Rehabilitation guide
General Foot & Ankle Surgery Post Surgery Guidelines
Comprehensive post-operative care instructions for optimal healing following foot and ankle surgery procedures.
Post-Anesthesia Care
Understanding and managing anesthesia effects
Important Safety Precautions
The subtle effects of general anesthesia, or sedation with regional or local anesthesia, can last more than 24 hours. Rest on the day of surgery. Although you may feel normal, your reflexes and mental ability may be impaired. You may feel dizzy, lightheaded, or sleepy for 24 hours or longer.
Do NOT for 24 hours: Consume alcohol, drive, operate machinery, or make important personal or business decisions.
Swelling Management & Elevation
Reducing swelling and promoting healing
Elevation and Ice Therapy
What hurts most often is the swelling. Try to keep your foot, ankle, and knee above the level of your heart as much as possible for the first few days to reduce swelling. Use ice — 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off — for the first 48–72 hours.
Tip: Proper elevation is crucial for minimizing swelling and pain during recovery.
Weight Bearing Guidelines
Activity level and mobility instructions
Depending on your surgery, your doctor will direct your activity level, including range of motion and weight bearing status. For your procedure following regarding your toleration of bearing weight:
Weight Bearing Status:
- Weight bearing: as tolerated, with crutches for assistance
Weight bearing
- Partial weight bearing: up to 50% of body weight, with crutches
Partial weight bearing
- Non-weight bearing: do not use your leg to bear any weight
Non-weight bearing
Bandage & Wound Care
Proper dressing maintenance and hygiene
Before First Visit
Keep your dressings on until your first post-operative visit. Do not change your dressings. Keep all of your dressings clean and dry.
After Dressing Removal
Your doctor will tell you when you can remove your dressing. If there are Steri-Strips on your wound, leave them alone. You may shower (running water is okay), but do not soak your foot.
Medication Management
Pain control and medication guidelines
Pain Medication Protocol
We will prescribe a narcotic for pain control for most patients. Usually, your foot will be numb and pain-free in the recovery room after the procedure, due to the local anesthetic we inject at the end of the surgery. When the local anesthetic starts to wear off, that is when you should start to take your pain medicine. Remember, your goal is to stay ahead of the pain and not get behind. Playing catch up is difficult and can be unpleasant. In addition, an anti-inflammatory medication can be helpful to reduce pain and swelling.
Important: Start pain medication when numbness begins to wear off, not after pain becomes severe.
Diet & Follow-up Care
Nutrition guidelines and appointment schedule
Dietary Recommendations
Advance your diet as tolerated. Constipation is common with the use of pain medicine. You can usually ward off constipation by increasing both dietary fiber and fluid intake. Stool softeners are available if needed.
Post-Operative Monitoring
- A mild temperature is common on the day of surgery. If you have a temperature over 100 degrees or experience nausea and vomiting that persists after the first day, contact the doctor.
- We see you back at your post-operative visit, usually 7–10 days after your surgery, to take out your stitches.
Contact Your Doctor If: Fever exceeds 100°F, persistent nausea/vomiting, or any concerning symptoms develop.
Please note: this guide is general information from FootArk’s rehabilitation guidance. Your surgeon’s instructions for your own operation always come first.
Rehabilitation
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