Foot surgery can be just what the doctor ordered in terms of getting you back to living a pain-free life, but that doesn’t mean it’s something you should rush into. Before you go under the knife, you’re going to want to know some things about the procedure and your recovery. In today’s blog, we share four things every patient should know before they undergo foot or ankle surgery.
What To Know Before Foot Surgery
Here are four things we want every patient to know before we operate on their feet or ankles:
1. Surgery Is A Last Resort – Even though operations have gotten smaller and less invasive, an operation is still a significant trauma on your foot and whole body. If we can avoid this by helping you find relief with conservative methods, we’re going to do it. In the vast majority of cases we ask the patient to pursue weeks of conservative care options that we believe will be effective before we head down the surgical path. Unless time is of the essence or your condition is an imminent threat to your health, we always try to fix the problem without surgery at first.
2. Recovery Will Take Work – The recovery process isn’t just a battle against time. You need to put in the work during therapy and rehabilitation if you want to make the fullest and quickest recovery. Failing to do so can lead to muscle atrophy or destabilization of crucial areas. Know that you’re going to need to follow your doctor’s post-op care instructions and get physically involved in your recovery if you wish to get back to full health following surgery.
3. You Can Help Yourself Prevent Complications – Many people incorrectly assume that everything is out of their hands when it comes to their surgical success and their likelihood of complications. While some of the success and risk is truly in your surgeon’s hands, you also play a significant role in your health during and after the operation. Make sure that you eat healthy, stay hydrated, maintain a healthy weight, follow your doctor’s pre-op instructions and carefully manage painkillers and medications after the procedure. Failing to work towards a healthy lifestyle before surgery can increase the odds of a complication.
4. You’re In Good Hands – We do everything in our power to help ensure your surgery and recovery goes as smoothly as possible. From using the latest surgical equipment to taking the time to explain any part of your recovery that you have questions about, we want to give you every possible chance to have a wonderful surgical experience and recovery.