Total ankle replacement is a surgical procedure that will require you to plan ahead to ensure a full recovery. You should discuss recovery needs with your surgeon to ensure that you know what you're getting into before you commit to the procedure.
The following are six things you'll need to do to recover from total ankle replacement surgery as completely and thoroughly as possible:
Know how to recognize possible complications
It's important that you can recognize symptoms of an infection developing in your ankle. You may be experiencing complications if you have symptoms like swelling in your ankle, tingling sensations, or a lack of feeling. You need to notify your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of these symptoms.
Stop smoking
Smoking is bad for you before you go in for ankle replacement surgery because it compromises the health of your immune system. Your immune system is important for preventing infection as you recover from ankle replacement surgery, so it's a good idea to quit smoking before you go in.
Prepare to eat healthy foods
Your diet and nutritional intake are important as you recover from surgery. You need to give your body the nutrients it needs to repair damaged tissues and fortify your muscles and joints. Discuss dietary matters with your surgeon and doctor. Make sure you're eating a well-balanced diet as you recover to avoid complications.
Prepare to focus on cleanliness
Preventing infection is the number one priority for anyone recovering from ankle replacement surgery. You're going to want to keep the surface of your skin around the surgery site as clean as possible. Your doctor might even provide you with a special type of soap that will help you avoid bacterial infection at your surgery wound site.
Schedule all your appointments in advance and prepare to attend them
Your surgeon and doctor are going to want to schedule some follow-up appointments to make sure that your recovery is going as planned. Don't neglect these appointments or you'll compromise the success of your ankle replacement surgery.
Understand your physical therapy needs going into surgery
Your doctor is probably going to recommend physical therapy as part of your recovery regime for ankle replacement surgery. Physical therapy will be designed to strengthen and improve the range of motion of your ankle joint. Be sure to understand what exercise procedures you should follow for the best possible results regarding your physical therapy treatment.
Share5 December 2019
After suffering a traumatic foot and ankle injury, I wasn't sure how to move forward. I wanted to make things right, but the issue was so significant that I needed surgery. After surgery, I was still struggling, so a friend of mine suggested working with a podiatrist in addition to my foot and ankle surgeon. It was an excellent experience, and it felt like I had truly made some strides in the right direction. On this website, I wanted to talk about how podiatrists can help you to get your feet fixed, and how making the right choices can significantly improve your quality of life.
