Ankle Replacement Surgery

[Candiru]

Just before Pheasant hunting started this year I injured an ankle. I did not have it checked at the time and it did improve in a few days. However walking on uneven ground was uncomfortable. I went to have it checked recently and it is bone-on-bone and a bone spur in there. For now they got me doing PT. I am just wondering what other people's experience with this might have been and what you guys might know about ankle replacement?

 

[IDFireLass]

Be very careful about it. They may want to (can't think of the right word) but it doesn't allow your ankle to bend and you'll have a very hard time walking on uneven ground.
I looked into it and didn't go through with it. Just a lot of P.T. to keep it strong. I don't think I'm bone on bone but I have weak ankles and at times get a lot of sprains.

 

[Buckybadger]

Just before Pheasant hunting started this year I injured an ankle. I did not have it checked at the time and it did improve in a few days. However walking on uneven ground was uncomfortable. I went to have it checked recently and it is bone-on-bone and a bone spur in there. For now they got me doing PT. I am just wondering what other people's experience with this might have been and what you guys might know about ankle replacement?

I have had an ankle replacement back in December of 2019. I have osteoarthritis in my ankle and it was bone on bone. They can do a couple of things. One is an ankle fusion where they fuse the 2 bones together or they could do an ankle replacement. Because I was 51 at the time my dr recommended a replacement over the fusion because I am still very active. I got a second opinion and that dr felt the same way.

The surgery went fine and it took about 4 months recovery before I was able to go back to work, my employer was unwilling to accommodate the restrictions my dr put me on(resting, icing and elevating multiple times a day and no ladders). Now 4 years later my ankle still has some discomfort but it is better than it was pre surgery. It took almost a year and a half before I got to this point.

I would do the surgery again if given the choice, but I would definitely do a little more research. Less than a year after my surgery my dr was let go from the provider and I don't know why. So i saw another dr at the same provider and he uses a different implant than what my dr used, I didn't realize one provider used multiple implants.

It's not a real common surgery but is becoming more common. If you have any other questions feel free to contact me.

 

[Wildabeest]

Be very careful about it. They may want to (can't think of the right word) but it doesn't allow your ankle to bend and you'll have a very hard time walking on uneven ground.
I looked into it and didn't go through with it. Just a lot of P.T. to keep it strong. I don't think I'm bone on bone but I have weak ankles and at times get a lot of sprains.

Fusion is the term I think you’re referring to. Definitely limits mobility, but also eliminates much of the pain from a bone on bone arthritic condition. Definitely a choice of lesser evils and situational dependent.

 

[Wildabeest]

I will eventually get an ankle replacement. There’s essentially nothing holding my ankle together but a bunch of correctively developed bone mass. My right ankle is about twice the diameter of my left. I have 3 completely severed ligaments, a partially torn tendon and various pieces of bone floating around from 3 fractures and numerous sprains over the past 35 years. I’ve also lost about 75% of the cartilage, so it’s very arthritic.

My ankle specialist at Duke is supposedly one of the best in the country and did some of the initial clinical trial work on ankle replacements. He has advised me to hold out as long as I can before getting a replacement because they do wear out and aren’t easy to redo later - often resulting in fusion as the only viable alternative when that happens. He said he doesn’t like to do replacements before age 60. So I wait patiently (pun intended) and manage my activities accordingly. I’m thankful for high quality stiff hunting boots and SureFoot custom ski boots!

The upside is I’ve got a great excuse for not taking up pickle-ball!

I think I’ve posted a pic or two on here of the ankle. It’s not pretty.

 

[belshawelk]

Be very careful about it. They may want to (can't think of the right word) but it doesn't allow your ankle to bend and you'll have a very hard time walking on uneven ground.
I looked into it and didn't go through with it. Just a lot of P.T. to keep it strong. I don't think I'm bone on bone but I have weak ankles and at times get a lot of sprains.

It’s called a subtalor fusion. I had it done. Took bone out of my hip and put it in ankle. Then couple bolts and let it all fuse together. Foot only moves up and down. No lateral or side movement. It’s fun.

 

[IDFireLass]

Wildebeest, you are right a fusion. They wanted to also put in a cadaver tendon to help with the fusion. Thanks but no thanks. I might have weak ankles but they are the only joint still working on their own. 2 knees, 1 hip and a right shoulder. Running out of joints to replace.

 

[Treeshark]

Ankle arthrodesis (fusion) and ankle arthroplasty (joint replacement) are two very different things- both are serious operations to be sure.

 

[Wildabeest]

Wildebeest, you are right a fusion. They wanted to also put in a cadaver tendon to help with the fusion. Thanks but no thanks. I might have weak ankles but they are the only joint still working on their own. 2 knees, 1 hip and a right shoulder. Running out of joints to replace.

Yeah, my doc’s alternative near-term when I went to him as a 50 yr old was to essentially make complete half moon cuts through both my tibia and fibula mid-shin and rotate them back over my ankle to recenter and alleviate some of the arthritic problems due to the misalignment. He was literally drawing the cuts on an x-ray like he was going to do it with a Sawzall. I told him, “It doesn’t hurt THAT bad”.

 

[mxracer317]

Surgeons make their money by operating -so keep that in mind when they suggest going under the knife.

What the hell did you all do to jack your ankles so bad at age 50? I used to race competitive motocross, snowboard and skateboard and, while my ankles are fine… my knees say otherwise.

 

[Buckybadger]

Surgeons make their money by operating -so keep that in mind when they suggest going under the knife.

What the hell did you all do to jack your ankles so bad at age 50? I used to race competitive motocross, snowboard and skateboard and, while my ankles are fine… my knees say otherwise.

I just have poor cartilage and have osteoarthritis in multiple joints. I had my first hip replacement at age 40. Since then I have had 3 other surgeries/joint replacements and have arthritis in both wrists. Doesn't help I worked in the construction industry for 30+ years.

 

[longbow51]

Have a friend (72 yo woman) who had an ankle replacement done about 6 weeks ago; she is doing fine and in PT. Be very selective in your choice of surgeons, though.

 

[Wildabeest]

Surgeons make their money by operating -so keep that in mind when they suggest going under the knife.

What the hell did you all do to jack your ankles so bad at age 50? I used to race competitive motocross, snowboard and skateboard and, while my ankles are fine… my knees say otherwise.

Started with a fracture playing basketball in college, but they just did an x-ray and treated the fracture and missed the ligament damage. Which resulted in a downward spiral of numerous sprains and a couple more fractures due to loss of support from damaged ligaments. Fast forward 35 years and here’s where we are. If it happened today, it would be a different story.

 

[IDFireLass]

Age 6 jumped off a rock landed with right foot bent under. Pulled all the ligaments. Then the doctor bent the foot up that was a killer. Spent 6 weeks in a cast. Wore the bottom out and they put more plaster on and made it heavier. That could have been the start of my ankle problems. Also doesn't help my feet didn't grow enough for my height.

 

[marshman]

Just before Pheasant hunting started this year I injured an ankle. I did not have it checked at the time and it did improve in a few days. However walking on uneven ground was uncomfortable. I went to have it checked recently and it is bone-on-bone and a bone spur in there. For now they got me doing PT. I am just wondering what other people's experience with this might have been and what you guys might know about ankle replacement?

Crap, I got similar issues right now. Insurance denied an MRI went to PT yesterday was told the arch in my left foot is slowly collapsing.
X ray scheduled for this afternoon.
Getting old is fun stuff.