If you have to have surgery on your foot, you might also have a long recovery period ahead of you. You know you will have to keep your weight off your foot for a certain length of time at the very least. While you go through your recovery, there are plenty of things that you might want to do or have on hand in order to help speed the process along. Here are ten things that you really need if you want to recover quickly from your foot surgery.
1. Physical Therapy. For a while after your surgery, you will simply rest and recover, but eventually, you will probably need three or more weeks of physical therapy to help you get yourself back on track. Make sure you do all of the instructed rehab exercises at home between sessions and do them correctly each time.
2. Assistance. One of the most important things you will want to have when you go home after your surgery is help. You might need help showering, making meals, doing chores, and even getting dressed. Line up some close family members and friends to help you until you recover enough to do more on your own.
3. Plastic Bags. If you want to shower at all during your recovery, you will need to keep plastic bags in the bathroom. You should not get your bandages wet for quite some time so you will want to put your foot in a bag and tape it closed for any shower you take.
4. Rest. The best thing for your body after any surgery is rest. You will need more than just a good night of sleep. Make sure you nap throughout the day and keep your foot elevated on a pillow as you rest. Listen to your body and your doctor and make sure you take care of yourself so you can heal faster.
5. Ice. Ice packs can help you reduce the swelling in your foot and they can also take away some of the pain you might feel after your surgery. Your doctor will likely tell you how much to ice your foot, but you will want to make sure you have the ice packs in your freezer ready to go.
6. Medication. Your doctor might put you on antibiotics to make sure you do not get an infection and you might also get a prescription for pain control. Whatever medications you receive, follow the directions from your doctor and read the instructions on the bottle.
7. Pillows. Every time you rest, whether you are in bed overnight or stationed on the couch, you are going to want to have your foot elevated so that you can prevent more swelling. Keep pillows around the house so you can prop your foot up whenever you sit or lay down.
8. Appointments. You will have to see several different people after your surgery to check your progress. Set those appointments up before you leave the hospital and change them later if the need arises. You may not feel like making calls to arrange those details once you get home.
9. The Right Food. As your body works on healing itself, you will need to make sure it has the proper nutrition in order to do so. Keep healthy items on hand to help you re-gain your strength.
10. Crutches or Other Mobility Devices. Since you have to keep the weight off your foot, you will have to have crutches or another mobility device around to help you move from place to place. Crutches can be very helpful, but they can also be cumbersome. There are, however, other items from GoodbyeCrutches.com such as the Hands Free Crutch, the Knee Walker, and the Seated Scooter that might be even more helpful for your particular lifestyle.
Author Bio:
Brooke Williams is an award winning writer for Goodbye Crutches, the largest distributor of modern alternatives to crutches that serves those who can’t bear weight and can’t bear crutches. A former radio announcer turned freelance writer, she contributes to many other websites. She has authored four complete books as well. Brooke has been married for 10 years and has two daughters, Kaelyn, who is nearly 4 and Sadie who is one month old.
