13/11/2025
You may have noticed Mitch was away for a few weeks in September... he was recovering from ankle surgery! 🤕 🦶
In 2024, Mitch suffered a Weber A fracture in his ankle - a distal fibula break. It was managed non-operatively at the time. After rest and rehab, he made it back to footy later that year with . For a while, things seemed fine. But once preseason hit and running loads climbed to around 35 km a week, the ankle started telling a different story. 😣
Ongoing pain, swelling and instability became part of every session. He could train and play by taping his ankle and using heel lifts, but afterwards the joint would swell and stay sore for days. If he forgot to tape it, he could feel the ankle giving way and the anterior impingement flaring up.
Before deciding on surgery, Mitch gave conservative care every chance - regular taping, heel lifts, progressive strengthening and mobility programs. These strategies reduced symptoms at times, but they didn’t fix the underlying problem: mechanical instability and developing bone spurs that were causing anterior ankle impingement.
💬 "Being a Podiatrist didn’t make the decision easier, but it made it clearer," Mitch says. "Bone spurs don’t disappear on their own. Surgery wasn’t giving up - it was taking back control."
The early recovery phase was tough. There’s no sugarcoating it - you’ll be in pain and you have to rest. But once the cast came off and rehab began, Mitch was surprised by how quickly strength and mobility started to return. With a structured plan, consistent rehab and patience, progress came faster than expected.
Going through surgery himself changed Mitch’s mindset as a clinician. He still believes in exhausting non-operative care first, but it reminded him that surgery shouldn’t be seen as a last-resort failure. When anatomy and function demand it, it can be a smart, evidence-based step to restore movement and confidence.
If you’re struggling with ankle pain, instability or impingement - Mitch gets it, both as a clinician and someone who’s been through it - book in to see him in Thornbury!
If you want to read Mitch's full experience in his own words, read his blog on our website! 📲💻
