Posted 6/12/2017 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Windermum:
I gather by your on-line name that you are a busy, multitasking mother with a full plate of family and work responsibilities. Being a mother is an all encompassing job.
Regarding your ankle and arthroscopic recovery, I agree with Susie that you will need to set your recovery expectations on a longer time horizon. 4-6 months for a partial recovery, allowing for weightbearing. 8 -10 months for more comprehensive healing. As a comparison, recovery for arthroscopic knee surgery for a meniscus tear is about 8 - 10 months and total knee replacement arthroplasty is a full year or more.
Swelling is normal and expected, even several months post arthroscopy. Swelling is not a harbinger of anything negative regarding your outcome. Swelling and inflammation are natural healing responses and can be expected to wax and wane for several months. Swelling is the body bring additional vascular and lymphatic flow to the recovering area of the body - transporting white blood cells, macrophages (immune system), T cells, fibrin, collagen, to the area and removing metabolites and cellular debris. Inflammation is the body's healing response on over drive.
A few ideas that may be helpful:
1. Wearing a compressive knee high or thigh high sock, low compression in the 10 - 15 mmhg range. These are also called anti-emboli socks. Compression garments help prevent excessive swelling (lymph fluid) from pooling in the lower ankle and foot. Be careful to have a knee high with a wide band at the cuff of the calf. You want to avoid a constricting effect at the top of the calf/knee, which is more apt to occur with a thinner calf band.
2. Ankle pumps, pointing the toes up and then pointing the toes downward. The muscles of the calf act as a muscular pump to return lymphatic fluid and infra-tissue fluids back into the circulation. Many people have residual ankle swelling simply due to inactivity. Using the muscles, contracting and relaxing in a slow and even rhythm, is key to gaining an upper hand on residual swelling. Do the motion slowly. Think of your calf muscles kneeling the excessive fluid back into the body's general circulation where it can then be excreted by action if the kidneys.
3. Alternating warm and cool water baths. The key of alternating placement of the foot and ankle in a tub of warm water and then a tub of cool water is to promote vasodilation and vasoconstriction. Vasodilation and vasoconstriction are key in recycling excessive infra-tissue fluids. To try: emerce the foot/ankle in a tub of warm water for 3 minutes followed by a tub of cool water for 3 minutes. Repeat 3-4 times.
4. Consult with a physical therapist. People frequently become frustrated by the length of time required to heal soft tissue injuries. There is no outward plaster cast as there would be with a fracture to remind people of the healing process in process. Physical therapy can work with you on a personalized range of motion program and provide modalities to ease the inflammation and swelling and evaluation your gait and step pattern to prevent a habitual limp or hesitancy to weight bear. A PT can help ensure that your recovery progresses on target with your expectations.
Best wishes,
- Karen -