What Activities May I Participate In After Recovery from Ankle Replacement Surgery?
After undergoing ankle replacement surgery, it is important that you have realistic expectations about the types of activities you may do.
Driving After Ankle Joint Replacement Surgery
Your surgeon will inform you when it is safe for you to resume driving. If surgery was performed on your right side, the surgeon may give permission to drive four to six weeks following surgery. You must be able to move the leg easily from the gas pedal to the brake. If you have a manual shift car and the surgery was on the left side, driving permission may be given at about six weeks following the surgery.
Walking and Stairs After Ankle Replacement
Your physical therapist will monitor your progress and supervise the progression from a walker or crutches to a cane. Eventually, you will use no supportive device as long as there are no problems requiring long-term use of a walking aid. You will be allowed to climb stairs step over step. In most cases, patients begin with smaller height steps and gradually progress to standard height steps.
Work Activities After Your Ankle Replacement Surgery
Determining the date you return to work will depend both on your surgeon and the type of work you do. Some individuals may require modifications of their job, while others may easily return to their previous activities. Those engaged in heavy manual labor may have to discuss the possibility of vocational counseling with their surgeon.
Leisure and Sport Activities After Ankle Joint Replacement
There are different risks associated with certain types of leisure and sport activities. Some activities may lead to damage of your joint over time due to wear and tear of the joint. The more vigorous the activity, the higher the risk of damaging the implant, increasing the wear and tear on the implant, or increasing the risk of loosening of the implant.
Three major categories of activities should be avoided. These include:
- Activities causing high impact stresses on the implant
- Activities with potentially high risk of injury
- Activities that may result in falling or getting tangled with opponents risking dislocation of the joint itself or a fracture of the bone around the implant.
These types of activities include competitive racquet sports (such as, singles tennis, squash, and racquetball), high impact aerobics, high intensity jogging, water skiing, power gliding, Alpine skiing, mogul skiing, martial arts, and rough contact sports (such as, football, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, handball, and volleyball), these activities should be avoided.
Lower stress activities such as golf, hiking, walking, biking, stationary skiing, and swimming are excellent forms of exercise for individuals with an ankle replacement. Others that may also be considered for long-term sports or leisure activities include cross country skiing, table tennis, rowing, Tai Chi, and bowling.
Last Updated: 11/09/2007
