The Run Down

OK so heres a quick run down of my injury and my planned recovery, as I said before when I fell I dislocated my ankle when I hit the deck but after I lay back (and screamed a little) it twitched back into place. The dislocation has ruptured my anterior tibiofibular, interosseous, and posterior-fibular ligaments. In lamens terms the ligaments that held me shin bones together were popped open, there is also a syndesmotic membrane that run between the bones and like a zipper on a coat I pulled that open too. This is the worst part of the injury as any weight put on my foot now will split the membrane further causing the gap between the shin bones to seperate it further...ooops :S along with that I have also ruptured the anterior talofibular, posterioir talofibular and the calcaneal fibulare ligaments, nearly all the ligaments on the outside of my ankle. Also part of my deltiod ligament, the one on the inside of your ankle.

Hope this picture shows a little as well, all the ligaments on the side of the little toe got popped off and part of the ligament on the outside (big toe side).

This going to mean 8 weeks in a cast, 4 in a weight bearing boot followed by intensive physio. despite all this I am determined that come this time next year I will be climbing stronger than ever. I plan on building a training programe so when my ankle is ready my fingers will be stronger than ever. More to come on that later.

Let this be a little precautionary tale for climbers out there, check and double check your gear, even if you have already fallen on it!

The pitures on the left are what my ankle looked like, you can see the swelling going up the leg indicating the syndesmotic membrane injury. A big thank you to Simon Lord who has helped me with this injury, a great guy and he knows a shed load about ankles!