u/countryclub09

Hi everyone, having my right ankle ORIF surgery tomorrow morning (spiral tibia extending into the joint + fibula) after waiting 2 weeks post-injury.

Pretty anxious right now — for anyone who’s had ankle ORIF:
- Anything I should prep before surgery?

- Any must-have items or tips for the first few days home? (Esp managing pain levels)

- Best ways to manage elevation and sleep with the splint? I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night due to discomfort for the past 2 weeks.

Appreciate any advice or reassurance!

1 week ago I fractured my right tibia/fibula while bouldering and I’m currently waiting for my surgery on 8/19 — I rlly wish the surgery was happening sooner but I understand these things take time to schedule & wait for swelling to go down

Idk why but I’m terrified at the thought of having hardware (plates/screws) put in and also feeling nervous about what the recovery process will look like for me (27F semi-active lol — hospital staff assumes Im yoked bc of the bouldering but only if they knew)

Ive been lurking in both the ORIF & brokenankles subreddits seeking comfort but sitting at home w my foot elevated all day has just made me feel helpless and discouraged

My surgeon mentioned it’ll take 6-8 weeks post-op to start driving and getting back to “normal” life. While I’m hopeful I’ll stay on that timeline, the worries keep creeping in

I’d rlly appreciate it if folks could share what you did to keep your sanity while stuck at home elevating your foot; how did you mentally get past the fear of having permanent hardware in your ankle; any essential recovery items or tips for the early post-op days?

Thank you in advance I appreciate the support!

From reading the test results it looks like I have multiple broken near the ankle joint (tibia and fibula) — displaced, comminuted, and distal tibia/fibula — intra-articular fractures.
Im probably going to get surgery but am so worried as I’ve never gotten surgery before.
Also scares me that theyre prob going to be using metal plates and screws.

I’d appreciate it if I heard folks’ experience…
How long was your recovery process?
If you had a situation similar to mine, what did you do?

Any experiences shared would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.