Keegan Myers

An evening of friendly competition pickleball with friends last summer sent me to the hospital and led to months of rehabilitation, giving me a new appreciation for my mobility.

The injury came when I tripped, dislocating my ankle and breaking it in three different places. The doctor called it a right closed displaced trimalleolar ankle fracture. When I heard my ankle pop and felt my bones break, I just knew it was going to be a long road to recovery.

Thankfully, my care team acted quickly. I had surgery the next morning and started physical therapy four weeks later. My surgeon told me patients can have limited mobility for as long as 16 weeks with this break. With a lot of rehabilitation and collaboration from my care team, I was cleared to walk again in just one month.

I was thankful to have my friends and family there for me. I also appreciated the timely and compassionate care I received from the doctors, nurses and physical therapists at the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute. They became like a family while I had surgery and pre-and post-operative care at Gulf Coast Medical Center. They provided a positive environment to start my rehabilitation journey, and I was grateful for their support.

Undergoing orthopedic surgery

The first thing my care team did when I got to Gulf Coast Medical Center’s Emergency Department was X-ray my ankle and stabilize it for the evening. Later that night, I was moved to the hospital’s sixth floor.

The next morning, I began pre-operative care for my Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF) surgery where the surgeon placed a surgical plate and screws onto both sides of my ankle to realign the bone fragments and hold them in place to heal.

Since my experience, I learned the ORIF is a common procedure used to repair fractured and broken bones. It is recommended for severe fractures that can’t be helped with non-surgical methods, like a splint or cast.

Thankful for support from the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute

Since surgery was needed for my injury, an orthopedic surgeon developed a personalized treatment plan, performed the procedure and collaborated with the care team to support my recovery.

I’m grateful for the team of orthopedic experts at the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute who provided advanced care and helped me regain mobility. Bone and joint conditions can affect people of all ages, often making the simplest daily activities like walking up stairs and moving around the house more challenging.

Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing a chronic condition or preparing for surgery, the expert care team at the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute will support you and cheer for you every step of the way, like they did for me.

Physical therapy and being able to walk again

After two weeks of not putting weight on my ankle, my splint, stitches and staples were removed, and I began wearing a walking boot. I could finally start putting weight on my foot, and I appreciated even the small victories.

Eleven days later, I was starting physical therapy.

At my four-week post-operative appointment, my boot was removed and I was cleared to begin walking again — another small victory.

The last piece of the journey to resuming normal activities was a little over a month of physical therapy appointments. Yet another thing to celebrate.

Lee Health has physical therapy options throughout Lee County. I was happy there was a location closest to where I live. That really helped make the process easier, allowing me to easily get to my appointments each week — I was thankful to have options.

The greatest victory during this process was the encouragement and steadfast support from my physical therapists. Physical therapy was the key to helping me regain my strength and feel comfortable walking again.

Not only did they help me physically, but they also helped me mentally. I felt accomplished every time I left and that positive support really helped me feel like I could accomplish my goals.

I noticed a positive change every time. I was always looking forward to my next appointment. While I may not be playing pickleball any time soon, I feel like I’m back to the mobility I had before the surgery. I was able to walk around Universal Studios with my family and I know the physical therapy team and everyone at the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute helped me get there.

What to do if you injure yourself playing pickleball

Sometimes, all it takes is one specific movement to hurt yourself, where you trip or lunge for a ball. That’s what happened to me.

If an injury does occur, the best thing someone can do is take a break. It’s also best to see a doctor if it hurts to put weight on the injury or if there is a lot of swelling. An X-ray can help determine the extent of the injury. For more information and to make an appointment with a physician, please visit leehealth.org.