Ready to Recover From Ankle Surgery?
Ankle Surgery Recovery 101
Learning you need ankle surgery can cause some anxiety and worry. You might be wondering how to prepare and what to expect after surgery. Physical therapists are healthcare professionals trained in post-surgical rehabilitation. Our team of physical therapists at Evolve Physical Therapy loves to help our patients prepare for their ankle surgery so they can focus on their well-being and recovery afterward. If you need ankle surgery, keep reading to learn about some considerations that will help you recover more easily.
GETTING READY FOR SURGERY
Ankle surgeries can range from simple to complex and your recovery time could range from a few weeks to many months. Taking the time to prepare ahead of time can alleviate some stress. Here are some things you might consider when preparing for ankle surgery.
Schedule Physical Therapy: In most cases, physical therapy is recommended after ankle surgery. Find out from your surgeon how early after surgery you can begin rehab and schedule your initial evaluation. Your physical therapist can help you in many ways including the below:
Manage pain
Reduce swelling
Promote early healing
Help you restore full weight-bearing
Improve ankle mobility
Improve strength
Facilitate return to daily activities, work tasks and athletics
Pain Prevention: Pain after surgery may be unavoidable so having a pain-management strategy in place is important. Talk with your surgeon, doctor and physical therapist about some of these options:
Nerve blocks
Medication management
Strategies for managing side effects of pain meds (constipation for example)
Tools or equipment to help elevate your ankle to alleviate swelling
Ice or cryotherapy devices
Assistive Devices: If your surgeon requires you to reduce or eliminate weight through your ankle while it heals, discuss and trial assistive devices like canes, walkers or crutches ahead of time. Immediately post-surgery, when you are still recovering from anesthesia, is the hardest time to learn how to use a novel device.
Set Up Your Space At Home: You may be spending some extra time in your bedroom or on the couch. It might be hard to get around at first so having a close toilet, beverage, blanket and other comforts can help.
Arrange Help: Most people need help after ankle surgery. Prepare ahead of time by asking your spouse, parent, child, friends or others to support you. You may need someone to stay with you in your home or to run errands or do chores for you.
WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO PREPARE
Let’s face it, accidents happen and sometimes they leave you with no time to prepare for the consequences. While many ankle surgeries are planned well in advance, sometimes injuries happen that necessitate an immediate response and in that case, you won’t have the advantage of early planning. If this is you or your loved one, let’s review some things to consider and supplies to organize before heading home.
Call friends and family immediately to arrange help
Talk with your surgeon about time off work so you can alert your employer
Ensure all medications are ready to be picked up from the pharmacy before you leave
Arrange to stay with someone if you need some time to prepare your home to accommodate your new needs
Set up physical therapy to begin as soon as your surgeon allows
Assistive Devices: If you are not allowed to put any weight or minimal weight through your foot, you can use a walker, crutches or even a wheelchair. Hopefully, a physical therapist will be available to help you decide but if you are in charge of that decision, here are some things to consider:
Crutches
Pros: They are fairly easy to travel with and many people can get around fairly quickly on them once they are accustomed to the device. This device can also be used all the way up until you are full weight-bearing if you choose.
Cons: It is difficult to carry anything unless you wear a backpack or shoulder bag and crutches take a fair amount of balance and coordination. You could fall or accidentally put your foot down if you lose your balance.
Walker
Pros: Walkers allow you to support much of your weight through your hand. Because of the design they are quite sturdy, and even those with reduced balance can typically use a walker safely. The device can typically fold for storage and walker bags are usually available to help carry your things. This device can also be used all the way up until you are full weight-bearing if you choose.
Cons: If you have a home with stairs you will need to learn how to transport the walker up and down. It can be difficult to carry things like a cup or glass because both hands are on the device.
Wheelchair
Pros: Wheelchairs are optimal if you are non-weight-bearing as the foot can be elevated off the ground completely. You do not have to worry about losing your balance or getting tired walking on one foot while using this device. It can typically be folded for storage.
Cons: Temporary wheelchairs, such as those prescribed after surgery, may not be very comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. They also tend to weigh more and it can be challenging to transfer them into the car, for example. Full-time use of a wheelchair might lead to weakness or atrophy in your unaffected leg as well since you are not using it to walk. Living in a house with stairs or hills can be a barrier to using a wheelchair.
Knee Rover
Pros: This device is a little scooter that allows you to kneel on a cushioned seat, preventing your foot from touching the ground. It can alleviate the arm fatigue common with devices like crutches or walkers.
Cons: Some of these scooters can tip easily during a quick turn and some people experience discomfort in their knee from prolonged kneeling.
Hands-free crutch
Pros: A hands-free crutch has a cushion for kneeling on that is balanced atop the bottom part of a crutch. It allows you to have a mostly normal walking pattern without touching your foot to the ground and keeping your hands free.
Cons: This device requires good balance. It can be easy to fall if you lose your balance. Sometimes prolonged kneeling can cause knee discomfort.
If you are allowed to fully weight-bear to your comfort level, a cane or single crutch can be a great option.
Cane
Pros: Easy to transport, a cane can help you offload some weight if you are still having discomfort and can provide some assistance for balance.
Cons: A cane will not provide much physical support and for those worried about falling, a walker may be a better device. Single-point canes will fall if you are not holding onto them which means you will have to bend down to the floor to retrieve it
DON’T WAIT TO SCHEDULE YOUR PHYSICAL THERAPY
Physical therapy is such an important part of recovery from ankle surgery and our therapists here at Evolve Physical Therapy are here to help. If you are having ankle surgery call our office to learn about our pre-surgery therapy programs and to schedule your post-op initial evaluation. Let us walk you down the road to recovery.
Click here to find out more information about ankle surgery rehab
About EvolveNY-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics-
There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
Multiple Brooklyn Physical Therapy Locations!
1-718-550-3880
https://EvolveNY.com