[Bangflaps]

Hello all,

Does anyone have any experience bouldering with a fused ankle? I had a pilon fracture a couple of years ago and been trying to get back into bouldering (indoors) but keep getting put off due to the discomfort. My ROM is minimal, so I presume that an ankle fusion would be similarly limiting but with the bonus of alleviating the pain. However, I'm yet to hear from anyone in such a situation so if anyone has any tips or guidance it would be much appreciated! Also, if any unlucky souls out there are currently bouldering with an ankle fusion, how hard do you climb now compared to pre-immobilisation?

Cheers!

[a dense loner]

I don't know if Nigel, on here, had an ankle fusion but in medical terms he's basically fucked. If his body could hold up against anything, like Paul B and Jasper, then he'd be an amazing climber. As it is he's just had to settle for plain bloody good. He weighs in around the E8, 8A, 60kgs mark.
Oh he mashed his ankles pretty badly if the first sentence was a bit misleading.

[lagerstarfish]

I've got a weak ankle from where Shark, Dolly and Tomtom beat me up for making them look bad just over 2 years ago

The fusion or pain decision is something that the surgeon talked to me about. I've got similar ROM to a ZX81. At the moment my love of codeine is winning over the prospect of even less ROM.

I used the Aircast A60 ankle brace to get back into bouldering. Ace. Get one, see how bouldering goes and then decide if you like playing on rocks more than pain. It'd be a shame to get fused without being sure that you'd tried every alternative first

the sizes seem to be based on fat-ankled rugby players, so even though I take a size 10.5/11 shoe (or 12 on a swollen day) I use the Medium size brace.

Aircast make a more substantial ankle brace (Airsport?), but my concern was that if my ankle was that strapped up then I'd probably end up snapping my leg - and it wouldn't fit into a climbing shoe as easily.

I try to view my injury in a positive light - using it as a ready made excuse for all sorts of bouldering failures

[tomtom]

Next time we'll leave you there :p and if shark wants some training he can carry me back

[Lopez]

Lagers, (and OP) i was recommended this by my physio.

 Haven't got around getting one yet as it's only Wednesday that i met with him, but apparently it offers really good support, in particular the ES version, and you can use the 'modules' to fine tune support/mobility for each situation, and the stirrup bypassing the ankle joint helps taking some of the shock load.

 The bit of the stirrup that goes under the foot is heat mouldable and trimmable so that it sits flush on the foot and can be worn with rock shoes. The physio offered to do the moulding for me when i get it.

 It does look fricking clunky and uncomfortable in the pics though...

[Paul B]

If his body could hold up against anything, like Paul B and Jasper, then he'd be an amazing climber.

Because my body is bulletproof? 

[Lopez]

Bangflaps, i've just been de-casted from a pilon fracture last Monday (8 months in a frame and 2 weeks in a cast) and while it's still too early for arthritis, i've been told that i could sit on my arse watching tv and get 1 to 3 years out of it, or enjoy the time i have left and get 6 months to a year. I've chosen the later.

 Can't help you with the climbing itself as i haven't reached the arthritic stage yet, but i'm trying to ingrain in my brain a new 'falling procedure' to try and save the ankle from the impacts. Hopefully i'll be able to do it safely as second nature after some time.

 The idea is to fall into a one legged squat position, and roll into my arse and back if the fall demands it, so a bit like isometric one legged squat to a Judo like fall/roll so as not to feck the back. Only climbed 3 days this last week, but i'm slowly getting more confident and it seems like it could work just fine.

[Bangflaps]

Is that E8,8A post ankle injury? If so then that's amazing, I have no excuse for being so wet. I wish him the best for recovery!

Thanks for the link to the ankle brace, lagerstarfish. I've been wanting to get one for ages, I tried one out at the physio and it felt like I had my pneumatics back. Plus it's a bit more of a vocal excuse for rubbish climbing than a scar and an oddly hairy leg.

Lopez, congratulations on getting out the cast and frame, did you break the leg while climbing? I had my frame on for around that time as well, it's amazing how little a trace it leaves on your leg when it's off. I was a bit disappointed really, I was looking for something a bit more proportional to my suffering. I'll have to try your technique though, I'm pretty shaky past the first couple of moves so it would be nice to get past head height!

Thanks for all the information guys, it's super cool to hear that you're all still climbing

[slackline]

Is that E8,8A post ankle injury? If so then that's amazing, I have no excuse for being so wet. I wish him the best for recovery!

Nigel (Neil Kershaw) is the one repeating Dynamics of Change (E9 7a) at 24:08 in Gritual (Part 2) (although I've no idea if its his left ankle that has been injured).

[a dense loner]

Apologies nige I didn't downgrade it. I didn't know you'd been so busy!

[Lopez]

No, it wasn't as glorious as a climbing injury 

Take it slowly with the falling on one leg and specially watch out for rotational motions when landing. The last thing you want now is to knacker the knee from the good leg... Good luck

[lagerstarfish]

I've been using the Parachute Landing Fall technique

Cupboard has been using this for a while since his epic on the Heeley Boulder and he told me about it

[Lopez]

I've been using the Parachute Landing Fall technique

That didn't work out too well for me. That's how i busted my ankle...     

 Admittedly my foot went into a hole, and it just happened to be the foot on the side i was rolling into. Total failure to keep feet and knees together when PLF'ing 

 

[fatdoc]

Ankle fusion..... Not good for dynamic lower limb weight bearing action sports, then you knew that.

Are you in Sheffeild? Coz at any point in time meadowhead physiotherapy are successfully keeping a portion of the aged climbing folk on here physically able to climb / ride bikes etc...

I'm very impressed by physio from that place. I'm rarely impressed by any healthcare worker, that place is well worth a visit. If you are not in Sheffield... They may be able to hook you up with a movement specialist near to where you live.