Plan Ahead for Smooth Recovery from Surgery
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At Texas Foot Specialists, our podiatrists Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum are your partners in podiatric care. If you need foot or ankle surgery, our goal is to help you all the way through the process. We want you to feel comfortable with the procedure and also have the information you need to sail all the way through recovery to resume your regular activities as pain-free as possible.
Understand the Procedure
First, be sure you are clear on what the surgery entails and the expected outcomes. You’ll want to know if the procedure will be performed on an outpatient basis or if you’ll be required to stay overnight in the hospital. If you don’t understand something, ask questions. Be sure to get the details of what you need to do the day before the surgery and what will happen the day of surgery.
Rearrange Your Calendar
If your podiatric surgery is elective, choose a time that will allow you the full amount of recovery time before you have to resume normal activities. Make arrangements for children to get rides for their extra-curricular activities.
Recovery Central
Talk to the foot doctor about what you will need for your recovery. If you will not be able to bear weight on your foot immediately, be sure to arrange your home so that your bed and bathroom can be a short walk apart with no stairs. Make sure you remove throw rugs, magazine racks and anything else that blocks your path. Set up everything you will need within easy reach of your bed, including phone, TV tray, computer, books, snacks, television, etc. Consider putting a shower stool in the bathtub.
Accept Offers to Help
Chances are friends and family will ask if there’s anything they can do. Say, “yes!” Prepared meals that you can heat and eat and help picking up prescriptions and running errands will make your recovery period much easier.
Full Rehabilitation
Before the surgery, ask the foot doctor whether you will need special equipment post-surgery, such as a knee scooter, crutches or special shoes. Physical therapy may also be required to get your muscles back to fully functioning and provide the needed support to the area that’s been operated on. Skipping this final part of recovery can result in less than optimal results or a repeat injury.
If you have additional questions, contact our Sugar Land (281-242-4448), Pasadena (281-991-0600) or Houston (713-664-6677) office to get answers.