I’ve seen some discussion on knackered ankles before but just wanted to open a discussion on the off chance…

Had my left ankle fused about 2 years ago, on a positive note I can ride just fine (not SPDs though) and even walk 4 miles or so on flat ground so all is not lost – even though I now have the world’s skinniest left calf!

However the fusion causes me major issues driving a manual car (just can’t get the clutch fully depressed), not tried it yet but presume my motorbike riding days are also limited and I simply cannot cope with walking up or down hills of any reasonable slope. The fusion is now messing with my knees and back and is simply doing my nut in!

So basically my fusion has not lived up to expectations and I’m contemplating a (complex) change to a total ankle replacement; I am interested to hear of any experience of a total ankle replacement as it relates to cycling, driving and walking.

Any words of wisdom?

are you me…………..  ;o)

I had a fusion 2 years ago.  back riding proper, but only easy stuff offroad, had a hip done a year ago. don’t want to risk anything dodgy.

I cant walk up or down anything steep and uneven. I can handle stairs fine.

also struggling with driving. I bought a new car with a very high drivers seat to help this, it has a little bit.

not suffering pain anywhere else because of the ankle, hip is causing a lot of pain in my lower left side of my back.

I do get cramp in my fused side calf, and am unable to get rid of it because I cant stretch my ankle/calf.

I was offered a total ankle replacement, but refused it after watching a video of it, and also talking to a bloke on ctc forum. he now cant ride at all.

so all in all I consider myself very lucky so far, to be able to still get out riding.

I love offroad riding, but now I do more longer rides and manage to ride every single day.

good luck with what you choose mate.

Watching thread with interest – broke my ankle 4 years ago, and now have little to no cartilage in the joint :/

Contemplating what to do, as it’s starting to cause me more trouble… just don’t want to loose the ability to mountain bike, climbing/bouldering and hill walking.

“ton”, crumbs I can relate to some of that. Perhaps we should start a self-help/counselling group. 🙂

That feeling of needing to stretch my calf has driven me crazy sometimes, no movement in the joint means no chance of relieving that one.

If I could get Nectar points for the amount of time I have spent in hospital I would be well sorted and sometimes just think I should be grateful for what I have, other times I think stuff it and keep pushing – hence the ankle replacement conversation.

“Megatron”, think carefully before you commit – the surgeon’s idea of success and yours may well be very different!!!

I see that ankle replacement is making strides (so to speak) but is still a relatively uncommon procedure, fusion takedown followed by an ankle replacement is properly rare though. I do not want to get this wrong and end up with amputation – now that would properly ruin your day.

Watching this with interest/dread, walking around with a considerable amount of metal work in my ankle fully aware that at some point in my 40’s I’m probably going to have to undergo something similar.

I had my right one fused nine years ago and it’s been a huge success as I was in permanent pain prior to that. Have learned to drive with it by lifting my entire leg. Mountain biking is fine but I have to be clipped in as foot won’t stay on the pedal. Running is next to impossible but walking is great, especially hills: I go on tiptoes when it gets steep uphill though this hasn’t caused any other issues yet. I am ridiculously skinny so that probably helps with any other joint issues caused by my weird gait. Rock climbing has gone by the wayside as jumping off and leader falls are going to hurt.

Tannoy .- “WCA to the Forum , WCA to the Forum please ”

He is the man you need , used a long ladder as a lever to snap his leg off , which he had already sashed to bits before ,

My colleague just had a fused ankle 3 months ago so we took him out for a test by walking about 10 miles, after the long walk he felt a bit of pressure with slight discomfort but the next day his ankle was fine.  He is very happy now as he can walk like normal again.

gc1066,

Why not just drive automatic gear car instead?  Or replace it with automatic gear car next time you upgrade.

Wow! Good timing on this thread.

I broke my ankle 2 years ago (badly).

Like Megatron, little to no gap & cartilage left. First consultant said fusing or replacement was my only solution.

Went for 2nd opinion. Just had an arthroscopy on Monday. Part of that was a camera job to see what my long-term options are.

I’m going back to see the comsultant in a couple of weeks. I know that fusion or replacement is probably going to happen at some point but not keen at my age (38). Consultant also mentioned stem cell research / hocus pocus.

@Megatron, I have PM’d you.

Cartilage is a tricky thing, and it seems even more so in ankles than knees, FYI, there is also the option of a transplant from a a cadaver, not widely discussed (in my experience) but an option in some cases. And certainly an interesting talking point when in the pub.

In the case of cartilage the size of defect (width and depth) really dictates options available, my case exceeded parameters for what was possible leaving only the options  of do nothing/amputation/fusion/replacement; everyone I spoke to steered me down the fusion route, but seriously do your research on this – the impact can be significant although the effect on your quality of life seems to depend whether it’s lefty or righty that gets fused and whether the subtalar joint gets done at the same time.

“chickenman” – a hill stops me dead and as for tiptoes, no chance. 🙁

Some fusions don’t work (search on cases of non-union) and sometimes the metalwork comes loose (mine did) and you’ll need another stab at it to get it fixed – not fun.

When it came to driving I moved to an automatic (which obviously fixes driving concerns), but plans of restoring a Triumph Spitfire, messing with kit cars or getting back on the motorbike just don’t work out if lefty can’t move.

For me, it’s the range-of-motion thing in terms of ankle movement that drives me nuts; the fusion gives none (hey it is fused after all!) but the replacement offers near full range – the tradeoff is they are not very robust and will potentially need to be done again if you are active(ish). From what I have picked up it is the subsequent replacements that are the issue (bone loss), but the lure of a normal walking gait, being able to squat, walk up hills, drive a manual, stretch my calf, ride a motorbike etc. are all things which allude me….perhaps I just have a grass is greener syndrome going on.

Patience is not a virtue I possess (wife and kids will attest), so it seems I find myself at a (different) consultants door in a couple of weeks time; done my research (national joint register) to find a chap who has done “a lot” of replacements (that’s 37 in 3 years) and I’m going to quiz him relentlessly to see what options remain.

“Tannoy”, I looked up “worldclassaccident” on the forum (searched for “ankle ladder”) and see that he has posted some lurvely pics, properly character building. 🙂

Fused ankle – Tick

Skinny calf – Tick

Can’t drive manual cars properly = Tick

Pain in the front of the foot when walking up hills – Tick

It has taken 6 years and 4 operations to get to this point. I came off crutches in June after the last operation and this one seems to have worked. Top of ankle is fused. First bit of the foot is fused. Heel is fused.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HZaUmH]20180529_093756[/url] by WCA!, on Flickr

I was considering both amputation and total ankle replacement. I didn’t fancy the amputation so looked seriously at the total replacement.

My biggest concerns were that they fail quite easily if you are heavy / clumsy / unlucky and as I fit all three of these conditions I didn’t fancy getting my ankle totally replaced every 5 – 10 years so decided to live with a fusion. I am pushing 50 if that is relevant.

Actually, I am pushing 40 and pulling 50 as one is moving away as the other approaches

Ouch!

I guess if you are going to ruin your ankle, do it properly so 10 out of 10 for that one.

Depressingly my ankle started off as nothing more than an injury-whilst-drunk thing 20 years ago, and being made of tough Yorkshire stock involved me not seeking medical help for almost 6 months. That was a BIG mistake.

Went downhill from there, multiple bone fragments, failed cartilage, benign bone tumour and ~11 operations followed by a fusion which finally sealed the fate for Lefty.

I used to worry about my ankle being my biggest issue but now I can tick off another tumour (head this time), multiple broken vertebrae bringing paralysis way too close for comfort (not watching where I was riding!), a virus bringing on early stage heart failure and screwed up lungs and then things properly started to look grim – 2017 was touch and go.

It’s no wonder my Mrs says I’m a miserable sod, but I’ve made it to 48 and am still hanging on. 🙂

I had a talo-navicular fusion a year ago to resolve arthritic pain. It’s stopped the specific pain and I have retained most of my range of movement but it’s not fixed everything and I am finding I have other issues now because of it.  I’ve lost some movement, my achillies is being strained more and I struggle walking up hills/especially pushing.  That said I rode 2 weeks in the Alps with no significant discomfort in the evenings which is unheard of previously and I can walk for a couple of hours now.

It was hard though, I was non weight bearing for 8 weeks, in a cast/airboot for 3 months (no driving), rehab and physio was then another 3 months or so on top of that and I’m still not fully back now.  I put in weight through a combination of boredom and inactivity which I’m still struggling to shift.

The other ankle will need doing but I’m in no rush to sort that because of the last process.

My Talus bone is damaged which is the bone at the bottom of the leg.The cartilage is history so since the op which is nearly two years to the day I have had Hyaluronic acid injected into the ankle twice. It is a gel like substance which acts as a lubricant which hopefully will push the arthritis issue down the road (im 50).I joked with the surgeon that I would probably be better off giving up the pedaling as it would only wear it out faster but he said on the contrary being fit and not overweight helps massively.Not sure it would help you but just wanted to put it out there as it is quite a new thing so not many surgeons know about it.