a week, and taking land physical therapy 2 days a week.  In addition I have been doing my at home exercises twice a day and most days I have been  practicing walking in our pool at home.  By Friday it was painful to do anything at all related to walking.

I have been forced to take the week-end off from all therapy and give my foot a chance to calm down.  In my eagerness to be normal again, I have overdone my recovery and have pushed too hard, too fast.   I have to turn down my enthusiasm and admit to myself I cannot speed up the healing process.  Patience with my foot has been the hardest thing for me to learn during this arduous recovery phase.

10 weeks post lisfranc surgery 

The seduction of walking during lisfranc recovery

I honestly don't know what is happening to the logical part of my brain.  My foot is certainly screaming its' displeasure, but the seduction of walking, albeit it limping, is winning.

I am admitting that I am guilty of trying to do too much during my lisfranc surgery recovery.  Now that I have graduated to a cane, I am constantly tempted to walk too much, carry too much, and try to do too many of the daily household tasks.  

But my worse offense is that I am tempted to just skip the cane altogether and let myself limp around because it is simply faster to get to my desired destination.  

Tasting the exhilarating experience of walking like a regular breathing human again, while in the hydroWorx pool or in our swimming pool,  has made me thirsty to regain a normal walking life.  The temptation to repeat what I can do in the water on land has simply overtaken me.

After 2 hours of doing this and that around our house, my foot is not only swollen but I have a level 4 pain.  I'm finally admitting that I need to skip the rest of the household tasks I had planned for this morning and elevate and ice my foot once again.  I am, after all, due for an hour of Hydrowox therapy later this morning followed by attending a funeral.

I decided my challenge in the next few days will be to regain the ability to listen to my foot, and not give into the seduction of walking and regaining a normal life.  I have to slow down and plan more carefully how many steps realistically I can take in a day, with the aid of my cane. SIGH!!!!!

Post lisfranc physical therapy land exercises

Someone who is going through a similar surgery asked me to post the therapy exercises my physical therapist is having me do twice a day.  Please be sure and check with your own physical therapist, surgeon or physician before doing any of these exercises as your limitations may be different from mine.

All of the exercises have been helpful in learning to put weight on my recovering foot as well as gaining the flexibility and strength to learn to walk again.  

The exercise I have found to be most helpful is the Ankle/Foot toe curl.  Instead of using a towel, I bought  30 small marbles that I try and pick up with my toes.  I have started regaining toe flexibility because of this exercise.  My big toe is now less numb and I have regained about half of my big toe flexibility again!

Try leaving your therapy marbles out when you have friends over! You will be surprised how many will want to try out their own toe flexibility.

9 weeks post lisfranc surgery

Reaching 9 weeks post lisfranc surgery has been an exciting time.  

9 weeks post lisfranc surgery

My foot is not swollen all the time and I am not always in constant pain. 

incision at 9 weeks post lisfranc surgery

swelling is reduced at 9 weeks post lisfranc surgery

 I have even experienced a few fleeting moments where I have forgotten I have had surgery on my foot! 

Right side 9 weeks post lisfranc surgery

left side 9 weeks post lisfranc surgery



I am starting to see my ankles again!

left side 9 weeks post lisfranc surgery

Graduating from a crutch to a cane during lisfranc recovery!

Actively recovering from Lisfranc surgery has been the bulk of my life recently and I have made enormous progress towards walking again!

For the past two weeks I have been going to HydroWorx therapy 6 days a week, physical land therapy 2 times a week, and also doing my at home exercises twice a day.

My physical therapist was on vacation over the 4th of July so another therapist filled in for her.  Last week, he tried to move me to the next step in recovery which is to use the cane instead of a crutch.  At that point, I didn't have the balance or the strength in my recovering foot to manage a cane.

This week, my regular physical therapist was back and she couldn't believe the progress I had made during the last 7 days since we last  met!  She had me walk for her without my crutch and was stunned. 

I filled her in on my progress in HydroWorx therapy and she said she wished all her patients had access to a HydroWorx pool.  We both believe my HydroWorx therapy has greatly accelerated my recovery.

She handed me a cane and explained how to use it and after a few wobbly attempts, and some additional guidance from her, I have now officially graduated from a crutch to a cane!  

I can now use my cane while wearing sneakers in my home, and use the cane while in my boot in unfamiliar surroundings!



Good-bye crutches!!!

Accelerated recovery from lisfranc surgery using HydroWorx therapy

I have been doing 30 minutes a day of HydroWorx therapy 6 days a week and have made monumental leaps forward in my lisfranc surgery recovery!

The HydroWorx therapy pool's floor is an elevator which slowly lowers to the desired water level.  The higher the water level, the less weight on my recovering foot.  

Click for more information on HydroWorx Therapy pools
http://www.silvercrestproperties.com/node/459

The floor of the HydroWorx pool is a treadmill with adjustable speed.  I have found if I let the treadmill do the work, my recovering foot will naturally make the correct motions for walking.


There are cameras in the HydroWorx pool so that my sports therapist and I can check to see if I am making the correct walking motions with both feet.  We found that when it is painful to put weight on my recovering foot, I compensate by moving my "normal" foot incorrectly as well. 

 The camera's allow her to point out what I am doing incorrectly, so that I can make the right adjustments.  

Click for more information on HydroWorx therapy pools
http://www.silvercrestproperties.com/node/459

  
This week I have been able to walk correctly (under water) and be completely PAIN FREE!!

At last pain free sleep after lisfranc surgery

Last night was my first full night's sleep completely pain free since my lisfranc surgery on May 10th.  I didn't even need extra strength tylenol!  I woke up this morning and realized that I had not only slept through the night without waking up, I was completely pain free!  What a wonderful milestone to have achieved! 

I have spent several minutes this morning going over yesterday's activities to determine what I did right to earn pain free sleep.  Yesterday my sports trainer increased my activities during my hydroWorx therapy but did start and end my session with deep tissue massage on my injured foot.  

click here for more information on HydroWorx therapy

In the afternoon I had 5 kids over to swim in our pool, but I let their grandma and mother be the life guards while I iced my foot.

I did my land physical therapy exercises and iced afterward.  So I am thinking ice and elevation after using my foot is the key to less pain.

Ice air cast

8 weeks post lisfranc surgery

                  8 weeks post lisfranc surgery

Lisfranc surgery left side view

I have finally made it to the 8 weeks post lisfranc surgery milestone!  

Lisfranc surgery right side view

 I have had 4 physical therapy sessions and 5 hydroWorx sessions and can now pick up marbles with my toes!

 I love this land exercise because it challenges me to try and regain the ability to bend my big toe again. Plus if I leave my therapy marbles laying around when friends stop by it challenges them to whip off their stockings and try to pick up the marbles with their own toes.  It is a great party starter!  HA HA HA

Lisfranc surgery recovery with HydroWorx therapy

HydroWorx Therapy Pool



For more information, click on the link below

http://www.silvercrestproperties.com/node/459

Today was my 5th HydroWorx therapy session and I am finally starting to gain some confidence during my water therapy.  My sports trainer and I discussed my pain meltdown earlier in the week, and together we discovered which kinds of pain would be helpful for recovery, and which kinds of pain needed to be avoided.  This is definitely the information I need to build confidence in my ability to stand, balance and walk again.

My sports trainer showed me how to let the treadmill do the work while my foot relearned how to bend properly during the walking follow through.  This is especially difficult since my foot is supposed to bend near the area where the titanium plate is placed:

Lisfranc surgical plate

We talked a lot about my "land" physical therapy exercises and tried them together in the water.  I quickly discovered that not only were they easier to do in the water, I could do them with a minimum amount of pain!


If you are recovering from lisfranc surgery, I highly recommend HydroWorx therapy for a faster and more pain free recovery!!!

Lisfranc July 4th celebration

Our 4th of July family tradition is to host a picnic dinner and watch fireworks from the rooftop of one of my husband's senior housing facilities.    

To arrive at the rooftop, I would have to meander through a long furnace room, followed by 2 flights of precarious stairs.  The rooftop is filled with large stones which makes maneuvering difficult even for people who have no trouble walking.   So I knew this year, with my lisfranc injury, I would not be able to attend.

My husband, however, had different ideas.  He arranged to have plywood set out which eliminated the chance I would trip and fall or twist my ankle.   

I asked my physical therapist what she thought and she gave me permission to make the rooftop trip as long as I wore my boot, used 2 crutches and was uber careful.  My family all pitched in helping me not only ambulate slowly to the roof, but arranged for all the food as well.  This was such a precious gift given to my by my loved ones!

Rooftop 4th of July celebration!

lisfranc surgery double down meltdown!!

Yesterday I doubled down by having physical therapy followed by hydroWorx therapy which landed me in bed with a pain filled meltdown. 

My physical therapy session started out on the recumbent bike for 8 minutes which was more painful than it has been in the past.  My therapist did deep tissue massage on my foot before putting me through my paces of stretches, bridges, 6 inch hurdles, and trampoline balancing.  We ended the session with the fabulous ice massage machine.

I drove straight to my next appointment with the therapist at the hydroWorx pool.  Standing on my recovering foot was very painful while I was lowered into the water.  But when the water was up to my shoulders, the pain disappeared. 

We started out the session with stretches and balance work followed by walking on the underwater treadmill.   My therapist was in the water with me and together we watched the camera to determine if my muscles were making the correct motions.  She can actually see if I am limping and will slow the treadmill down, or deepen the water level to take away as much pain as possible while my foot re-learns to walk .

We finished the session with some deep tissue massage which felt absolutely wonderful.  She carefully massages my recovering foot with a hose that in connected to one of the hydroWorx jets. These deep tissue massages have been some of the only pain free moments I have experienced during recovery.  

Click this link if you want more information about where I am taking hydroWorx therapy.

http://www.silvercrestproperties.com/node/459

She suggested that since I did 2 therapy sessions that morning that I might want to go directly home and ice my foot as it may be a little sore.

Well, by the time I arrived at home, my foot stiffened up to a painful level 4.  I immediately put on my ice air cast, elevated my foot above my heart and laid in bed.  After about 1/2 hour, my pain level was increasing, instead of decreasing so I took some extra strength tylenol and tried not to feel sorry for myself. 

As I  felt the pain engulf me,  I was overcome with serious foot envy. Day after day, I have watched people walk down our street clueless as to how lucky they are to be able to do something so normal like pain free walking.  

What is hard for me is I have now experienced being able to walk "normally" while under water and walk a few steps, albeit painfully, with a sneaker outside of the water.  But I am not anywhere near being able to walk down the driveway, or in a mall or the grocery store etc. It's like I can see the end in sight, but I just can't quite reach it, and it is so frustrating!!  The harder I try to grasp it, the further away it seems.  

These thoughts, coupled with experiencing a level 5 pain led me to a tearful meltdown.  I just want to be done with this whole lisfranc pain, recovery, re-hab thing already!!!!  I just want to walk around the block again!!!

After shouting all of those words out loud (my husband wasn't at home) I decided to resume my affair with Keiffer Sutherland, aka Jack Bauer and watch more episodes of 24.  Jack Bauer got me through my non weight bearing period, and it looks like he will also be getting me through my painful re-hab period.  I am almost through season 6, so I hope my rehab doesn't last longer then the final 2 seasons!!

HydroWorx aquatic treadmill for faster lisfranc surgery recovery

Click here for more information on HydroWorx therapy

If you have been reading my blog, you know how highly motivated I am to recover as quickly as possible.  I got permission from both my surgeon and my physical therapist to start additional re-hab in a HydroWorks pool. Professional athletes use Hydro Therapy to speed up recovery, so I am hoping it will work for a "normal" person as well.

The HydroWorx pool is kept at 94 degrees, which is a few degrees below body temperature.  This is the best temperature to help with swelling while still moving.

Today I entered the HydroWorx aquatic treadmill for the first time.  I stepped carefully on the treadmill grasping the safety bar.  My therapist  lowered the treadmill until the water was chest high.  After several minutes of underwater foot stretches she set the treadmill speed at a low level and activated the underwater cameras. It was fascinating to watch my injured foot re-learn the correct motions for walking.  

After 15 minutes of walking and re-building muscle memory she had me once again do foot exercises under water. After raising the treadmill to floor level, I was amazed to note that my foot was less swollen than before we started!

Today in the Minneapolis Star Tribune there was an article about Senior housing which includes wellness centers. Towards the end of the article, the reporter, Janet Moore, talks about the exact HydroWorx aquatic treadmill that I am using for therapy.

"One of the stand-out features of Summit Place is the HydroWorx aquatic treadmill. For years, athletes from the Vikings, Wild, Twins and Timberwolves sports teams used the pool-treadmill at the senior complex because there was nothing like it elsewhere in the Twin Cities. “When I told my partners I wanted to buy [the $300,000 piece of equipment], they thought I was out of my mind,” Gould said." quoted from Janet Moore's article in the StarTribune titled "Senior housing booms as cities age" July 1st 2013

Here is a link if you want to check out the entire article:

http://www.startribune.com/business/213776021.html?page=1&c=y

I am hoping that daily HydroWorx therapy will teach me to walk again as fast as possible!

My lisfranc vacation is over!

It has been 5 days since I started physical therapy and my life has happily started to change.  Outside of the safety of physical therapy room, I was given permission to either walk with one crutch and my sneaker on my recovering foot or walk without crutches and with my boot protecting my foot.  ( I was taught how to do both things.) My foot's vacation is over!!

My foot longs to walk in a sneaker

So this morning I decided to brave going to church without crutches or my beloved scooter, wearing just my bedazzled boot. It is quite a walk from the parking lot to the sanctuary and I knew I was taking a bold move.  My husband was willing to let me use his arm for my "crutch" and after a few steps we both realized I didn't really need his support physically, but I needed the reassurance psychologically.  

It was a heady experience walking into church for the first time in 7 weeks!  The friends I saw rushed over to say "hi" to the new me, walking once again!  The exhilaration of walking far outweighed the amount of pain I had to endure.

Here's what is happening to me psychologically.  I am now having a hard time not walking!  I find myself more and more passing up my scooter and my crutches and just walking to my desired destination despite the pain. Walking makes me feel normal and I love it! 

This afternoon, I paid the price for my new found confidence.  All the walking I did this morning followed by my physical therapy exercises, and my water walking therapy, caused my foot to swell up like a bloated wood tick!

My foot was so swollen it barely fit in my sneaker

So once again I am back to icing and elevating!  It feels like I am taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back.  But at least I am making progress!

Icing and elevating again!






This evening will be filled with rest for my foot, ice, elevation and extra strength tylenol. However, no amount of pain can take away the satisfaction I feel from walking again! 

7 weeks post lisfranc surgery

                 I have finally made it through 7 weeks of healing! 

7 weeks post lisfranc surgery

My recovering foot looks almost normal

7 weeks post lisfranc surgery


My ankle is more swollen today because of intense physical
therapy yesterday.

Moving around more causes more pain and swelling, but it is worth it!  

On the road again 7 weeks post lisfranc surgery

Today is exactly 7 weeks after my surgery for my lisfranc fracture,  and I am now officially driving!!!!!  Since my recovering foot is my right foot, I have been unable to drive for 7 long weeks!  

My surgeon cleared me to drive as soon as I could move my foot well enough to apply pressure to the gas pedal and, more importantly, the break.  The exercises my physical therapist gave me this week included re-learning several of the motions needed to drive, and various stretches for the muscles in my toes, ankle and calf.

This morning my husband and I took a practice drive around the neighborhood, just to see if I was going to be able to physically manage the movements and deal safely with any pain while driving.  The driving aspect actually was very natural for me and the transition was painless.

However, I discovered having the physical ability to drive is just half of the equation. I also needed to be mentally prepared to drive. The fear of re-injury, and thoughts of having to experience the painful recovery again has made me hesitant for each new step in my journey.  I am constantly surprised at how much psychological healing I have to do during each stage of recovery. 

Today, during physical therapy, my therapist had me walking over barriers which were no more than a foot high.  Sounds easy, right?  Not for me! 

She told me to lead with my recovering right foot and remember to put my heel down first and then my toe and then let my left foot follow.   I was hesitant to take the first step, trying to remember everything she said, wondering how much it was going to hurt and fearing I would completely lose my balance.  I stood there for a while thinking things through and finally she held out her hand which I immediately grasped.  Suddenly, I could slowly walk the  hurdles.  

The next attempt she held out her hand, and asked me not to hold on.  But, mentally I knew it was there if I needed it, and once again I could manage the hurdles with ease. It became clear to both of us that I had the physical capability, but I needed to gain confidence mentally in order to proceed.  


When we got to the part in therapy where it was time to practice walking, I was concentrating so hard on all the proper movements, and even held my arms away from my body for balance when my therapist started to laugh.  I looked up at her smiling and asked her what was so funny?  She said that her 1 year old walked better than I do!  So, of course I got the giggles as I pictured her one year old tottleing around with more natural balance than me!   It felt so good to laugh at myself! She then said that I was over thinking my steps and to try and let it come naturally for me.  This was wonderful advice.  After letting go of trying to do it perfectly, my steps did come out right.  Slow, but great for now!!!

My physical therapist and I spent some time discussing the psychological aspect of recovery and she assured me that with a lisfranc surgery, psychological healing is always a part of rehab.  It often times can be harder to conquer than the actual physical rehab!  I am learning to not be so afraid and more importantly to remember to find humor during this part of the journey.

Pool Therapy for lisfranc surgery recovery

Today I started pool therapy for my lisfranc surgery recovery.  My physical therapist endorsed my surgeon's suggestion that I walk for 20 minutes each day in our pool in chest high water. 

 I found walking in the water is a lot less painful than trying to practice walking in a sneaker. It proved to be a wonderful way to practice learning to walk again while I repeated my mantra "heal, toe, follow through."  If you have access to a pool, I highly recommend water therapy.  (with your doctors and therapists permission of course.)

I did 2 20 minute sessions followed by the exercises my physical therapist gave me.  I am so tired physically and mentally!  And  my foot is really upset with me, so I have to call it quits for today.  I am once again sitting in my chair with my ice air cast on and my foot elevated.  But, despite the pain, I also have a sense of satisfaction that I haven't felt in a long time.

Lisfranc physical therapy

Yesterday was my first physical therapy appointment.  I woke up at 5:00am anticipating the beginning of the 3rd and final part of my lisfranc recovery journey.

My therapist is well informed about lisfranc surgeries and we spent the first several minutes talking about how I acquired my injury, all the misdiagnosis' and finally how I felt the surgery went.

She then asked me to take off my boot and she inspected my foot comparing it to my normal foot.  We talked in depth about pain levels and which movements cause which kinds of pain.  I was immediately impressed that she already knew so much about all the different kinds of pain I have been experiencing.

When we started talking about my continual big toe aching and ongoing numbness I found out that during lisfranc open reduction/fixation surgery my big toe was held down in an awkward position throughout the entire surgery.  Now I know why it still hurts so much and I am no longer worried that something is wrong.

When she asked me to stand in my stocking feet and put all of my weight on my recovering foot I broke out into a cold sweat and started to shake all over.  I told her that as motivated as I was to get my life back, I didn't think my foot was ready yet. I honestly thought the pain would be too great.

My therapist said a lot of the recovery from lisfranc surgery is psychological.  We talked several minutes about the fear if re-injury and how tough the last 6 weeks have been.  I shared with her that even the thought of having to go through this experience again terrifies me.  She reassured me that my bones have done all the healing they can and that there was no way I was going to re-injure myself with the exercises she was going to ask me to do.  

She then took my hands and I slowly lifted up my good foot and eased into putting my entire weight on my recovering foot.  Did it hurt?  Absolutely!  Was it worth it?  Without a doubt!  After holding the position for 20 seconds, I was so happy I couldn't stop smiling.  I looked up at her and she was beaming too.

She showed me 4 other exercises she wanted me to do which were all painful at first.  But as my muscles started to wake up again, it got easier and less painful with each movement.

Next she brought me over to a recumbent stationery  bike and told me I was going to pedal for 7 minutes.  I couldn't believe it!!!  I looked at her in shock and said, "really?"  She had me grab the handle bars which showed my pulse at 130.  That was how scared I was to try peddling a bike!  At first she let me use my left leg to do all the work while my right leg went along for the ride.  But after a few revolutions, my right leg was able to join in.  As the pain lessened, my pulse dropped down to 72 and I was able to go faster and faster.  I was so pleased with myself that I went 10 minutes and 1 3/4 miles before she came and pulled me off the bike.  I was out of breath and ecstatic!  I actually used my foot to pedal a bike.

Now I was ready for the final part of my first physical therapy session.  She was going to teach me how to walk again! Very slowly I took my fist step: Heel down, rotate weight to toes, follow through with bending the arch.  I had to take it slower than a 2 year old, but I managed several steps in a row and all without the boot!!!!!

We finished the session with the most wonderful ice machine which wrapped my foot in ice and massaged it at the same time.

I was sent home with 6 exercises to do twice a day and was also instructed to practice walking a few steps several times a day while repeating my new mantra, heel, toe, follow through!!