Physio finds value of getting second opinion

08/08/24

Sometimes even healthcare professionals need a nudge in the right direction.

Physiotherapist Phil Ladlow first injured his ankle while rock-climbing back in 1991.

An avid outdoor enthusiast, he was enjoying Tasmania’s bushwalking trails and climbing spots.

“It was all going really well, until I fell from a height and landed heavily on a rock slab,” he said.

“I had an x-ray of my ankle, but they ruled out a fracture and said it was just a bad sprain.

“Being a physio, I knew how to treat it, but it was still giving me a lot of trouble.”

A year later, Mr Ladlow had an MRI scan on his ankle, which found it was in fact fractured.

“It was a nasty one, involving cartilage and the joint itself. I’d been running around on it and pushing through the pain,” he said.

“The moral of the story is – if things don’t feel right, a second opinion is not a bad idea.”

Mr Ladlow said he continued his outdoor activities as best he could.

“I’ve been managing with it all these decades, continuing doing lots of bushwalks,” he said.

“But this past year, walking has really challenged my ankle. I’ve been limping since Christmas, which I’ve never done.”

Following another MRI, he met with orthopaedic surgeon Harvinder Bedi at Epworth Eastern hospital in Melbourne.

“A few winters ago, I was hiking the Overland Track in Tasmania,” Mr Ladlow said. 

“On the morning of the consult, I struggled to walk 400 metres to the café.

“I was given two options – ankle joint replacement, but that can be tricky and might need replacing down the track. Plus, Harvinder said I was too young for that, which was nice to hear. 

“The other option was a last resort – ankle fusion, fusing the joint at the ankle so I would have a stable foot. 

“Bushwalking has always been my passion and Harvinder said there would be no reason why I couldn’t do that and be able to walk pain-free.”

Mr Ladlow admitted that “as a physio, we don’t normally like pursuing surgical options”.

“We like to manage injuries conservatively and actively with an exercise approach, but my only options now were surgery or walking in a moon boot for the rest of my life,” he said. 

“So, I bit the bullet and booked in. 

“I worked on Monday, flew in (from Tasmania) Monday night and had the surgery at 7am on Tuesday.”

Mr Ladlow is now facing six weeks of non-weight bearing – when the injured limb cannot touch the floor while moving – and then six weeks in a protective moon boot, which relieves pressure on the ankle.

He is already planning on using his wind trainer bike and doing Pilates for rehabilitation. 

“I tuned up my skills on the crutches before the surgery and I’ll be doing all I can to boost my immune system,” he said.

He is also taking a ‘whole of body’ approach to rehab.

“I’ll be listening to my body and using the seven natural doctors – air (breathwork), hydration, sunshine, rest and relaxation, sleep, exercise, and diet,” Mr Ladlow said. 

“I’ll be doing all the things that nourish the body and soul.”