The painful swollen fractured ankle

Recently I told this story to a patient who has been receiving physical therapy for a very bad fracture in the ankle. He had plates and screws and a lot of swelling in the ankle. He had pain in the inside portion of the ankle, and the ankle shifted inwards in the standing position, making his pain worse. He was limping and walking with difficulty. Finally, just before the holidays, he said to me: “I’m ready; I can’t take this pain anymore.” He received two treatments right before the new year and felt significantly better. After volunteering to cook for his family New Year’s party , he overexerted himself and came back to me with pain again, although not as severe as before. We did three more treatments of acupuncture, and now his walking is much improved and his pain is almost gone. He was discharged from treatment with a perfect gate and no more limp. He is much happier and has taken on a new work assignment in another state.