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What to Expect: A Post Especially for Those Contemplating, Planning, or Helping Someone with an Ankle Replacement


One of the primary reasons I started this blog was that I couldn't find much information on what to expect during and after a full ankle replacement.  My doctor's favorite answer to most questions was "We will see.  Everyone is different."  I understand that individuals recover at varied rates, but I still could have benefited from some additional information.  I hope that some people who are contemplating an ankle replacement or will be the caregiver to someone with such a procedure might find my experience helpful in preparing for their own.


  • I came home with a small bandage right below my knee.  At first I had so many bandages and catheters I wasn't even aware of it.  As I became more mobile on the scooter, it started to bother me.  There is metal under the bandage, and when I put my calf on the scooter, the metal under the bandage caused discomfort.  I sent an email to my doctor's office to see if I could remove the bandage, and I got a quick "NO" response.  The doctor's emails are answered by his staff on Duke My Chart, and the certified medical assistant said she wasn't sure what it was, but it is most likely staples where the surgical team inserted a catheter or some other instrument.  I had to wait until my post-op appointment.  Tomorrow I hope to learn exactly what it is and also have it removed.
  • It's not easy getting around with a non-weight bearing cast, especially one that is so heavy!  I wish I knew how much the cast weighs!  My plan was to have a friend or family member with me for the 7 days following the surgery, but as that time approached, it was clear that I needed more help.  I might be able to put together a meal from leftovers or frozen food, but I cannot get the food from the kitchen to the recliner, and I cannot sit at the dining table or the kitchen counter.  I cannot take care of the dog -- cannot pick up her poop, see what is in her mouth that shouldn't be, and cannot play with her as much as she deserves.  Finally, my friends were concerned about my falling.  None of these things crossed my mind when I was planning my recovery.  Patients without partners or roommates are at a great disadvantage.  I love being single, but flying solo after surgery isn't easy.  This was solved by the hiring of a professional aide.  As long as one is in a non-weight bearing cast, some type of help is needed, especially with a pet. 
  • I cannot reach my toes.  Actually, it is not that I cannot reach them, but if I attempt to do so, a sharp pain runs up a nerve in my leg.  I'm concerned about that pain as well as the pins and needles in my toes.  My toes are very sensitive.  When two friends of mine attempted to put a waterproof bag over my cast so that I could shower, as soon as they touched my toes, they had to stop.  If Zora goes to lick my toes, I feel the pain.  The doctor said to look out for swollen or red toes; mine look good (at least my friends tell me they do), but it is as though the nerve endings are on fire.  
  • You must have a recliner.  I got one, but it wasn't me who thought of it!  If I had not bought a recliner I am not sure where I would spend my day; some people even spend their evenings in the chair, but I do well in bed at night.  Since you cannot put the heel down, the calf has to lie on a pillow, allowing the ankle and the heel to sit in the air without any weight.  The leg rest needs to be enhanced with a few pillows to allow for that placement.  I bought a surgical memory foam pillow for $59 on Amazon that I hoped would replace the 4 pillows of various sizes, but I am so short that my ankle doesn't reach the end of the pillow.  I sleep with my foot up in the same position on the bed.
     


    Two small pillows from the hospital, one throw pillow, and a foam cup holder turned into a cast holder and covered with a pillow case make a good cast rest, allowing the heel to sit above them.



     This is the pillow I bought on Amazon.  It came in a shrink wrapped in a small box, and I have no idea how to get it back in a box to return!  It might work well if you are over 5'2".

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