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.
Hi there,
My wife had her ankle replacement three weeks ago.
She's been essentially bed-ridden for the last three weeks and faces another week before physio starts.
The wound is healing well, but she's battling with pain and discomfort as she wrestles with trying to get mobility back into her ankle in a plastic boot/removable cast.
I'm not sure we'd have anything to help you in your situation (especially as your op was now about 18 months ago, but it might be good to get in contact.
I had an ankle replacement at the London foot and ankle centre London bridge hospital at the end of January 2013 . After 9 months I still have pain and find walking very difficult . I am 71 but reasonably fit for my age . I need to take ibuprofen most days .
I have more pain now than befor when I had osteoarthritis .
I would like to hear of other people with the same condition .
It is now just over 2 years since I had my ankle replacement operation and quite frankly up to about 2 months ago I really despaired for m future mobility. Unfortunately I did not have any Physio offered. My consultant felt it was not necessary. ..?? I paid for a private trainer to work with me 2days a week to both strengthen my
ankle and leg as well as work on my core strength as your whole body needs to adjust and readjust to the
physical change. I experienced all the symptoms bing outlined. Swelling all around the ankle and up my lower leg. Pain in the ankle and then referred pain in the lower back and hips. My consultant could not find
anything wrong and carried out yet more tests, scans, both CT/MRI and ultrasound Yes there was obviously something not right but he did not know what and wanted to reopen he ankle to see if that would tell him
anything more. I did not want this and so aid to see a podiatrist who recommended that I wore an ankle boot-not anything horrible -just a normal formal shoe but covering the ankle and giving it support. At the same time she felt I needed an insole to support the arches. I bought the boots and wear them at work Monday to
Friday It works! Within 2 weeks the swelling ad subsided. Most of the pain had gone and I feel much more mobile and at ease. I am still working with the hospital orthotics dept on an insole but I don't feel this
is germane to the ankle problem Believe me it changed the whole situation almost overnight. After 2years of regret I now feel the operation was worthwhile. Hope this may help looking forward or indeed coping with the current early days despair.
Hi,
As a 7 month post op TAR I was wondering how your wife is progressing. I guess she is a couple of months ahead of me. I have good mobility most days but I'm not without pain. I am able to walk my dogs again for about 2 hours, three times a week and this is over fairly rough terrain. I get no significant swelling but the pain is sometimes debilitating. Am I expecting too much too soon?
Thanks for posting 😊 Hearing the experiences of of others in the same situation is very encouraging. Are you still mostly pain free and mobile?
I don't know what age you are, but from your Nickname I assume you must once have been very fit and active (as I was) so its difficult dealing with reduced activity. I haven't coped well.
I have a friend who had surgery on his ankle about 18 months ago, and he says if he'd known the extent of the pain and the disappointing outcome he'd never have considered it. He has to wear flat heavy-looking footwear, and as a female used to dainty heels (thing of the past) its bad enough wearing 'sensible' shoes without going down the orthotics route.
His surgeon says the operation was a success - meaning he did what he intended to do with rods and pins, and the healing is complete - so there's nothing more to be done. This is unsatisfactory for the patient who is still in pain and has even more reduced mobility than before.
I shall struggle on with whats left of my original bones.
I do hope you can get sufficient physio to help you regain some mobility, I find swimming helps a little, but not much.
Thanks for sharing your experience. My TAR was 6 months ago. I knew it would
be painfull & long recovery. My ankle is not too bad now. Doc is pleased. I am not happy with the effects on my foot. Doc does not have much concern about that.
My foot is very sore and stiff. My balance is off. I can do about 60 % of my normal physical work. A leisuraly walk is out of the question. All my energy and endurance must be saved for necessary activity. I am concerned and disapointed, I thought I would be further along. Doc says foot can be fixed with simple sugery. Not intereste, thanks anyway. I do not have the level of pain that I had pre surgery. My mobility is very comprised, toes and forefoot stiff and painfull.
I had a WRIGHT TAR in the USA
It is now 18 months since I had my TAR at london Bridge Hospital . In the last two months I have had a specialy made insole and after 16months of pain and imobuility I now feal the opp was worthwhile . My leg is somewhat withered but am building it up and I can walk a couple of miles without a stick and without pain . It takes a lot longer to recover from this opp than the surgion tells you . Hang in there .
Hey,
I'm 20 years old and six weeks post op from a total ankle replacement. So far I feel great, going to physical therapy three times a week to begin regaining motion. Ive have 4 surgeries in the past so my tendons and entire ankle area are extremely stiff from all of the trauma and scarring. I see small improvements at physio everytime I go and am very optimistic about the future. I got the TAR because my RA destroyed all of my ankle cartilage leaving me with bone on bone grinding. Most of that pain is now gone, just very sore from the ROM exercises.
A decent part of my foot is still numb, those who have had this surgery...has your sensation come back yet?
Hi there,
I am jumping into this conversation after lurking on the site for a few months. I had TAR almost 9 months ago in Boston using the STAR device. I am beyond delighted with the results. I have essentially no ankle pain (less than my 60-year old still-original and much-used left ankle) and have been able to return to all activities, save running. I avoid running only because of the admonition of my doctor not because it is uncomfortable in any way. Regarding numbness, I suppose 6 weeks out from the surgery I still felt some nerve trauma from the major operation but for months now I feel that all sensation has returned to my foot. My only concern at this point is finding a balance between living my physical life to the fullest and trying to make sure that I don't hurt this joint and require another surgery. It seems pretty bulletproof at this point with hiking and farm work being the things that I do that stress it the most.
Glad to hear you're doing so well! I hear alot of negative stories about TAR results, it's nice to hear such a positive one. I'm in the same boat as you, I'm an athlelte and now I need to find something to do that won't damage my ankle, especially because I'm so young I need to make this one last as long as possible before the next one!
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.
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.
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.
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 .
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
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!
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.
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.