I had my ankle fusion in April '06. I had to push for PT...my surgeon (Dr. Chou at Stanford...EXCELLENT physician) didn't want anyone pushing and pulling on my ankle, but I finally got her to prescribe it after I was out of the walking boot. Also, after the fusion and I was weight bearing she decided to remove all the hardware which helped enormously. I also had an excellent PT who was very experienced in working with ankle fusions. As for exercise and PT...I highly recommend getting in a warm water therapy pool as soon as you can. I did several 6 week sessions one-on-one with a PT...it was just the ticket. Not only did it help with improving my balance, strength, etc. it just made me feel so much better!! I had been immobile for so long following a traumatic car accident in June '05 and getting in the water and taking the weight off the ankle and just being able to move was heavenly.
I am now walking more or less normally, with a somewhat modified gait and slight limp (my friends say it's barely noticeable). I do yoga, ride a bike and swim...my doc says no walking (or hiking) for exercise, just what is needed to live my life, as more pressure is now being put on the other smaller joints of the foot as they compensate for the ankle, which in time could lead to further fusions as the cartilage in them is getting more stress than it would normally. I wear Merrell (sp?) shoes and KEEN sandals, both are great as they have rounded heels...I put a Dr. Scholl's gel heel insert under the affected side insole in the Merrells and that helps alot. Sometimes my ankle almost feels normal...other times I have pain and slight swelling, not severe but there, which is easily addressed with elevation, ice and a couple of Ibuprofen.
Also, I have nerve entrapment in the scar (probably from the initial surgeries at the trauma center) which is slowly getting better with time. I do alot of self massage on it. I went to the Stanford Pain Mngmt. Clinic for awhile to try to deal with it. After a variey of drug therapies which did nothing, they recommended Botox injection into the scar but my insurance wouldn't pay for it and so I just decided to let it be and it is slowly diminishing with time.
Anyway, all in all, given that I am lucky to be alive, the fusion is something that I can live with.
Good luck to all who are going through this...there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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Hi there,
I had my ankle fusion in April '06. I had to push for PT...my surgeon (Dr. Chou at Stanford...EXCELLENT physician) didn't want anyone pushing and pulling on my ankle, but I finally got her to prescribe it after I was out of the walking boot. Also, after the fusion and I was weight bearing she decided to remove all the hardware which helped enormously. I also had an excellent PT who was very experienced in working with ankle fusions. As for exercise and PT...I highly recommend getting in a warm water therapy pool as soon as you can. I did several 6 week sessions one-on-one with a PT...it was just the ticket. Not only did it help with improving my balance, strength, etc. it just made me feel so much better!! I had been immobile for so long following a traumatic car accident in June '05 and getting in the water and taking the weight off the ankle and just being able to move was heavenly.
I am now walking more or less normally, with a somewhat modified gait and slight limp (my friends say it's barely noticeable). I do yoga, ride a bike and swim...my doc says no walking (or hiking) for exercise, just what is needed to live my life, as more pressure is now being put on the other smaller joints of the foot as they compensate for the ankle, which in time could lead to further fusions as the cartilage in them is getting more stress than it would normally. I wear Merrell (sp?) shoes and KEEN sandals, both are great as they have rounded heels...I put a Dr. Scholl's gel heel insert under the affected side insole in the Merrells and that helps alot. Sometimes my ankle almost feels normal...other times I have pain and slight swelling, not severe but there, which is easily addressed with elevation, ice and a couple of Ibuprofen.
Also, I have nerve entrapment in the scar (probably from the initial surgeries at the trauma center) which is slowly getting better with time. I do alot of self massage on it. I went to the Stanford Pain Mngmt. Clinic for awhile to try to deal with it. After a variey of drug therapies which did nothing, they recommended Botox injection into the scar but my insurance wouldn't pay for it and so I just decided to let it be and it is slowly diminishing with time.
Anyway, all in all, given that I am lucky to be alive, the fusion is something that I can live with.
Good luck to all who are going through this...there is light at the end of the tunnel.
July 8, 2008 - 3:51pmThis Comment
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