How To Speed Your Recovery From Ankle Replacement Surgery
By the time your ankle replacement surgery date comes, you're probably more than ready to get the surgery over with so that you can walk again. But before you're able to walk comfortably, you not only have to undergo surgery — but also recover from surgery. The surgery takes a few hours, but the recovery takes a few months. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help speed up the recovery process and get back on your feet a little sooner.
Set up your home so you don't need to walk so much
Before your surgery, spend some time moving the necessary items in your home into the same room or same general vicinity. You want to minimize the distance you have to walk (or hop!) in the first few days after surgery. The less you have to hop, the less likely you are to accidentally step on the recovering foot and put strain on your new ankle prematurely. Put snacks, drinks, medications, entertainment items, and other essentials in the room where you plan to do your initial recovery.
Keep your foot elevated as much as possible
After such extensive surgery, it is normal for a joint to swell. Since your ankle is one of the furthest joints from your heart, it is even more prone to swelling than other joints. Too much inflammation can interfere with the healing process. The more time you spend with your ankle elevated above the level of your heart, the better this inflammation will drain away, and the faster your ankle will heal.
Resist the urge to walk on your ankle after surgery
After a major surgery, there is often this attitude of needing to push through and conquer the pain. A little of this type of attitude is good; you need to remain positive in the face of adversity. But you don't want your determination to push you to walk on your new ankle too soon, especially when you're on a heavy dose of pain relievers that keeps you from feeling much pain as you do so. Most orthopedic doctors will tell you to stay off of your ankle completely for 1 - 2 weeks after surgery. Obey these instructions. There is nothing admirable about walking sooner than you should, and doing so will almost certainly delay your recovery in the long run.
Ankle replacement surgery is a major endeavor, but in the long run, it will give you a functional and pain-free ankle. Follow the tips above for a speedy recovery, and rely on your doctor for additional advice.
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