About this topic
The ankle joint connects the bones between your foot and leg. The bones are covered with cartilage. This smooth tissue makes it easy for the bones to move up and down and rotate. Cartilage in the ankle joint can wear out with age. It can become damaged if the ankle is injured. The bones in the ankle no longer move smoothly. They rub together when the cartilage is damaged or worn away. It may cause pain and loss of movement. You may find it hard to walk and stand. ‚
Sometimes, drugs and exercises may help you with the pain. Other times, you may need an ankle joint replacement surgery. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- You may have a cast or splint on your lower leg.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
- Have someone to drive and help you at home to help for the first few weeks.
- Keep your house safe and clutter-free. This will make it safer for you to walk.
- You may need to put on the long, tight socks given in the hospital while you sleep.
- Use your walker or crutches when you move around.
- Keep your weight off the operated leg as much as possible until your doctor or physical therapist says it is okay to put a small amount of weight on it.
- As ordered by your doctor, place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
What follow-up care is needed?
- You may need to have more therapy before going home. A short stay in rehab or a skilled nursing facility will often help.
- You may need to have a nurse come visit you at home to check on you. Physical therapists can also come to your home to help with exercises.
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- You may need to keep doing therapy at an outpatient clinic.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent blood clots
- Prevent infection
- Help with other problems you may have like trouble sleeping or hard stools
Will physical activity be limited?
- You will need to use a walker or crutches to help you walk. Follow your doctors orders on how much weight you can put on the operated leg. This can range from no weight-bearing to full weight-bearing.
- You will be able to do more as you get stronger. Your physical therapist can talk with you about a walking program. Most often, you should limit stair climbing to one flight of stairs per day when you first return home.
What problems could happen?
- Dislocation or the bones moving out of the right position
- Blood clot or DVT (deep vein thrombosis) ¢ ˆ ’ To avoid these, your doctor may ask you to do ankle pumping exercises. Your doctor also may order blood thinning drugs or compression stockings.
- Lung infection ¢ ˆ ’ Taking deep breaths can help keep you from getting a lung infection. Take at least 10 deep breaths each hour while you are awake.
- Infection ¢ ˆ ’ Be sure to take all drugs as ordered.
- Other problems during or after surgery may include broken bones, nerve or blood vessel damage, bleeding, ankle feels unstable, or loosening of the prosthesis.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of a very bad reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Go to the ER right away.
- Signs of a blood clot. These include an increase in pain behind your calf on your operated leg; tenderness or redness above or below your knee or increased swelling in your calf, foot or ankle. Call your doctor right away.
- Signs of a pulmonary embolism. These include a sudden shortness of breath or a sudden onset of chest pain. Go to the ER right away.
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, very bad sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum, pain with passing urine, mouth sores, or wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- More pain or swelling in your ankle
- You have a cast and:
- Your skin becomes red around the cast
- You have constant itching
- You have less feeling or less movement of your toes
- Toes turn cold or blue
- It cracks or gets soft or feels too loose or too tight
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Helpful tips
While you are resting or sleeping, keep your foot raised higher than your heart to reduce swelling. ‚
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or I have sudden shortness of breath.
Where can I learn more?
American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons ‚
http://www.foothealthfacts.org/Content.aspx?id=2969&terms=total%20ankle ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚