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Not sure if I have an impairment, disability, or neither

JFKdefector
JFKdefector Community member Posts: 5 Listener
edited June 2021 in Start here and say hello!
Hi all,

I avoided a pigeon on my motorcycle a couple of years ago and ended up riding up a banking, where my ankle (I was wearing full protective gear, including boots) was trapped between the motorcycle and a rock. It was incredibly painful at the time and a passing medic luckily stopped to help. He checked my ankle, confirmed it was not broken and advised me to go to A&E. I rode back to my town (roughly 2 hours and the medic said he believed it wouldn’t harm me, due to the mobility I still had, to operate the rear brake) to visit the hospital. After a long wait, I was told that there was nothing they could see from the x-rays, however, they said that I had previously broken my ankle 10 years earlier when I was dismissed by the same hospital for a sprain. My ankle has never been the same since that incident 10 years ago, I’ve frequently rolled it or had mild pain. Since the pigeon incident, however, my ankle has been incredibly painful often and it’s hard to stand for an extended period of time without aching or pain and also to walk at times. I visited a physiotherapist after about 6 months and they told me I had lost the nervous connection to my right foot, meaning I can not compute the angle it sits at, increasing the likelihood of rolling it. The inner ankle is also enlarged compared to my left ankle. The pain is shooting and consistent as opposed to throbbing. It comes and goes and there are good days and bad; is this considered an impairment?

Thank you,
Lewis

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi there 

    In what context do you mean 7s it an impairment? 
    What is your reason for asking 
    A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that significantly affects your ability to do everyday activities and likely to last 12 months or more 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @JFKdefector - welcome to the community, & thank you for joining. Sorry for what you've experienced with your ankle. It seems your 'pigeon incident' may have worsened an underlying problem & affected your standing & walking. I'm a little puzzled as you say the pain is 'consistent,' & yet it 'comes and goes,' which seems to be a bit of a contradiction. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding.
    Might you explain further what your physio said in that you'd 'lost the nervous connection to your right foot, meaning you can't compute the angle it sits at......' Do you mean you have difficulty knowing where your ankle is (where your joint is in space in relation to your other leg joints), rather than damage to the motor nerves? i.e. proprioception problems rather than a motor deficit.
    As Jane asks, is there a reason for your query? Is it benefit related?
  • JFKdefector
    JFKdefector Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    Thank you for the warm welcome :)

    I’m just curious of what treatment is out there and if I’d be entitled to anything treatment-wise, I don’t really know about disability benefits.

    I spoke of the pain being consistent as opposed to throbbing, so it’s a constant pain when I feel it, it’s not a throbbing pain. Experiencing the pain comes and goes. I hope that explains what I mean?

    So, according to the physiotherapist, I am unaware of the angle at which my foot sits at; for example, if I lifted my right foot I cannot feel at which angle it is “tilted” at, whereas my left I can. The only other way I can describe it is the roll of my ankle, just like how a plane rolls or banks. I hope that makes sense.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you for your reply @JFKdefector - I understand more about what you mean. I'm a long retired physio, so was wondering a little. So, wondering if more physio would help, & you could ask your GP for a referral. Physio can help with that as you describe as, 'not knowing which angle your right foot is tilted at,' but which, if I'm understanding, you're having difficulty in quite knowing where your ankle joint is, where on the other side this feeling is completely different. Perhaps there is also some instability as your ankle rolls. I honestly would discuss your concerns with your GP, & ask to be referred to a physio for evaluation & treatment.
  • JFKdefector
    JFKdefector Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    I was on, I believe it was, a six week program. The physio told me that it will never get better or regenerate that connection, but I can do things to ease the pain, such as resting with my foot raised or a bath to try and ease it. Based on that I don’t think more physio would be a good idea due to the fact it would be repeating the previous sessions and likely repeat the outcome also. The waiting times will be ridiculous as well due to COVID. I’d be happy to speak to my GP as I don’t believe I’ve seen him since before then due to COVID and just generally feeling alright, but I need to update him on a few things anyway. 

    The main reason I posted tonight was I was sitting at my desk and my ankle was aching (I’ve walked about a mile today, not much) and when I stood up to get a drink the intense pain that I spoke of earlier began. When the pain is like that I limp unintentionally because it’s sore to stand on and so I ended up running a bath. This is all normal to me, so I’m not really sure what made me post but I guess I’m just curious as to whether or not anything can be done or if I can receive any help. 

    It has stopped me from going out and doing things before, say I planned to go shopping or go to an event, I either delay it and see how it feels or I miss out because it’s too sore to attend.

    Also, whenever I turn my right foot left to right, it clicks within the inner ankle, which it only started doing after the motorcycle incident and the physio said that and the fact my inner ankle protrudes more than my left is pretty much meaningless 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @JFKdefector - yes I think it would be well worthwhile talking to your GP. Did the physio mention any supports that might help with the position of your foot & ankle? If not, perhaps mention this to your GP.
  • wheelydave
    wheelydave Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    hello there I'm 56 but when i was 22 i had a massive stroke among other things i have been in a wheelchair since i live alone i prefer to do things myself i dont want to loose being independent i have no carers or helpers sometimes they can be more bother than there worth since February this year i have had terrible pain in my back top of right leg and down the thigh doctors say it's muscular take painkillers this month the pain has eased slightly when i take strong painkillers the pain goes away completely when i go to bed so these last few months i have spent a lot of time in bed waiting to see a physio about all this dont know how long that will take when i go out in my powerchair to the shops i go slow because every bump makes a pain shoot through me i have been out the house twice in the last month i just wondered if anybody else is suffering in the same way my biggest fear is going to the toilet and getting myself cleaned properly before i have to sit because of the pain cant wait for the pain to ease more that's all for now     
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,488 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @JFKdefector :) I'm glad that you've been able to chat to chiarieds about your ankle problem. I'm sorry that it's still causing you problems years after the accident.

    You mentioned not knowing about disability benefits. Do you mind me asking what your financial situation is like currently? Are you in employment? There's a benefit called PIP that you might want to look into. It's not means tested, and it's not based on diagnosis, but rather how your condition affects you. 
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  • JFKdefector
    JFKdefector Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    The physio never mentioned any supports etc.

    Hi Tori, at the moment I’m self-employed as a brand strategist and I can work at my desk. I’ve heard of PIP but I’ve never looked into it; I’ll take a look, thank you! 
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,519 Disability Gamechanger
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @JFKdefector - perhaps some support in the form of orthotics may help; I'm unsure why they haven't been mentioned before. Your GP can help with this. Sorry not to have mentioned it last night; just too tired & not firing on all cylinders. :)
  • JFKdefector
    JFKdefector Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    Woodbine: looking at that guide I’m unsure of whether I’d be eligible. The pain comes and goes, but when the pain does arise, getting dressed I would need to hold onto a unit or something to make sure my balance is alright and to relieve some weight from my right foot, and when walking in pain I stop every, I’d say, 10 steps to lean on a wall or railing and raise it to take the pressure off of it. When I’m not in pain though I can do things like cycle and play football, I’ve even managed to walk 20 miles, but it’s guaranteed going to be sore after each of these. I remember after the 20 miles I went to bed, took painkillers, and ended up raising my leg because it was really sore then achy when the painkillers kicked in.

    Chiarieds: I can’t say I’ve heard of orthotics, it’s certainly never been mentioned to me. Don’t worry about it! I appreciate it was late :)

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