Calcaneal fractures. A fracture of the heel bone can be a devastating injury. You can see a before and after surgery xray here. You can expect at least 6 weeks of not putting weight on your foot after surgery. Then it is more likely than not that you will have a lifetime of pain from the foot even with the best surgical result. A calcaneal fracture will often involve a joint called the subtalar joint. If you have a fracture through the joint you will have a least some arthritis. How well your surgeon is able to line the pieces back up will determine how severe the arthritis will be. Try putting an egg back together after you drop it on the counter and you will have a good idea of just how difficult this surgery can be. Even for the most experienced surgeon a calcaneal fracture can be a challenge. If you have a calcaneal fracture an important thing for you to ask your doctor and for you to understand is how much of the subtalar joint is involved with the fracture. Not all fractures will involve the subtalar joint. The worse the fracture the more involved the joint is. The more involved the joint is the worse the prognosis is. The thought of a calcaneal fracture is enough to keep me off of a roof, it keeps me from hanging christmas lights on my house and I no longer jump from heights.