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Ankle Replacement Surgery

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Ultraboxer
Ultraboxer

I would like to estabish contact with anyone who has undergone ankle replacement surgery and reflect a ittle on the aftereffects and the longer term prognoses for recovery and mobility.

Having undergone such an operation about 9 months ago I am currently coming to terms with a less than welcome (and certainly unexpected) imapct upon my life and mobility.

Issues such as lack of mobility, excessive swelling and cronic pain from the ankle itself but also from the toes and lack of sensation and feeling in parts of the foot are those I am facing and would like to know how other poeple have fared, both in the short and longer term.

16 likes, 848 replies

848 Replies

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  • elspeth37643
    elspeth37643 Ultraboxer

    Posted

    Hi, I had an ankle replacement just over 3 weeks ago and hiave highs and lows. As I came round from surgery I was told that as implnt was hammered in they broke a bone and I now have a plate screwed on my leg as well as the implant. as a result recovery is  weeks total non weight bearing and in a bivalve plaster so dressing can be checked. As I am 61 I was dicharged with zimmer frame which had me stir crazy but they have now supplied crutches so i do have some form of mobility. my main problem is that unless 'i sit over 95% day with foot elevated it both swells, I get horrible pins and needles and a burning sensation along the inside of my ankle. I get the cast off I am led to believe at the 6 week stage and have grave concerns about being able to return to work at the end of September as I teach in a semi secure autistic school - I think I might be a risk. HAving read all the threads to this discussion people seem to be having a very long recovery period which is not what my surgeon led me to believe. He replace my knee on opposite leg 4 years ago and I was up and walking 2 hours after op and fully back to normal pain free within 4 weeks and riding my horse after  weeks. I was told I would be driving car at  weeks and back to work but now am very disillusioned. i thought i could see the end of the road as I was half way through the plaster stage. I will retrun to blog soon and see how others are getting on and will let you all know how #i am progressing.

     

    • LDT
      LDT elspeth37643

      Posted

      Hi

      I am amazed that you got discharged with a Zimmer Frame!. The frame is only for the duration of the operation and they do “hammer” in the prosthesis but the fractured Fibula is not because of that. To get in the joint from the side they have to take the Fibula out of the way. I also have had this done…but no frame and the plate is a bit in the way. I had lots of ice on it for the first 14 days and no pins and needles etc. Very little swelling and I can walk short distances in the house. It is now 1 month.  

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    • MR_ANKLE
      MR_ANKLE elspeth37643

      Posted

      Hi

      The break at the time fitting quite normal 35%.

      Recovery is approx 1 year to do all you want with vitual pain free. Time is the only healer. Ankles are not knees

      A Small bone is taking all your weight. Get in to an Aircast boot as soon as possible and keep it on 24/7 for 6-8 weeks. Use both crutches for10 weeks then 1 crutch for last two weeks

      After that walk through the pain barrier with no crutch. I am currently walking through that pain barrier and trying to resist pain killers. If only I had know what I was letting myself in for.

      Regards

      Mr ankle

  • rhonda1970
    rhonda1970 Ultraboxer

    Posted

    Hi Ultraboxer,

    My husband had a total ankle replacement surgery back in July of 2013. He has had nothing but chronic pain since. He says the ankle itself hurts on the inside and also the fibula he also has swelling around the ankle to his toes. I was reading your story and you specifically talk about a boot and something else that you were getting from the hospital? Can you please tell me the name of the boot and other thing you are talking about. I am so desperate to get him some help but the doctors here say everything looks fine. But for someone to be in this chronic pain there is something wrong.  Thank you for all the help you can offer.

    • tony58215
      tony58215 rhonda1970

      Posted

      My tar was January 2013 and only now it's fealing manageable . I went to a very good podiatrist who anolised my gate and made an insole which has made a huge improvement . I can now walk a few miles without pain but my leg strength is poor . It dose take a couple of years to recover from the operation . I'm 72 male . Only now , after 20 months do I think the tar was the right desition . Keep exerciseing and rest when you have pain .dont wear tight socks . I was just like your husband , so don't give up . My podiatrist is in Suffolk uk .best of luck .
    • jean65697
      jean65697 rhonda1970

      Posted

      Hi Rhonda,

      It's called an Air boot which is like a big plastic cast with neoprene lining, the front comes away and is all held together with Velcro straps. Inside the boot is generally 3 little air bags that you can pump up to fit and secure your leg... Hence the term 'air' boot

    • mamie2269
      mamie2269 rhonda1970

      Posted

      Hi Rhonda1970

      It is terrible the Dr's telling you "everything looks great there isn't anything wrong anymore. But they're not the ones dealing with it. I have all kinds of nerve damage. I've also heard you don't have an ankle anymore so it can;t be hurting. you start thinking you're crazy.the Dr.s say you can't be hurting but you know your hurting really bad. 

  • shelley7741
    shelley7741 Ultraboxer

    Posted

    I'm in California...had my STAR device put in two months ago. I was in a hard cast for a month and then a walking boot for the second month, although I was unable to walk for the first two weeks I was in the boot. I've been quite surprised at the amount of pain...primarily from swelling across the top of the foot, not around the new ankle. In fact, I've had almost no pain in the ankle at all. The other pain I've had is mainly the pins and needles others have described...probably nerve regeneration. As my doctor predicted, that has lessened over time. But the swelling drives me crazy, and I spend most of my days with my foot elevated and on ice. That, too, is apparently normal, and may continue for some time. Just wondering how others are handling the swelling? Any time I spend with my foot down just ends in pain, so I'm hesitant to do anything for too long. 
    • elspeth37643
      elspeth37643 shelley7741

      Posted

      Hi Shelley

      I had my TAR in England on Aug 13th this year. They managed to break the fibula in the process too, so I also have a plate screwed in. I was non weight bearing for 5 weeks, then was given a 'moon boot' to wear for a week, to begin weight bearing then told to get into a shoe. I found the swelling I had been getting over toes while in plaster moved to ankle joint once I was out of the plaster, and initially it was very bad. I found the base of my foot quite rigid so took a walk with crutches along firm wet sand in bare feet. This enable to foot to begin to give a little while being totally supported. I also got a tennis ball and used that to roll around under my foot - it broke down some of the crytalising I felt. I have now been in a well supporting shoe  - a trainer, for 10 days now and although I still get swelling it is nothing compared to the start. I have lots of pins and needles, most where the skin has sloughed off but also generally around the foot. I am beginning to get rotational movement now too. I have arranged to see a physio next week so I can find out how much movement I can practice non weight bearing.

      I also contacted a homeopathic clinic and they sent me a remedy to help reduce the pins and needles and burning type sensations and also the swelling, so that might be a route you might consider. I haven't tried ice but will see what physio suggests next week. I have also dropped to one crutch and at some times in the house have none. I find walking on carpets easier that hard floors, and when I do sit down I do elevate the foot but try to remember to  keep moving it every few minutes. Hope this helps

       

    • shelley7741
      shelley7741 elspeth37643

      Posted

      Hi Elspeth,

      Thanks so much for the suggestions! Wish I were closer to the beach...a walk in the sand sounds like it would be great. I will definitely try the tennis ball...sounds like it might be very helpful. Defintely try the ice...it really helps reduce the swelling, if only temporarily. Agree about moving the foot every couple of minutes...it really does help!

    • Luchie
      Luchie shelley7741

      Posted

      Hi Shelly, that sounds about right. I had TAR April 3, I live in N.Cal and the other thing I did for swelling was soak foot in Epsom salt. About every 3 weeks there seems to be a small change for the better.  At between 10-11 weeks that pain when foot dangling went away. That was a real relief, so hand in there.
    • Omnivole
      Omnivole elspeth37643

      Posted

      Hello, Elspeth, my husband's just been told he's a candidate for ankle replacement surgery... he's 70... wonder where you had yours, and, how you are doing now, 2 years on. Thank you so much!
  • rhonda1970
    rhonda1970 Ultraboxer

    Posted

    Ultraboxer,

    Thank you for the information and the outlook of all this with the TAR. May I ask which ankle did they use? The STAR or the Talaris? What kind of boot or shoes do you wear? My husbands doctor told us that total recovery was 3 months...."Go figure" "I just want his Chronic Pain of his to go away" It has effect his whole life including our relationship... Depression, side effects for the pain medication.

  • cristian888
    cristian888 Ultraboxer

    Posted

    Hi,

    I'm 40 years old and live in italy. I had total ankle replacement in Bologna in Rizzoli ospital about 3 months ago.

    The device is a zimmer with lateral introduction and I have a good feeling with her.

    Unfortunately, for my precedent surgery , my skin on foot area is no good and the implant has caused a pressur ulcer and now I am fighting to close this.

    Pain decreased on ankle side but I have a problem with swelling.

    Now I walking whitout sticks but not for long time, i hope that this situetion will improve.

    In the another precedent surgery I did a transplant ankle but I don't racommend this because result is uncertain and the time of  post op. has no end.

    If your alternative surgery is an transplant , contact me and I will not be recommending ever after.

    Good luck and keep in touch.

     

    • django707
      django707 cristian888

      Posted

      Hi Christian, I see that you had the Zimmer ankle replacement about three years ago and I am wondering how you are doing with it.

      I am doing lots of research and I think my two favorites are the Zimmer and the Hintermann Hintegra.

      Lots of  opinions on these.

      How is your Zimmer doing?

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