Mr John Grice 2017-04-03 Person 5 5 0

While out on a training ride with my local cycling club I hit some mud and went down quite hard on my left ankle. I was unable to carry on and was taken to the Great Western Hospital for emergency care. I was quickly x-rayed, nothing was broken so I was strapped up and sent home with an appointment to see a physiotherapist a week later. The Physio was concerned that the x-ray showed a possible Syndesmotic sprain. She suggested I saw the Orthopaedics department and I was lucky that the ankle specialist was on duty that day. I saw Mr Grice and he explained I had an unstable ankle joint caused by previous sporting injuries and a motorcycle accident. This sort of injury could become more frequent as the joint became weaker with all the extra wear and tear from the looseness of the ankle. I expressed to Mr Grice how upset I was about the injury as I was training for an Ironman race the day after my fiftieth birthday. Mr Grice showed empathy with my situation and suggested surgery to investigate the joint and offered various possible solutions. I was booked in for the surgery five days later, less than two weeks after the original accident. The ankle was operated on and remedial action taken to tighten the joint and remove old damaged tissue / bone spurs / loose bone particles in the joint. Some weeks later I had another appointment with Mr Grice who showed me all the photos taken of the joint before and after the operation. He also explained in detail the procedures I had under gone using the before and after x-rays. He seemed really interested in trying to help me get back to my normal level of fitness as soon as possible. I could not have asked for better care.