Elevation Keep your ankle elevated as much of the time as possible. Elevation helps reduce blood flow to the area, keeping swelling to a minimum.
If you can keep your ankle elevated above your heart, even better. Something else important to keep swelling down and manage pain, is the use of a non-opioid pain reliever, like aspirin or ibuprofen. It is great for reducing swelling, and relieveing some of the pain associated with ankle recovery.
Keeping your ankle isolated and immobilized is important to both your recovery, and managing your pain levels. Crutches are a common solution for getting around, but you do run the risk of bumping your ankle as you move about.
Consider using a knee walker instead. With the amount of time it can take for an ankle to fully heal, it is important to take every measure possible to ensure a full, efficient recovery. Both at the hospital and at home, the recovery process will involve a number of steps and factors to enable fast healing. Assistive devices such as wheelchairs, braces, and crutches may be needed to assist with weight-bearing during recovery, while lifestyle alterations such as weight loss or reduction of high-impact activity may be advised for long-term foot and ankle health.
A personalized physical therapy regimen of strength-building exercises and stretches will be central to the recovery process. Apply it to the ankle for up to 15 minutes, every few hours. Make sure that the ice is never in direct contact with the skin.
This may not have a significant effect while the bandages are on but will help more when the dressings are removed after two weeks. The most important thing is to keep the dressings dry until the wound has healed and the dressings are removed. Options for washing depending on facilities are a strip wash at a sink or a shower. You can put a waterproof bag over your leg or you can buy a cover called a Limbo from the internet.
Go to www. You will be referred to an NHS Outpatient physiotherapy department close to where you live. You should be seen around 3 to 4 weeks after your operation to review your progress but this depends on waiting times in different areas. You will continue to have regular physiotherapy appointments to help with your rehabilitation and help you to return to normal activities.
If you have private healthcare then we can give you a copy of your operation notes to take with you to your first appointment. This depends on your job and what you do.
For example, if you have an office job, manual job, or are reliant on driving. Your progress will be monitored by your consultant and physiotherapist who will help guide you to return to work as appropriate. You need to be able to perform an emergency stop without significant pain to ensure you are safe to drive. If the fracture is on your right foot and you drive a manual vehicle you will not be able to drive for 6 weeks as you will still be in a boot.
If your fracture is on the left and you drive an automatic vehicle you may be able to drive before this. However you should get advice from individual insurance companies before returning to driving. It is also recommended that you try on a quiet road with someone sitting in the car with you on your first attempt. The physiotherapists will progress you out of your boot and work on your strength, range of movement and balance.
They will tailor a home exercise programme for you and guide you back to the activities or sports you enjoy. A standard time to return to sport is around 12 weeks after surgery.
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