Are you wondering if a pain-free life is possible after suffering from chronic ankle pain due to arthritis or injury? Well, this life can be real if you undergo a total ankle replacement procedure. The procedure replaces badly worn elements of your ankle with prosthetics to provide relief and maintain ankle mobility. If this sounds like the ideal remedy for your problems, ankle replacement Fort Worth orthopedic doctors are ready to help. Below are some pro tips you would need for quick recovery after the surgery.
1. Control your Swelling
While swelling is the body’s natural way of responding to trauma, it can slow down your healing process. Swelling inhibits healthy fluid movement in and out of the treated area. However, you can control the swelling by keeping your legs elevated above your heart’s level whenever you are resting for the first two weeks after surgery. Use pillows to prop your feet high enough, to control the swelling by preventing the accumulation of fluids in your ankles.
2. Do your PT exercises
You need to start your physical therapy exercises early and make them more frequent. This helps improve your leg function, control swelling, and kick-start the recovery process. As you do more exercises during your sessions, your artificial ankle becomes more flexible and stronger. Moreover, it fosters long-term mobility and the physical function of the new ankle. Regular exercises also encourage a speedy recovery.
3. Mind Your Diet
The idea is to prevent excess weight gain during the recovery period. Some junk foods are unhealthy and pro-inflammatory and can slow your recovery. Working towards maintaining a healthy weight will ensure that your new ankle can bear your weight even after recovery. As such, ensure that your diet is well-balanced and won’t cause you to gain weight. A nutrient and vitamin-rich diet will also fuel your recovery.
4. Know the warning signs
Being well acquainted with what to expect during the recovery helps you know when to seek help in the event of a problem. Watch out for signs of infection, which range from redness, swelling, abscess, and heat on the surgery site. Any worsening discomfort during your recovery could indicate a more serious condition. Remember, alerting your doctor when the first symptom ensues prevents your ankle condition from worsening and causing more health issues.
5. Be Patient
An ankle surgery is a major undertaking that will affect your daily operations for some time. You will require some months to fully heal and resume your daily tasks. As such, it is normal to experience low energy after surgery, and you are recommended to ask for help whenever need be. Even though you can speed up your recovery by staying in charge of your rehabilitation, you need patience.
There are many treatment options that can relieve chronic arthritis and ankle injury. However, ankle replacement surgery stands out as it is a minimally invasive procedure that preserves joint mobility and results in lifelong pain relief. Even though you will require at least four weeks to recuperate, it is successful, and you will regain your full feet function after the surgery.
