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Open Compound Right Ankle Fracture, Pain In Foot, Pseudogout, On Colchicine. Brace Recommended?
Question: Sixteen years ago I suffered an open compound right ankle fracture due to a head on car crash (I was driving my car). Since then I have daily pain in my foot and lower leg in different areas, the last doctor I saw was a rheumotologist who diagnosed pseudogout and prescribed colchicine. This helped the first month I took it but then the pain returned and the medicine became almost $100 per month. Is there another type of specialist I could see for help? Sometimes when I am sitting down the pain in my foot is almost unbearable and my foot is so stiff near the heal that I can hardly walk. Would a brace help in this case? Thank you.
Hello,
Thanks for writing to us.
You are having a post traumatic arthritis in your ankle joint. Since it was an open compound injury it might be possible that an internal fixation with screws might have been done. Such pain is seen more commonly in implant cases.
First of all you should get an X-ray of your ankle done to assess the position of the implant if any and if the pain is excessive and healing is good then you can even consider the removal of the implant.
If there is no implant then simple pain killers with good antiinflammatory effect like ibuprofen will help you. Along with that do a hot fomentation and apply a local analgesic gel in the area for instant relief.
After the acute pain subsides, physiotherapy will help in restoration of full movement of joint without any pain.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. If there are additional concerns, I am available for your followups.
Regards.
Thanks for writing to us.
You are having a post traumatic arthritis in your ankle joint. Since it was an open compound injury it might be possible that an internal fixation with screws might have been done. Such pain is seen more commonly in implant cases.
First of all you should get an X-ray of your ankle done to assess the position of the implant if any and if the pain is excessive and healing is good then you can even consider the removal of the implant.
If there is no implant then simple pain killers with good antiinflammatory effect like ibuprofen will help you. Along with that do a hot fomentation and apply a local analgesic gel in the area for instant relief.
After the acute pain subsides, physiotherapy will help in restoration of full movement of joint without any pain.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. If there are additional concerns, I am available for your followups.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have a large plate and several screws in the joint. No one has recommended that the hardware should come out. Will removal of the plate lessen the pain? I have good enough flexibility that I do not normally limp, unless the ankle is stiff and sore.
What do you mean by a hot fomentation? Thank you.
What do you mean by a hot fomentation? Thank you.
Hello.
Thanks for writing back.
If the pain is there and is unbearable and the bone has healed well, removal of implants will reduce the pain.
Hot fomentation means heating the area using a heat pad or a hot water bottle. This decreases pain and inflammation.
Sincerely hope it will help.
Wishing you an early recovery.
Thanks for writing back.
If the pain is there and is unbearable and the bone has healed well, removal of implants will reduce the pain.
Hot fomentation means heating the area using a heat pad or a hot water bottle. This decreases pain and inflammation.
Sincerely hope it will help.
Wishing you an early recovery.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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