There's Still More to the Outcome

In one of my previous posts, More to the Outcome, I mentioned I came across a Wikipedia entry I felt needed some additional information. The entry explained the ankle reconstruction procedure known as the Broström procedure. After checking back on the post, I was pleased and slightly surprised to find my additional sentences had not been removed or altered. Wikipedia is definitely a strange site, and sometimes untrustworthy. Yet, in this case the ability to edit a page worked in my favor. My personal insight inserted in the outcome section remained untouched.

Surgeries obviously involve major changes inside your body. Therefore, patients expects positive outcomes and understand there possibility of varying side effects after such a procedure. In this case, after getting back on the field the Broström procedure may leave slight swelling and soreness. However, with a new sturdy and stable ankle allowing you to do the things you love, those are just a few minor bumps along the way.

After icing and time, the real outcome will simply be a brand new ankle with a scar for a memory.

Getting "Game Ready"

Walk into any physical therapy office, training room, or sports rehabilitation center and you will find patients and athletes lined up on the table attached to a Game Ready. Get comfortable because post-injury this little machine will be attached to you possibly on a daily basis for at least 15 minutes at a time. Game Ready perfectly combines cold and compression therapy to reduce swelling, enhance natural healing, and reduce pain.

Game Ready was made for athletes with their individual concerns in mind.

 Whether you are a surgery patient in post-op rehab or an elite athlete with a sports injury, you want to get back into action as quickly as possible. For you, passively treating symptoms isn’t enough. You want to proactively accelerate your recovery.  

Whether its an ankle, elbow, shoulder, back, head, or wrist injury, Game Ready can supply a quick and easy solution. The device pumps cold water through a long, black tube into a removable wrap around the injured area. With different levels on compression and the ability to adjust the time, this miracle-working machine allows for aided, personalized care.

The Game Ready machine

However, the company supplies much more than just therapeutic benefits. In addition, on its website you’ll find another injury-prone athlete inspired blog. The Game Ready Blog offers tips on getting back in the game faster as well as specific injury guidelines. It may be a pulled groin, sprained ankle, or shoulder surgery. This blog has all the answers to your questions.

The next time you're hooked up to this machine waiting around trying to kill time, check out this blog. It is guaranteed to have details on not only your injury, but your concerns and questions as well.

More to the Outcome

The end is here! After 5 and a half months, I am officially cleared to get back on the soccer field. Once I arrived home from seeing my doctor, I decided to do some research on the typical results from my specific procedure. After typing in "Broström procedure" in my google search bar, I came across its Wikipedia entry. Scrolling past all of the boring details concerning the medical process, I ended up at the "Outcome" sub header.

It read...

Those who have had this procedure done are expected to have a stronger ankle, meaning their ankle will no longer give out on them. It is estimated that most patients who have this procedure experience restored stability. Success can be achieved regardless how soon the ankle is repaired after a patient's ankle instability issues occur, but the results are slightly better when the surgery is performed sooner. According to another study, most patients reported good to excellent results. Their ankles felt stable, and after they completely recovered, they noticed improved stability and significant restoration of function. Any pre-existing arthritis stage in upper or lower ankle joints will not be changed through this procedure and may act as fact in decision making of pros and cons.

While many of these facts proved accurate, I noticed it failed to address any possible soreness and swelling. My surgery had succeeded with flying colors, but my ankle still swells and definitely gets sore after a long day at the gym. Patients and interested readers should be warned of the other potential outcomes not mentioned in the entry above. So, it led me to make some additions to the Wikipedia page.

It now reads...

Those who have had this procedure done are expected to have a stronger ankle, meaning their ankle will no longer give out on them. It is estimated that most patients who have this procedure experience restored stability. Success can be achieved regardless how soon the ankle is repaired after a patient's ankle instability issues occur, but the results are slightly better when the surgery is performed sooner. According to another study, most patients reported good to excellent results. Their ankles felt stable, and after they completely recovered, they noticed improved stability and significant restoration of function. However, patients may still experience temporary soreness in the ankle upon returning to sports or other physical activity. Swelling may also occur after exercise. In which case, doctors recommend continually icing even after full recovery from the procedure. Any pre-existing arthritis stage in upper or lower ankle joints will not be changed through this procedure and may act as fact in decision making of pros and cons.

Even after extremely successful surgical procedures, there are always additional, and sometimes negative, side effects. Therefore, do not be alarmed if your ankle gets sore after a run or swells after a day at practice. It is simply a small, temporary side effect from the very invasive procedure.