Fused Ankle Experience Kind of.

Was trying to do some research on my Calcaneo-Talus Cohesion and came upon this website. I was trying to find other personal experiences similar to mine, but didn't find any. During my whole teen life I was very active in sports and on occassion I thought I would sprain/hurt my left ankle. I never could jump off my left foot in basketball, but I never knew why. When I was 18 I went to usmc bootcamp and almost finished training. Even from the very first week I had horrible pain in my ankle from standing on my feet all day + added weight at times. 2 Months later in boot camp during a timed run I couldn't help, but run with a limp so I was forced to see docs. They came to the conclusion I had a fused ankle!? After early seperation I seen a few Ortho docs. Had all kinds of MRI, Catscan, Xray stuff...Finally I got an answer that I was born with this fusion. I forget how rare it is. I am currently a 25 year old commercial roofer and work all day on my feet. I can't use my fused ankle for any power. All my lifting/picking up power comes from my right side. My foot hurts everyday after work, but I've gotten used to it. I guess thats just natural tolerance. If I work strenuous picking up things, walking far that day, working on any slanted roofs it hurts like a MF'er when I get home. Sometimes where it feels like it wants to give. No matter how bad it hurts that night after work the next morning I wake up its back to normal. I have no left to right movement in my fused ankle. Just up and down. Looks a tad bit deformed. I've never taken any drugs besides over the counter tyenol and ibuprofen in my life. Since my knowing of my fused ankle from a personal perspective it has not gotten any worse. If anything over the years the tolerance you build for pain at least makes you feel like its actually getting better. Maybe I'm nuts. Thats about it really. Hopefully in the future my personal experience is useful to somebody.

Hi Jo,

Welcome to HW!  I can relate 2 yrs ago I was admitted to the Hospital for Osteomyelitis of the left foot (turned out to be cellulitis from lympaedema)...my xrays showed the ankle had fused, I didn't understand what the heck they were talking about until the Dr. said when did they fuse your ankle....I was stunned I said uh you have the wrong patient.  Have no idea how it happened, I have nerve damage and have had several falls, no breaks though, they told me could be from repetative injuries....I can only move mine up and down too!  The ankle on that side is larger then the other, so it does look weird.  Can't really say its painful because if the nerve pain and numbness but it is very weak, I find I cannot step down with that foot 1st as it gives out with no warning!

The Dr.s didn't make a big deal out of it, so I just figured it was another thing to add to my list!  The CP from prior Cervical Fusion and nerve damage to both legs is worse then the pain from the ankle!  Hope this makes sense.

Hope it helps to know there is someone else out there with this problem!

XXOO
Patti