Key Takeaways:
- Most ankle injuries or problems heal with simple home remedies, such as ice and rest.
- There are some cases where ankle surgery is required, usually for the most extreme problems.
- Recovery from ankle surgery varies from person to person, but most patients can resume normal activity in about three months.
Like any other joint injuries, ankle problems can range from mild to severe. You may step wrong, leading to minor discomfort for a few days. Or, you might fall awkwardly and dislocate the bones.
With that in mind, the knowledgeable podiatric specialists at Plymouth Podiatry explain when ankle surgery may be necessary, and what the recovery looks like for most patients.
When to Consider Ankle Surgery
For most ankle injuries, like a minor twist, home remedies are enough: rest, ice, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, and compression via a wrap or brace. After a few days, your ankle should start to feel better. If it doesn’t, your doctor may refer you to physical therapy before recommending surgery.
How do you know if you might need ankle surgery?
- Torn ligaments: Ligaments connect bones and protect joints. If your ankle ligaments get torn, they almost always need surgery for complete repair.
- Chronic instability: If you can’t put your full weight on your ankle even after home remedies or PT, the problem might be worse than you realize.
- Severe sprains: Severe sprains are rare. They typically occur in athletes or after a bad fall. If the sprain is severe enough, it will require surgery to fix.
- Dislocations: When bones pop out of joint, the pain can be excruciating. Sometimes, the bones can be moved back into place without surgery. However, if the dislocation is bad enough, surgery will be required to rebuild your ankle, possibly with screws to hold the bones in place.
- Bone damage or other deformities: Breaks, fractures, disalignments, or other visible bone damage or deformities may need surgery for proper long-term treatment.
- Arthritis: In cases where arthritis in the ankle is so bad that it affects daily mobility, surgery may be an option.
It’s important to remember that surgery is rarely your doctor’s first choice. If your doctor mentions surgery as an option, that usually means nothing else is working or is expected to work to relieve you of your pain.
Ankle Surgery Recovery Timeline
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to ankle surgery recovery. Your specific timeline will vary depending on factors such as:
- Your age
- Your lifestyle, including whether you play sports, and if so, what type
- Your previous medical history
- Any other current medical conditions
- The complexity and severity of your ankle problem
- How closely you follow your doctor’s instructions
With that said, here’s a very general recovery timeline for the most common types of ankle surgery.
Days 0 – 3
Immediately following your surgery, and for the first few days after, you can expect to be on total bed rest with your foot elevated. You’ll likely be given prescription pain relievers and have a special brace or wrap around your ankle. Ice packs can help with bruising and swelling. Be sure to take it easy during these days, as your body needs to recover from trauma. Stay hydrated and remember to give your body strength through nutritious foods. Thankfully, this will be the worst of it.
Up to Week 4
What to expect 4 weeks after ankle surgery? After those first few tough days, your body may be recovered enough to move your ankle a little bit, likely through simple stretches. You’ll probably be allowed to leave your bed, though you’ll be required to use crutches, a scooter, or other mobility device. At this stage, it’s still vital to keep weight off your affected ankle. Trying to do too much too soon can undo all the hard work of surgery. At best, you’ll extend your recovery timeline; at worst, you may need more surgery.
There will be continued swelling, bruising, and pain during this time, though you should be starting to feel better. If you had a prescription for pain relievers, your doctor will likely switch you to over-the-counter medicines now.
Up to Month 3
After your initial month of recovery, your doctor may give you a special boot so you can walk for brief periods and perhaps have you start physical therapy. Most of the pain, swelling, and bruising should be gone by now.
After 3 Months
You’re now in the home stretch to complete recovery! At this point, you can probably resume most or all of your normal daily activities, including sports and exercise. Full recovery can take up to a year, depending on your circumstances, but you should be able to enjoy your days pain-free by now.
Throughout Your Recovery
For most people, fully recovering from surgery so they can get back to their regular activities can’t happen soon enough. However, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions and allow your ankle plenty of time to heal.
FAQs: Ankle Surgery Recovery
Q: How long does ankle surgery take?
A: Depending on the complexity and severity of the problem, ankle surgery can take anywhere from an hour to four hours or longer.
Q: How long does the pain last?
A: You’ll probably start to feel better after three days of surgery. After day 7, you should start to feel noticeable improvement.
Q: Does insurance cover ankle surgery?
A: If the surgery is deemed medically necessary, which almost all ankle surgeries are most insurance will cover it.
Q: Can any podiatrist perform ankle surgery?
A: Most, but not all, podiatrists are qualified to perform ankle surgery. Many of the doctors at Plymouth Podiatry are certified surgeons.
Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery Experts in Massachusetts
Ankle pain is not something to be taken lightly. Whether you’ve experienced an injury or not, persistent ankle pain should be evaluated as soon as possible. The skilled and caring doctors at Plymouth Podiatry are Raynham ankle surgery experts, and Drs. Michael Skonieczny, DPM and Eric Henriksen, DPM are board certified in both foot and rearfoot/ankle surgery. They can assess, diagnose, and treat your ankle problems.
Contact us or call one of our offices at (866) 536-4446 (Plymouth) or (508) 936-3028 (Raynham) to find out more about our services.