I am 10 days post op, and I had go back go the doctor yesterday because my foot, and ankle is very swollen. The doctor said it is normal I was so alarmed because 3 days post op I had to go for the initial follow up and there was no swelling or anything and now my foot looks like the Nutty Professor. I keep it elavated and iced but geesh I wish it would go down. Has anyone gone through this?
Sorry about your injury!!!
Luckily I never really had a ton of swelling, even when the injury first happened. I'm 3 weeks post op and I find the swelling super minimal, if at all. However, I have my foot elevated all day every day unless I'm going to the bathroom etc. I think that has helped. Wiggling your toes a lot will help distribute fluid and keep blood flowing. Studies have been showing that ice doesn't do much for swelling but is better for pain. Just keep elevating and wiggling those toes and see if that helps!!
Thanks melissa49122,
I will give that a try I just want some kind of relief. I go on the 9th of August to get the stitches out and a full cast put on uggggg.
I was terrified my first post op appointment. I had staples in my leg and I didn't find the removal hurt at all. Getting your legs waxed hurt way more. However, I had a hard time just having my ankle exposed like that. Felt very vulnerable and I wasn't comfortable with it. I got a walking boot at that appointment (2 weeks post op) but I'm still non weight bearing. You're going to have a lot of different feelings/sensations happen in your foot over the next few weeks. Hang in there and elevate, elevate, elevate!!! Good luck!!
Hi, Sorry you had to go through all this. I had terrible swelling as well and it's just since a week now the swelling is reduced and I am 11 weeks post ankle surgery. As long as I elevated my leg the swelling used to go down and as soon as I put my leg down the swelling and my cast was getting very tight... please hang in there. Ice and elevation is your help for the next few weeks. You will see difference every day once you are in the boot.
I would like to advice one thing out of experience is please watch out for the swelling and continue elevating as and when you have swelling. The day I was given a boot at my 6 weeks appointment I walked for long in boot even with swelling (was so excited) and my stitches split up because of excessive swelling and had to elevate and wait for a week for the incision area to cure.
Good luck with your recovery.
The best I pack I found was the blue one sold at Wal-mart it lasts for about a half hour then back in the freezer it goes. Been using for two years now and still works great. Ice and elevate it is about the only thing that works.
Yes. I had my leg over the back of the couch or propped on top of my knee scooter handle bars. It lasted uncomfortably for about 3 weeks for me. Now at 4wks I can have it down more with less swelling, still does, but not as much discomfort or as bad. I iced all the time, took Motrin, and did a lot of sitting around elevating my leg and mind.
I am becoming depressed with this whole process.
Yes we all go through the swelling and pain Danette. Not nice. Sorry to say it doesn't get easier. I'm 15weeks dwn the line and in total agony. Pain really bad so is the swelling. But can have better days and bad days. It's a long painful haul for me at the moment 😔 hope you find some ease soon. Sc
Ps I did not get pain while I was in cast. But started in the boot because I was told to PWB. No use 1 crutch. FWB and pan is horrid. 😔 😔 😔. Sx
I found that an ace bandage.... A wide elasticated bandage soaked in water squeezed out and left in the freezer until frozen then wrapped many times around the ankle is great. Also elevating and using an elasticated stocking helps. Expect to have to continue this for many weeks
All the best. Richard
Yes. It'll take time. You're doing the right thing. I'm sure you're doing it, but make sure your ankle is above your leg so the swelling drains down your leg. I.E. on a couch put pillows under it. Ice a few times a day. Give it breaks. Try to move it very gently as best your can, for example even wiggle your toes. This will help the circulation. Good luck!
Thank you I'm hoping this coming week which will be 2 full weeks I'll have some relief.
I can't wait to get there my stitches are still there they're not supposed to come out until the 9th of August
In my experience, a lot of patience is needed for foot and ankle injuries. They swell easily and tend to be extremely painful. Keep it moving but don't over or under move it. Just within your range of pain. As it heals, that range will get bigger. I know, it sucks! My ankle still has issues two years after my surgery. (Multiple injuries that caused my problems). No matter what I do, I keep developing scar tissue which is terribly painful when it breaks. Sometimes, my mum can literally hear it snap! I can hear and feel it and I burst into tears for a few hrs. My ankle swells and takes days for the pain to subside. I've already had two surgeries. My ankle guy says now I have to just weight bear, no walking because because the scar tissue is breaking too fast and the resulting inflammation is causing more scar tissue. The range is very poor and I'm fed up of it. I've also got nerve damage in it (top, bottom and side). 😢
I hate to be the bearer of bad news regarding swelling. My doctor told me right away that the swelling will last about 9 months. For the first few visits I would always complain about the swelling and he always reminded me that he told me 9 months is the norm. I am about half way there after a broken ankle; tibia and fibula, plate and screws, and the good news is that the swelling and purple color have gone down a lot but as the doctor said, not all the way yet.
Too much idle time and slow results are not a good a combination. Try to find something that gives you a sense of accomplishment. Finish a puzzle, a book, find a good Netflix series and finish that! Baby steps and some normalcy will return. This takes so long, it's hard to to get down sometimes but we're all here for ya. Hang in there 💪🏼💯
This too shall pass from those who have gone before you. By 14 months, most of us don't feel anything different with the ankle (trimalleolars even). I'm at 17 mos now. Our swelling lasted on average through about month 4-5. It decreases weekly. Don't measure things on a daily basis. Keep a log and measure things bi-monthly and you will be happier with the results! I wish I had done a weekly update in you tube for others. This was the hardest thing most of us had gone through in our lives, but there's tons of light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there!
Thankyou for that. I've been curious about how many people physically feel that way after all is said and done. Who runs, who bikes, jumps rope, and puts one foot in front of the other and carries on with it! I personally needed to hear this. Still one more week for an X-ray and then to try this leg out again.
If you want your new ankle to last you really should not run, jump or do any impact activity on it. I had a TAR just over four years ago and it has all gone bad due to osteolysis but prior to that I lead a full active life as you can see in this video made at twenty weeks post op.
Google Yogesh TAR total ankle replacement.
Cheers Richard