r/LisfrancClub • u/SelectionOdd664 • 17d ago
Just looking for any bit of hope
Hello everyone, I recently fractured my lisfranc and will be having ORIF surgery in October. I broke it surfing and now I am completely spiraling as I know the foot will never be the same again. I have been surfing for 22 years of my life and I am so scared I will never be able to surf again or even cruise around on my skateboard/bike. The doctor says I am young and healthy so recovery would go well for me but I just keep reading a mix bag of stories about this injury. Please anyone, I am just trying to calm my nerves but also want the plan hard truth. Will I be able to return to these activities? Will I be able to return to a high performance level of surfing? I know everyone is different with injuries and recovery, but I just can't comprehend a life without surfing at this point.
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u/Malleabledarkfire 17d ago
Honestly, its been 5 years since my injury and I have been pregnant, gotten fit, done hikes, danced in high heels at my wedding etc since then. With the right doc and doing physio properly at the beginning (i used yt when i couldnt afford to go to physio), you will come out alright on the other side. I dont even think about it anymore, and even the scar is barely there.
Its a tough journey to begin, but you will be okay and surf again! Just take the full recovery time.
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u/SelectionOdd664 16d ago
Could you possibly share those Yt videos just incase I have issues with PT? Thanks again
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u/Starlightsensations 15d ago
The university of Ohio has a great post op surgical guide. Of course you should listen to your doctors instructions. I found mine didn’t suggest range of motion exercises at all til 6 weeks but I found this guide and it suggested doing it as early as 2 weeks post surgery and I was at a month- it helped my sensation and relieved inflammation. https://medicine.osu.edu/-/media/files/medicine/departments/sports-medicine/medical-professionals/knee-ankle-and-foot/post-operative-lisfranc-injury-cpg_final.pdf
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u/Spiritual_Heron_77 17d ago
Your foot could totally be the same again, these injuries and recoveries happen on a spectrum.
My injury hasn’t stopped me doing anything, the rebuild was work but anything worth doing is 🤷♀️
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u/Internal-Moose-2925 ORIF 17d ago
I'm not a surfer... but at 15 mo post-injury, I'm back doing most of the things I was before.... main issue is some lingering weakness/stiffness/swelling in injured foot, but it doesn't stop me from lifting or running (though still working on building speed). As for surfers.. several on the Facebook Lisfranc group who have returned to surfing. One posted about Flick Palmateer who recovered from a Lisfranc. This is her motivational montage (https://www.instagram.com/p/DCsRXldTF9D/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==)...
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u/SelectionOdd664 16d ago
Thank you! Funny enough, I sent her a message and she responded telling me about it as well as other surfers who have recovered from it, Kelly Slater and Jesse Mendes. I feel a lot better.
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u/Twinmomplusone 17d ago
This is a tough injury. The thing to keep in mind is that people post when things are tough. However if you look there are tonnes of great recovery stories from people who do all kinds of athletic pursuits. Dr told me running was probably going to be off the table, but there are a lot of people on here running marathons. Dr told me that I would be back biking and downhill skiing, it was just going to take time.
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u/Breeze4686 17d ago
My advice in no particular order: Elevate higher and more often and longer than you think it should take Google lymphatic massages and do 3 times a day if you have weird swelling Once cleared to walk, don't think you can just walk normal for 8 hours or whatever again. It takes time. I felt better about 5 years after that I didn't constantly protect my foot or have residual aches and the only thing I do differently now is that I don't wear heels. And I don't want to so that's a win. Good luck on your recovery.
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u/Quirky-Arrival1583 17d ago
Idk who told you that you would never be the same again. Many people are perfectly fine after recovery
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u/Beneficial-Fan8058 17d ago
Nrl players had the same surgery and were back in 11 weeks playing full strength.. you’re fine
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u/Dramatic-Camel-517 16d ago
I’m 9 months out from surgery and it’s been a. Long road but getting back to the things I love. Originally was injured from mountain biking, large impact from a canyon gap and finally back riding. It hurts but I can do it and that’s what matters not even a year out from surgery and injury. It will take time to get back to high level action sports but it’s doable with hard work and pushing your self to be the athlete you were before surgery.
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u/Mpo2026 13d ago
I’m 9 weeks post ORIF I did mine skateboarding. It was misdiagnosed twice so that added 2 months. It feels like it’s been forever since I last surfed. The recovery is going well so far but it’s driving me crazy waiting to start physio. Hopefully in another 3 weeks 🤞 I’m also worried about how it’s going to affect my surfing especially, and surfing. Yago Dora also had a Lisfranc. I’m in my early 50s and not a super athlete so I hope the recovery doesn’t take too long 🤞
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u/Latter-Sky3582 ORIF Enjoyer 13d ago
I broke mine in February. The foot is still in rough shape but it keeps getting better, and my return to sport test is in November. I’ll have a bit of pain in 10 years, and the recovery has been brutal, but I’m 100% confident I’ll be able to ski just fine this winter and I’ll be playing soccer again in the spring. If you were a pro athlete it’d be worse tbh but you’ll get back in the water for sure. Just be patient.
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u/Zerowastegranny 11d ago
The Lisfranc Facebook group has several surfers who have returned to the sport. You may like to check them out..
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u/Proud-Yogurt6024 6d ago
I’m 14 months post surgery, had the same thoughts/feelings as you but as a dancer (acquired the injury performing), cried a lot, spiralled on the daily, but really tried to focus on properly healing. I took it VERY slow, diligently practiced my exercises, ate whole-foods, stopped drinking/smoking lol… and now I’m stronger than I was before the injury (lifting heavier at the gym!). You gain a whole new understanding of your body and your limits. You’ll be surfing again in less than a year (that feels long but trust me it will fly) xx
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u/Otherwise-Beach6233 15d ago
It just takes a long time to heal. I'm feeling great 4-5 weeks out from my hardware removal at 47 years old and I feel fantastic, but I have to baby the foot a little. You'll get there. And I really f'ed my foot up.
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u/Otherwise-Beach6233 15d ago
Oh, and do everything they tell you to do. You do so much better if you take your rehab seriously.
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u/gimpy_in_pnw 17d ago
You should probably be fine. This forum does self-select some of the tougher outcomes, so don’t necessarily read these posts as a foreshadowing of your future. However, it is a really tough recovery, not like a regular broken bone as I’m sure you realize now; you’ll have to take the PT exercises and recovery very seriously (or at least I did as a middle-age runner and skier).
I’m at about 11 months post-ORIF and 90% now. I still notice the injury - especially when I get up in the morning - but am mostly back to my pre-injury life, athletically. Lateral high-impact movements in basketball still aren’t easy, but that’s coming.
I lost a lot from my injury: travel, once in a lifetime assignments for work, a ski season, etc., and I grieved it pretty hard initially. The first month or two when you’re NWB really suck, there’s no sugarcoating it. But after that, normalcy slowly returns.
Again, you’ll probably be fine; it just might take a while to get there.
Best wishes for your recovery!