Ankle Replacement Surgery
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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
gilbert-grapes Ultraboxer
Posted
I went through my TAR! it is accomplished now, just one week has passed and I am feeling well, still too soon to say anything about the success of it, but my surgeon told me yesterday that all looks pretty good in the Xray image. My scar is about 7-inch long, slightly left of center on my left leg. I will start physical therapy next week, as recommended, and I plan to return to work in two weeks. I now am quite mobile with the use of a "knee-walker" which I'd strongly recommend to anyone after an ankle/foot surgery - it definitely makes our lives easy around the house!
Like I said, it is still premature to express any feeling for the inplant and the new condition, but I am in great spirit, feeling very optimistic that I will walk again and my chronic pain that I used to suffer will be no longer!
peter090769 Ultraboxer
Posted
Good reading.
Long story very short.
1) 9 years ago keyhole surgery FAILED
2) 7.5 years ago repaet of keyhole surgery FAILED
The clinic that did the surgery then said there was nothing else they could do for me.
So after lots of begging and pleading I saw two different DR's. 1 for fusion, 1 for TAR. Both of these pushed me towards TAR.
3) 5 years ago TAR Failed
4) One day later another operation to remove bone becasue the TAR was not sitting properly in the joint. Failed
5) 3.5 yrs ago more keyhole because of problems with the TAR Failed
6) 2.5 yrs ago 2nd complete TAR Failed
Now what they want to do is another TAR and then inject me with steroids that have a side effect of bone growth. They hope this will work so the bone grows securly around the TAR.
If they could say after this you will be pain free, but they can't.
I have just had a reply from a clinic abroad saying that they can't help and now but am still waiting on news from one in Germany.
So it's now 9 years of pain killers and anti inflamotry tablets. ( just imagine what my stomach linings like)
Some days are a lot worse than other when I don't even get out of bed.
Have been taking tablets for depression for over two years.
I now have a problem with my left knee thats needs surgery because of walking wrong due to pain. Also lower back pain.
I have not worked properly for those 9 years and feel worthless due to this.
I'm 45, 6 feet 10 inches tall and around 20 stone. So anybody who knows physics can understand that the pressure and force going on my joint is a lot more severe than a lighter and smaller person.
So I have a massive choice to make. Live the rest of my life like I am today today. Dependant on tablets for me to function at around 10-20% or risk surgery again.
I have a massive choice to make. Risk another operation or live the rest of my life dependant on tablets to function and still not be a valuable member of society.
Thanks for reading. If anyone has any advice or knows of anybody who could. Please leave a message.
Again thank you
Regards Peter
MR_ANKLE peter090769
Posted
Good luck
Mr Ankle
steve_76980 peter090769
Posted
I had ankle replacement at Shirley Oaks Hospital, Croydon - 1 year ago.
I had a great experiance and it's really going well. My surgeon explained that due to the bone on bone for so long it was a possability that I may wake with a fusion if he could not do the replacement, I had the replacment.
I had a motorcycle accident, lost right knee, about 30% of my right calf, shattered left wrist and finaly had the replacment Nov 2015.
It does get you down but try to stay positive - i know easy to say.
Keep me posted
Good luck
barb1953 peter090769
Posted
Hi Peter, it sounds like you’ve been to hell & back. I can’t imagine living through what you’ve had to endure. I’ve had four surgeries on my left including a double ankle fusion & arch reconstruction. All failed. My right foot is as severe as the left but I don’t think I will do surgery. I now have carpel tunnel from living on crutches, walker & knee scooter for so long. I urge you to look into ExoSym brace. I’m fundraising right now to raise the money to get this. People who were considering amputation, partially amputated feet, club foot, failed ankle fusions, the list goes on & on how these braces have given people back their mobility. I’ve talked to several people who have them,I’m meeting up with one in the morning & these are people who had pretty well lost most of their mobility like us. They are out walking, running marathons & doing all the things I haven’t been able to do in years. Please research this for yourself. They sound like they’re to good to be true but they work. My heart goes out to you as I understand what you’re going through. These braces are my light at the end of this tunnel & they could be yours too. Let me know what you think. Stay strong Peter. Hang in there. Research these braces.
gilbert-grapes Ultraboxer
Posted
Your story is sad, I do feel for you having to go through all the ordeal to rid yourself of pain. It is totally not fair that all attempts so far had failed in your case, but one has to keep up with good hope for better solutions and better medical technology advancement. In my case, 12 years ago I thought of TAR as a crazy thing, medical comments at that time was for merely hope of any improvement, and they only recommended for after "old age", meaning over 60s. Today I am 59yo, 5' 5" tall and about 180 lb, I am sligthly overweight for my height. Now I do not know how "20 stone" translates into pounds, (perhaps 200lb?) which I think would be around the mark for yours over 6 feet tall.
I say keep your hopes always up for better technologies and get more doctors opinions. I see you are in Europe, there you should not have much of a distance barrier to retain yourself from visiting foreing contries where things might be little more advanced, so please do not give up hope! recovery is in our reach, and Godspeed.
Gilberto
john09838 Ultraboxer
Posted
I feel maybe I can inject a few positives into this discussion for those people contemplating this procedure.
i had ankle replacement surgery on 3rd December 2014.
Before that I was fairly mobile but very uncomfortable and concerned what the future would hold for me as a previously active 66 year old.
My rheumatologist had concluded that I suffered severe and wiespread topacious gout as the result of being prescribed a massive long grrm course of a broad spectrum antibiotic (tetracycline) for a deep seated gastric infection, which caused joint damage especially in previously damaged joints like my right ankle and left shoulder.
My specialist foot and ankle surgeon told me that the condition would soon deteriorate further and that if not done soon, ankle replacement would not be possible due to bone deterioration. As the option, fusion, was not attractive to me as a keen sailor needing to be able to stand on a sloping deck, I decided to go for TAR.
Almost from the day of the operation I have had no pain except when I have overstressed the joint. This in itself has been a welcome and major benefit.
I am now being weaned off the moonboot and beginning to walk unaided
PT is proving surprisingly (to me!) helpful and I am optimistic for the future.
So far matters have progressed entirely as predicted, and I experience expected swelling and discomfort only when I attempt to do too much and don't elevate my footenough in these early days.
I will contribute to this discussion again in a couple of months to advise progress.
gilbert-grapes john09838
Posted
Your experience is so reasuring to us, recent TAR patients, thank you for sharing. It is sad to hear that your issue initiated by means of medication, indicated for other malady, thus serving as a warning for many.
On the recovery side, all you describe I pair with you. My procedure was done in December 29 of 2014. The joint pain is gone! but the swelling is there still and I expect to continue for a while. My case differ a little because I alredy had many surgeries in my left leg prior to this one, so I had mobility problems and stiffness inherited from those. My PT sessions, as of now, only focus on foot range of movement, with (as I see) only little success. As in your case, swelling and discomfort spread when I do too much of standing on the foot. At work or home I try to keep my foot elevated, and I excercise and move my foot on every opportunity I get.
I am very optimistic for my recovery and from the beginning I knew not to expect too much from this but getting rid of chronic pain. Somehow I feel I may get surprised and actually gain a little more mobility than before! an unexpected blessing in this case.
We wil continue this progress contribution here.
Cheers,
GM
john09838 gilbert-grapes
Posted
you are nearly a month behind me in terms of your procedure date, and what you describe fairly matches where I was a month ago, so take heart.
Today I have been out and about largely without crutches and drove my car for the first time, so very pleased.
I am now right at the end of my day and a little achey but as my PT points out, TAR is a massive amount of surgery to such a complex and stressed joint, and the foot is the most prone to post op swelling.
Several of my neighbours are surgeons and their advice very much supported a key finding of my personal research concerning the importance of the surgeons experience in this very demanding procedure. In this I was fortunate to find my local foot and ankle specialist had completed 70 successful TAR implants.
But it sounds to me that you're doing at least as well as I, so every reason to be optimistic.
Best
John
gilbert-grapes john09838
Posted
Indeed, we both are lucky to be around good specialist, my surgeon also has years of experience, besides being a man of research and science on the subject of implants. I think this is key for the success of such difficult procedure, however, our personal determination to heal the affected area is another very important component of the equation.
I am also back on driving my car and going to work normally, I do not use crutches, instead I have a knee scooter, which is very handy at home and work as well. I don't have stairs to climb, that is also a plus in my case. But at home I do plenty of extra exercises beyond the PT at the hospital. Next week I will see my doctor again, I am anxious to hear what he plans for me on the next phase.
all in all I am in good spirit in this healing process, I know I shouldn't expect miracles but all the little I get out of this (plus no longer feeling the arthritis pain!) is welcome to me.
best regards,
Gilbert
gilbert-grapes john09838
Posted
March 29th will mark the third month since my ankle surgery. Since the second month I was already walking with moon boot and going to my regular PTs. I now wear normal shoes, PT continues and I all seems to be as expected for my recovery. I feel good about the results, but perhaps a little anxious about the swelling and slow walking. I feel some kind of strain pain in the muscles and tendons around the ankle as well, but this is most likely due to the PT workout, too. So far my worse dificulty is to walk down stair cases, when the ankle really bends and the tendons stretch.
Other then that I have no reason to complain, just remembering how much pain I had before the surgery and now all I have to deal with is re-learn how to down down stairs! As far as my normal physical activities, my doctor told me I can go back into bicycling, which I intend to do soon when weather permits.
Cheers to all, keeping a good attitude and positivity during our slow recovery.
Gilbert
john09838 gilbert-grapes
Posted
My 3 month mark was 3rd March and you are already at about where I am, And I am pretty pleased, so done.
I also have muscle and tendon issue but this is due to wasteage and shrinkage dur a long period of limited use pre-op and 8 weeks in cast and boot, and at my age replacingost muscle in calves is aong slow process requiring regular exercises and I do 100 toe lifts every night and morning while cleaning my teeth! Climbing stairs an balls of feet and cycling is so good stuff
Best
John
gilbert-grapes john09838
Posted
Good thing you can be multi-task, doing toe lifts while cleaning teeth, I would probrably tend to bite the brush if I try this combination
, anyway, I am determined to keep up with the exercises and PT at the hospital where they have the right equipment. At home I am limited to elastic bands and books I use for step exercise. My problem during the day is at work, where I stay sitting most of the time, my ankle resting on top of a cardboard box which does not provide enough lifting to help with the swelling. I tend to stand up and stretch and even walk to the building staircase to use the steps. My goal now is to be ready and fit for July, when I intend to go to Italy on vacation, there will be plenty of walking and standing on my feet then. I feel confident that all will be okay.
All the best,
Gilbert
theresa12324 john09838
Posted
SGH42 theresa12324
Posted
theresa12324 SGH42
Posted
SandiPB theresa12324
Posted
Theresa, I am SO sorry to hear of your pain. If you need drugs to help with the pain, you take them!
Your story has reinforced my decision to stick with the pain meds until I really can't walk and NOT have the surgery - at least not now. I don't think I want to have it ever, reading stories like yours.
Good luck.
Take care.
Sandra
yvonne13888 theresa12324
Posted
You are a strong person to endure your ankle pain. Many prayers and good wishes your way for strength and comfort. I am in week 8 of ankle replacement 8 screws plus a big toe plate and 3 screws and a tendon repaired. I have my walking boot, with crutches. Just starting work full time again. This ankle thing is scary. How does one know how much is too much or too little? Prayers for you Theresa. Talk to us here on this blog to keep up your spirits. People have great things to help here.
theresa12324 SandiPB
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barb1953 SGH42
Posted