Tips For Recovering From Ankle Replacement Surgery

Severe ankle pain is usually a sign that you may need ankle replacement surgery. Ankle replacement surgery is often the only choice when the ankle is severely damaged through arthritic pain or sporting injuries. The knowledge that you must have surgery is never easy, and it can bring on a lot of anxiety. However, with adequate preparation, recovery time for ankle replacement surgery can be shortened. 

Prepare Your Home

An important step in the process of recovery is making sure that your home is ready for you after surgery. After your surgery, your movements will have to be limited for your ankle to heal. You need to make sure that you have easy access to your bedroom, the bathroom, and the kitchen. In fact, you should have someone caring for you during this time. This will allow you to heal a lot better. If you cannot have someone caring for you, it is best to cook and freeze food ahead of time so that you won't need to cook. Make sure you have stools and chairs in strategic places in your home so that you can get off your ankle whenever you need to.

Your Recovery

When it comes to recovery, you will need to be patient. To keep the swelling down in the first few weeks after your surgery, you will need to make sure that you elevate your foot above heart level whenever you are resting or sleeping. You can easily do this by propping up your foot with pillows while you are in bed. When you are sitting on a chair, you can use an ottoman embellished with pillows to raise your feet high enough.

Tools to Aid in Your Recovery 

You must purchase some vital tools that will aid in your recovery. You will need a pair of crutches. You will also need special boots or splints that will give support to your ankle as it begins to heal. Even when your ankle starts feeling better and you feel that you can put some weight on it, you should not do this until your doctor advises you to do so. Your doctor will also recommend a series of exercises that you will need to do to help your recovery. Ensure that you do them regularly until your doctor says otherwise.

Ankle pain can render you unable to walk and this can severely hamper the quality of your life. Thankfully, ankle replacement surgery is not difficult to recover from and is often successful.