Nick Hardwick, San Diego Chargers

Three years ago I dislocated my mid-foot from my fore-foot and tore a number of ligaments in the process. As a result of the injury, the arch in my foot would collapse every time I would walk. Dr. Porter, an orthopedic foot surgeon diagnosed my condition as a Lis Franc injury. It was extremely painful to play football and it even began interfering with how I performed day-to-day activities.  Dr. Porter explained that my only treatment option was surgery but there was a fifty percent chance that I may not be able to play professional football again. It was a scary situation but he was confident that he could reverse the damage. He understood the importance of treating the injury and how it would immediately impact my life, but he also educated me about how the surgery would impact my life 20 years from now. I really appreciated that. We set a pretty aggressive recovery timeline. I had the surgery on March 14 and I was back on the field on October 4. Dr. Porter knew that the surgery was a success so he allowed me to push myself during rehab exercises. I’m doing great now and the muscles in my foot continue to build strength. I’m super excited about the work Dr. Porter has done. He knows how serious everyone takes their injuries and he takes them just as serious.  He saved my career.

Annette, Greenwood

I was having trouble walking due to a horrible bunion on my left big toe. The pain felt similar to how a bruise would feel. Any time my toe would bend or I’d lift my heel up to walk, it became more and more painful. I started wearing more comfortable shoes as a lifestyle choice about 15 years ago. There was no way at all that I could wear any high-heeled shoes. After awhile, even walking became harder. I finally felt it was time to do something about it, so I went to visit an orthopedic physician. By the time I sought care, my foot was pretty bad. When my doctor saw me, he told me that surgery was a good option and that I probably should have had surgery sooner. He explained that there are some cushioning mechanisms in the big toe that wear away over time and can’t be restored. If I had the surgery sooner, there would have been a lot more of that left in my foot and toe.  The surgery was very easy, and everything went according to the plans he outlined. I followed the directions for recovery very carefully as I wanted to be a compliant patient. You need to be 100 percent compliant to have the best results. I kept my foot above my heart for a whole week. I watched a lot of movies, and it wasn’t painful – just inconvenient.  I did physical therapy exercises three times a day and was able to get my range of motion back. By the time I saw my orthopedic surgeon for a follow-up, he said it was fine if I wore a foot boot and started walking. It’s been three months since my surgery, and my foot will swell a little bit, but the difference between now and before my surgery is amazing. I am 100 percent satisfied with the care I’ve received.

Pam, Bedford

Last August I broke my leg. I had it treated immediately but after eight weeks I noticed that it wasn’t healing properly. It actually looked crooked.  I immediately consulted with an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist. He explained that it wasn’t that my foot was healing crooked. It was that my bone had failed to heal due to a significant infection, which was causing its crooked appearance. In order to get rid of the infection, my surgeon explained that he would need to remove the metal pins in my leg so the broken bone could be treated appropriately. He performed the procedure and recommended physical therapy, which I have been able to complete at home with some help from a trained therapist. I’ve been very pleased with the result. I do have some stiffness, which the doctor warned me might occur but it is gradually getting better with the help of exercise. Looking back I wish I had gone directly to an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist. I could have avoided a second procedure altogether.

Tim, Elkhart

For years I had a propensity for turning my ankles in varying sports and activities, which eventually caused continual pain in my right ankle. I used physical therapy and other treatments to help relieve the discomfort, but it was only a temporary solution. Eventually my doctor determined that I had little cartilage left in my right ankle and it was swollen with arthritis. After learning the extent of my injury I began researching the use of ankle replacements and ankle fusions to reverse the damage. I became slightly discouraged after meeting with one ankle specialist that was inexperienced in these new procedures. However, through a recommendation from a friend I learned of an orthopedic foot specialist that had the experience and capabilities I needed to reverse my ankle injury.  During the first consultation, my orthopedic foot surgeon spent a considerable amount of time answering my questions and offering recommendations. Through these initial conversations, my doctor and I determined that an ankle fusion would be the best course of treatment.  My recovery took four months, which was longer than I had expected but my physical therapy treatments showed progress each time.  Today I’m able to walk without pain. The fusion does require me to wear a rocker sole in all of my shoes and I do have some minor physical limitations but overall the surgery has made the utmost difference in my life.

Kate, Indianapolis

When I got to college, some of my friends started making fun of the fact that I had bunions on my feet.  Until then I hadn’t given it much thought because I assumed that people only dealt with bunions when they got older.  Apparently I was wrong.  At the age of 26 I met with an orthopedic foot specialist who presented me with various treatment options.  Initially he provided me with inserts for my shoes. This helped a little but I was unable to replace the soles of some of my shoes with the inserts. I was training for a marathon and running was an important part of my life.  I felt that the inserts would prohibit me from living my normal active lifestyle so chose to undergo surgery, which was totally worth it.  After surgery I was required to keep my foot elevated for two days and use a cooler type device that circulated cold water around my foot. After that I wore an air cast walking boot for about six weeks, and used a steel insert for two more weeks.  Overall I was out of work for only eight days and my total recovery took three months – a quick recovery for such a great advantage. I was so happy with the first surgery that I had it performed on my other foot four months later. Today, I’m back training for a mini-marathon and couldn’t be happier. My only advice to other young adults with bunions – don’t wait for surgery.  In my experience, they will only worsen as you get older.

Andy, Indianapolis

I suffered a wakeboarding accident but didn’t realize how bad the injury was until I saw an orthopedic foot specialist who diagnosed it as a Lisfranc injury.  Apparently this type of injury is very difficult to diagnose and is often misinterpreted as a sprain. The injury caused a great deal of pain and discomfort in my foot.  I was unable to walk or apply any weight or pressure on it. I was very concerned but my orthopedic surgeon was there with me every step of the way, answering all of my questions before and after surgery. In the end I had two surgeries, which included placing screws in my foot and removing them once my foot had stabilized. During the recovery period my orthopedic surgeon was very attentive and reassured me that my foot was healing normally.  I was on crutches for several months, but I’m back doing all the sports I love… rock climbing, running, snowboarding and wakeboarding.  Throughout this process I’ve learned that some people aren’t fortunate enough to receive the same quality of care that I did. My advice to anyone that suffers a similar injury is to seek medical attention immediately. Do your research and make sure that you are receiving care from an experienced medical physician.  This can help avoid any lifelong complications and may speed up your recovery.

Patricia, Greenwood

I fell and tore a ligament in my ankle and broke the bone in several places. My orthopedic surgeon repaired the ligament and I underwent rehabilitation.  Unfortunately I was still having difficulty walking so it was recommended that I have my ankle fused. The process went very well.  It took me eight weeks to recover from surgery but eventually I was back to my normal routine.  At first I was skeptical and scared to have my ankle fused but I can get around much easier today than before the surgery.  Having done it, I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Darin, Carmel

I broke my foot in an accident, and the first physician that treated my injury did not set my foot correctly, which caused my foot and toes to begin turning black.I immediately made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. I was very lucky. The orthopedic surgeon performed reconstructive surgery, inserting two pins into my foot, and prescribed an intensive physical rehabilitation program. My quality of life isn’t quite where it was prior to my accident, but it is pretty close. My physician and therapist recommend that I continue exercising, which will help to maintain and build strength. They’ve done their part, so now it’s up to me to continue my recovery. In my situation, a knowledgeable, dedicated physical therapist was definitely key to my recovery.

Justin, Champaign, IL

I’m a coach and a professional gymnast, which places a great deal of strain on my ankles. In years past, I’ve had two ankle surgeries due to injuries caused by my sport. Unfortunately, in the spring of 2008, before the Olympics, I began struggling with an ankle sprain. I thought it would heal after a couple of weeks, but six weeks later it still remained very uncomfortable. My orthopedic surgeon informed me that I had an acute ankle sprain, which could be potentially devastating and limiting to my career. He provided me with a number of treatment options, such as icing, taping and physical therapy. As a result of a thorough evaluation, some very hard work, determination and good coaching by my physician and physical therapist, my recovery progressed much faster than anticipated.

Abby, Carmel

I broke my ankle and fibula and tore my deltoid muscle playing rugby. My orthopedic surgeon was able to line up my fibula, and placed a plate and six screws in my ankle to make sure that the ligament healed correctly. However, an x-ray determined that the bones were out of place, and the only way to correct the injury and ensure that I maintained normal function in my ankle was to undergo surgery. After surgery I used crutches and a walking boot for six to seven weeks to elevate and eliminate any weight on my foot. Eventually I began placing more weight on my foot and used the crutches to walk. After a few days at this stage, I was able to walk without them but still used the boot to stabilize my foot. I remained in the boot for two or three weeks, and eventually exchanged it for an ankle brace. Shortly I could walk on my own. Overall I think the surgery, recovery and rehab went extremely well and was probably the best case scenario for this type of injury.  There was some pain; it healed and now it’s better. I’m still working on balance issues but my strength is back to normal. Today, I can run and enjoy all the sports I participated in prior to my injury. I’m very pleased!