|
Care
of the Ankle after Surgery
<
back to main Post-Op Info page
Post-Op
Care
The
protocols described here are general in nature. Every
human being and every surgery is different so the
information given here is for general guidance only.
If you have questions you should contact us.
Ankle
Arthroscopy
Day
1
When you are discharged from the day surgery unit
you will be taken to the car in a wheel chair. You
should have your crutches in the car to help you get
from the car to your home.
Begin
taking liquids and food as soon as you can. You should
always take some solid food, a sandwich or light meal,
a little while before taking your pain medications.
We
will start you with crutches but you can work your
way off of them when your pain and stability allow.
You may find that after you have been up on crutches
for a while you have increased pain and tightness
in your ankle. That is an indication that you should
get off of your feet and get your ankle above your
heart. Icing your knee may help provide some relief.
You can get up and go again when your swelling and
pain decrease. Each day you should be able to do a
little more and have to spend less time with your
leg elevated.
Day
2
Things are much the same on the second day after your
surgery. Usually you have less pain and feel like
being up more. You can remove the dressings at about
48 hours after your surgery. It is OK to shower and
wash the incisions with soap and water. There is no
need to cover the incisions. Do not soak the ankle
as in a bathtub. After you dry your knee you can cover
the incisions with band-aids. If you feel that the
pain medication you were given after surgery is stronger
than you really need you can switch to ibuprophen
or Tylenol.
Approximately
Day 7
We will see you back about one week after your surgery
and remove your stitches. We will review with you
what was done in surgery ad will talk about rehab
and answer any questions you may have. The next follow
up after the sutures are out will be about week five
or six after your surgery. For many people this is
the last visit.
Back
to Top
Back
to Main Post-Op Info Page
|
