Ankle Replacement Surgery

Gigi 

?David here headed to do that same Infinity Inbone and worried sick after seeing so many bad testimonials. How did you find the group of others recovering that you can meet and talk to ? I live in Atlanta and can't find anyone. So you feel it is a GOOD thing and I should go for it ? I am on the fence and may postpone it out of fear. I also have knee arthritis and bunions both feet and worry it may all be in vain . How old are you if you don't mind me asking ? I'm 57 ....I am happy for your recovery and testimonial...finally an encouragement vs so many bad ones that make me feel I night as well just fuse and be done

Hi David!

I met the group of Ankle Replacement Patients during a photo shoot. Most of them are one year in already. I'm only five months in and am not nearly healed yet. I'm 54. 

My ankle is still swollen and stiff. I still have discomfort and am hoping by my year Anniversary, I am fully healed and devoid of any pain. Every patient is different. I met a patient who is much older than me and healed muck quicker than I. 

Your decision should be based on your quality of life. From what I have read, a fusion takes about the same time to heal. 

If you are unsure, I would do more research and see if you can ascertain more information to make a definitive decision. 

I have done quite a bit of reading and research and get so overwhelmed it causes fear in the end. But I know one day will come when I have to do something.  This last JAN-MAR in Atlanta was tough...cold wet, etc I ached like hell and that's when I insisted with my insurance co. they cover  the TAR. Now it's spring and I don't hurt nearly as bad and the process is in motion set for August and I am 50/50 now. How does one find out how good a surgeon is ? Is there any site that rates TAR surgeons and the number of ops. they have done for how long etc ? Let's keep in touch. We all need each other. Sounds like you are clearly about there and will be SOON God in the middle 

Hi David!

My ankle was so bad, I couldn't walk half a block without it getting stuck in motion. It would take a half hour at bed time just to get it comfortable so I could fall asleep. 

My doctor offered me phone numbers of patients to contact for feedback on their surgeries. There aren't many surgeons in my area that perform total ankle replacements. 

I found my surgeon through research and his credentials were excellent. So far, all of his patients that I have met are doing very well and claim they would do it all over again. 

I am not feeling that way yet. Like I said previously, I am not healed yet, and it's a long recovery.  This is a big decision and not to be taken lightly. It took three months for my incision to heal, so it did set me back some. These are the things you need to discuss with your surgeon. PT is very painful for me, and I can't wait until I'm done with it. Yet, other patients have done much better than I have. I can't tell you to go ahead and do it. You need to take into account everything people have told you about the surgery and the recovery.  The ankle is the hardest joint replacement surgery to recover from. I will definitely keep in touch with you. My next appointment with my surgeon is May 20th.  I should know more about my recovery then and will share it with you. 

Hi David there is a very large group on Facebook, if you type in Ankle Replacement it is the one with the largest numbers, I used it a lot before and after my surgery they are very helpful have document to look at like what to ask your surgeon, how Tom I find your surgeon what Tom prepare before op.  It has a map of where people in the world are that have had the op.  I know that there are quite a lot of people on there from Atlanta, it is a closed group so you have to ask to join it.  It is very positive with lots of people who have had great outcomes.  I found it to be much more positive than this group so if you need some uplifting I would join that group, people will know about your surgeon.  Good luck.

Did you open the private message I sent you after we talked on here several days ago with my phone number.

You may remember that I offered to discuss your concerns directly with you on the phone but I've not heard anything further from you.

I had a very sucessful THR twenty one years ago and a revision last year so would be able to talk from a position of someone who had had two successful outcomes.

At this moment I'm walking unaided following a very major revision of a total ankle revision eight weeks ago and am doing extremely well.

My offer to talk on the phone is available to anyone interested however I do expect you to ring me rather than me having to pick up the tab for the call. Just send me a message and I will give you my phone number. It is down to you.

Cheers Richard

Cheers Richard

Dear David

Oops, I may have got you mixed up with someone on the hip replacement forum and if so my apologies!

My offer still stands as I had a badly executed TAR five years ago which was revised by a different surgeon with a special revision prosthesis eight weeks ago involving a six hour surgery.

For anyone considering a TAR PLEASE do not have it done by anyone other than a surgeon with a lot of experience of this surgery and who can back it up with good outcome evidence. The risks of failure at some point are too high. Mine did not show problems until my four year annual check up!

Cheers Richard

Hi Gigi, I’m Michael I’m one year out from my second ankle replacement surgery! The fist replacement surgery my toes were numb for about six month and slowly the feeling came back. That implant failed me and was replaced by the inbone implant. On my second replacement I have lost all feelings to my toes. Not to mention if I walk a long distance I get swelling and pain from hell. What I do is use my knee scooter for long walks like the store etc.. it helps take pressure off my ankle joint. Pick and chose my battles with it. In your fist mounts make sure you elevate your ankle when you are watching TV reading a book. Same at night when you go to bed. This will take the swelling down. We get these implant thinking that they are going to stop all the pain. The truth is you will always have to deal with pain. Good luck with your recovery!! 

Fellow TAR recipients:  Not to minimize the very real suffering that many people describe after TAR, and to let you know that TAR surgery is negative for everyone, I will briefly offer you my story.  for those of you who have already read my story from my previous posts, I apologize.  Again, I do not mean to minimized the very real problems that many of the people on this blog and many others not on the blog have experienced post TAR.

I am 71 years old and live in the Syracuse, NY area.  I had a total right knee replacement in 2011, which I did well with.  I am 18 months out from right TAR with STAR with subtalar fusion by Dr Sam Flemister in Rochester, NY.  My only complication was entrapment of the flexor hallicus longus tendon which caused my right great toe to be in an almost 90 degree flexion, resulting in severe pain in the MP joint of the right great toe.  My surgeon corrected this by cutting the FHL 4 months ago, which resolved the problem. I still get some pain in the right ankle, and particularly from the subtalar fusion, if I overdo on a treadmill, but can enjoy a workout on my elliptical.  Overall am very satisfied.

I had my left TAR with STAR 6 months ago, and am doing well except for Achilles pain/tendinitis, which I am managing with frequent icing and stretching. 

Overall, I am very satisfied with how I am doing from my ankle surgeries.  To give you a glimpse of my lifestyle since surgery, In Feb to April 2018, 10 weeks after my left TAR, my wife and I were able to take a two month 6,500 mile cross country trip in a van from San Francisco to Syracuse, NY, staying in many campgrounds and national parks.  I could not walk or hike the way I would have liked, but did not expect to that early out from surgery, and had much less pain that I did when we drove 2 months/6,500 miles in the fall of 2017 from Syracuse to San Francisco before my left TAR. I was in agony before each of my TAR's and could hardly take a step. 

I currently am able to play golf several times per week, maintaining a single digit handicap, mow my lawn with a riding mower, drive my tractor, manage a 120' X 60' vegetable garden, drive my manual transmission car, and just got back from summarizing my 40' sailboat on Lake Ontario, including 2 hours of deck cleaning as well as putting on the sails with the help of my wife.  Although I am retired, I still work per diem 1-2 days per week at a job which requires 6-13 hours long shifts, but no manual labor other than frequent short walks around the workplace.  Although I still have significant limitations from my feet and ankles, it is a far cry from the severe pain I experienced prior to the TAR's.  My greatest current limitation is my right knee which unfortunately needs to be replaced.

Like everyone else has stated here, it is important to choose a surgeon carefully, because TAR is much more precise and intricate than hips and knees.  Seek multiple opinions, and be sure the surgeon you choose has performed a lot of these.  Exercise to the limit of your tolerance pre-op so you are in the best physical condition you can be, and resume that as soon as your surgeon gives you the green light.  During your post-op period, before you are allowed to start ambulation, keep your leg elevated all the time as high as you can, and ice pack every 3-4 hours, and exercise your legs while lying on your back.  I found bicycle motion exercise is doable while wearing a cast or boot.  

One other specific piece of advice I feel strongly about, which I have not seen addressed by anyone else on this blog, is to not let anyone give you a steroid shot in the ankle.  Although a lot of surgeons give these shots to hold people over to delay surgery, there is a US national recommendation that these are not indicated for ankles.  My personal experience was that a different surgeon gave me a series of 4 injections over about a year and a half prior to my right TAR, and I am convinced that the steroids destroyed my right ankle.  The xrays performed just prior to my right TAR surgery 11/2016 were dramatically worse, like night and day, than the xrays performed 11/2015.  After one year, I went from significant tibial/talar arthritis with some remaining joint space to very severe arthritis with no joint space at all.

I hope this is helpful

Hello. I’m 55 and had a replacement 7 months ago. I just recently stopped wearing the support hose and icing it every evening. At 4 months I was still having pains similar to the ones before surgery.  I’ve had 3 surgery’s on this ankle in the past year. A partial fusion, a screw removal from the fusion, and then the replacement. 6 months was a turning point for me. Even though I could see small (very small) improvements each week I was still so skeptical. I purchased Vionic shoes which have really helped with the daily walking pain. The insole heel is sort of cupped so it helps to stabilize my ankle. I still need to sit and stretch it throughout the day. By the time I get home from work I typically am DONE. I have found that it feels better the more I move it. Even though it hurts. When I take a “me” day and lay around all day it hurts much worse the following day.  Sometimes, the ligaments ache so bad, but I just keep reminding myself that I haven’t walked properly for 5-6 years so it’s going to take time. I’m not a patient soul haha. Good luck and just keep moving it. Are you still in PT?

Hi Donna,

thanks for your reply.  I don't qualify for PT but I looked up exercises online and have been doing them.  This is my third ankle surgery in 2 years.  I really believed the TAR would be the answer.  I'm going to look into the shoes you mentioned.  For me, staying off of it seems to be the key to being pain free, but how do you live your life doing nothing? Thanks for the tip,

Michelle

If you have a “good feet” store near you, you should go there and they can let you try on different inserts. I use the Vionic inserts in other shoes. I know how discouraging this feels for you. I’m still in pain but not as much as before the surgery. Hang in there. I know it’s so hard. Feeling like life is passing you by because of pain is not a good feeling. Good luck and hang in there!

Hello, just to clarify a few things Salsagirl like it was explained to me. The swelling and pain may seem the same as prior but it is not. The pain is most likely from the bone fusing to the hardware and all those joints and ligaments that haven't been used for awhile. The swelling is just part of the whole experience and will get better over time. Do you wear support/compression socks? I highly recommend them and they do not have to be prescription or the really expensive ones. I bought the as seen on TV one's the copper that Brett Farve advertises and they work great. You need to be propping your leg way above your heart when you can, for as long as you can and you can wear the socks when you do this. I suggest you lay on the sofa and if you can put your leg up on the back of the sofa and prop it has high as you can tolerate it and leave it there. The more you use it the less the pain you will have. If you keep using that scooter you are going to get yourself so stiff you pretty much wasted your time with the surgery. I highly recommend joining a gym that has a heated pool if possible. That was just added to my PT 3 weeks ago and it has done me a world of good! You cannot just sit around and baby it, trust me I've been there. Taking it easy because of the swelling and pain will continue to set you back. Keep sneakers on as much as you can and try not to be walking around the house barefoot because I know that hurts like hell! You can ice it several times a day for the swelling as well. Whatever you do be mindful of keeping that foot straight when you walk. if you are pointing it out it can cause issues with the implant and also cause even more swelling and pain. Do you have all of the feeling back in your toes, feet and leg? Have you discussed this with your surgeon? I am a little over 4.5 months out from my surgery and I was bone on bone arthritis for 22 years with very limited flexibility and mobility. My toes are still asleep and most of my lower leg has not woken yet either. There are parts of my foot and ankle that have some sensation but are not fully awake. I wasted my time with a PT that had no clue what he was doing and after 24 visits he discharged me and I basically had to start all over again with someone new. There is something about the water that helped me the very first day. I could wiggle my toes back and forth and actually feel the floor. I have pain, I walk with a limp, and I want to scream most days but then I think about why I had the surgery. I cannot give up and I must keep working to get better! I wish you luck and feel free to write me back!

I’m a year out from my second ankle replacement surgery.  I have the inbone implant and I tell you I can’t walk long or stand long due to chronic pain. I’m thankful that I have a great pain management team. The pain will always be there we just have to learn to live with keeping the pain in control. 

hahaha so sorry for this very late response! i havent visited the site in quite a while and just saw your response. I dont live my life doing nothing-smiling- I'm now about a year and a half out from my replacement surgery. I STILL have some pain (on busy/bad weather days) and some swelling on most every day but I've learned to live with it. I work full time (45+ hours a week) as a nanny to a family of 4 with 2 small boys that are 2 & 3 years old. They keep me moving from the minute I get there until the minute I leave. I also have 3 kids in college and a 70 pound puppy at home who loves to romp. I decided about a year into this thing that I wasnt going to let this thing stop me from doing the things I needed/wanted to do. up until about 2 months ago I wore tennis shoes all day every day 7 days a week 6am til bedtime. Since the warmer weather hit here in North Carolina I decided to try sandals and found that Tevas and KEENS have just the right amount of support and adjustability in their straps for getting off and on and swelling issues. This kills me because I used to be a shoe fanatic, but, so be it. I lost the use of the big toe on that foot so flip flops are out. I can fee it, it has feeling in it, it just doesnt work anymore. I also take an aqua zumba class once a week which has helped, and I've shed 60 pounds which I know has also contributed to helping out with mobility although I still could use to lose about 30 more. I cannot run, I cannot walk on sideways inclines due to my previous fusion, I have to be very careful walking in creeks and rivers where there are slippery surfaces, no trampolines or bouncy houses, but other than that I'm game to try most anything. I have stopped taking all pain meds unless I have an absolutely horrible terrible day and then I take one tramadol at night. I have been researching CBD products but have not bitten the proverbial bullet on that one yet. we will see hope tour journey has gotten better. It is definately a long slow one for many of us, and I still see improvements in myself even this late in the game. fingers crossed that they keep on coming