Healthy feet and ankles are vital for virtually all of your everyday activities. Fortunately, surgical repair provides the best opportunity for complete recovery from a major foot or ankle injury. It could take 6-12 weeks before you can walk freely again for most surgeries, while others can take up to six months before you can resume exercise. The length of your recovery is determined by the magnitude of your injury and your body’s healing capability. Check out this post to learn some important short- and long-term elements of the rehabilitation process of foot & ankle surgery in Mill Creek, WA, that will ensure your recovery is as smooth as possible.
What Does Short-Term Recovery Involve?
Some weeks before your surgery, you should prep your house for the first several weeks after surgery to ensure that you can move around comfortably. Other important things to keep in mind in the days following your surgery include:
- Rest
Do not exert any weight on your reconstructed foot or ankle till your doctor gives you the ‘go-ahead.’ Relax and sleep so that your body may focus on repairing the affected area.
- Raise Your Foot
Inflammation after surgery might be a concern, so maintain your leg raised six inches over your heart at all times to encourage blood circulation.
- If There Is Inflammation, Apply Ice
If the inflammation is still severe, put ice beneath your knee. You will probably have thick bandages or a cast on your lower leg; therefore, your knee will be the nearest area to put the ice.
- Follow Your Doctor’s Recommendation
Never depart from your physician’s guidelines. If you do, this is the fastest way to suffer a setback, exacerbate edema, or inflict a great deal of discomfort on yourself. To prevent infections and severe swelling, take pain relievers and antibiotics exactly as prescribed.
Applying these techniques will benefit you and make your early recovery process easier. Typically, following a week or two, you should see your specialist again so that they assess the recovery process and provide additional recuperation guidelines.
What Does Long-Term Recovery Involve?
After the treatment area has ceased swelling and started to heal, your specialist will start you on a recovery program to gradually strengthen your foot and ankle. It is critical for re-establishing the area’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as well as preparing them for regular and vigorous activity. Foot and ankle therapy aims to improve the region’s soft tissue flexibility and strength.
A rehabilitation program should always begin cautiously, with low-impact stretches and exercises. It is vital to partner with a physical therapist right away to ensure that you are doing everything correctly. Stretches and exercises for your foot and ankle surgery recovery may entail foot flexing foot circle motions, towel stretches, and heel cord stretch. If you have patience and perseverance, you will eventually make a complete recovery.
Have you been suffering from chronic foot and ankle discomfort? If so, it is time to seek expert help. Competent foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Nathan Hansen can help you live pain-free by providing various surgical procedures to repair common concerns such as bunions, Achilles tendons, plantar fasciitis, and many more. Now that you understand what is required to recover from a foot and ankle surgery, you should make an appointment with Dr. Hansen to design an individualized care plan for you. Call the Mill Creek, WA office or schedule a consultation online today.
