1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

TAR. total ankle replacement

Posted by legup @legup, Jul 10, 2023

1 month ago I had a TAR. also had achilles tendon stretched along with screw placed to secure bone . Haven’t seen any chats about having a TAR …would love to know how your doing …any issues etc . So far for me ..I have been doing well. Hard to believe have had no pain at all from Day 1 ….prior to surgery was in agony ..long over due for the TAR. I do feel
a tightness with the achilles when moving my foot ..Only had a cast for 3 weeks now in a boot and moving around with walker or knee scooter. would love to
hear from anyone who has had this done. I know it’s basically a full year recovery and since it’s my right leg no driving for
quite a while which i miss !

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brucedr | @brucedr | Jul 1 6:01pm
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@brucedr Hello. I wanted to welcome you to Connect. 4 years ago, I had a very..." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@brucedr Hello. I wanted to welcome you to Connect. 4 years ago, I had a very bad ankle fracture. It is difficult to maneuver when you can't weight bear at all on one leg, but you will get good at figuring out how to do things. You can ask for some occupational therapy help to figure it out. I used a walker a lot and it would help if you could push on your hands on handles when getting up. I figured out a kind of sling with webbing straps (like tie downs for a car) so I could put weight on my knee into that and kind of use the walker like a person uses crutches. You could opt for a wheelchair so you don't have to get up so much, but transfers to and from it would be leaning on your hands on the arms of the wheelchair after you lock the wheels. Your good leg becomes a super-leg with extra strength. I noticed that at about a month after my injury. I got good enough that I could scoot up or down a staircase, and then just stand up from that on one leg. I kept a walker at each end of the staircase so I didn't have to try to take that up or down stairs.

Do you have a date for your ankle replacement surgery?

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Thank you for the detailed suggestions. I’ll start working on implementing them.
My surgery is on August 6th.
Since it is my right ankle being replaced, I’m wondering if I can drive once they replace the cast with a “boot”?

REPLY
1 reply
brucedr | @brucedr | Jul 1 6:05pm

Thank you for the detailed suggestions. I’ll start working on implementing them. My surgery on my right ankle is on August 6. I’m wondering how long before I can start driving?

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brucedr | @brucedr | Jul 1 6:29pm

My condolences on the pain and other issues after your knee surgery. Having had both my knees replaced 6 years ago with no negative effects, I would definitely get back to the surgeon immediately. Nine months of pain is not normal based on the people I’ve talked to. I’m a strong advocate for PT but it needs to start with a successful surgery.

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heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Jul 2 8:14am
In reply to @loll "Maybe you’re already doing this, but I'd suggest practicing now so you can feel confident about..." + (show)
@loll

Maybe you’re already doing this, but I'd suggest practicing now so you can feel confident about getting out of a sturdy chair. Chairs with arms are easier so you can push yourself up. Low chairs will be more difficult than high. You could add a pillow or something to make it higher. Having something sturdy close by to steady yourself can be helpful.

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Good points loll.

I'm 69 y/o and had both knees replaced when I was 67. I did all the prehab and rehab work recommended and couldn't be happier with the results.

My advice for people around my age, let's just say 65 and oder, is to practice balance before any surgery is required. It can be as simple as standing on one leg with the other leg held out straight in front of the body. Sounds easy but can actually be quite difficult. I'm right handed, so it's easier for me to balance one my right leg. The reverse would be true if I were left handed.

I didn't discover this on my own. I use a trainer at my local gym and he stressed the importance of balance exercises in all workout routines.

Just a suggestion. Joe

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brucedr | @brucedr | Jul 2 1:51pm
In reply to @loll "Maybe you’re already doing this, but I'd suggest practicing now so you can feel confident about..." + (show)
@loll

Maybe you’re already doing this, but I'd suggest practicing now so you can feel confident about getting out of a sturdy chair. Chairs with arms are easier so you can push yourself up. Low chairs will be more difficult than high. You could add a pillow or something to make it higher. Having something sturdy close by to steady yourself can be helpful.

Jump to this post

Thanks for the advice. I read a lot in my recliner and probably will spend even more time there after surgery. Unfortunately it is low without sturdy arms. Pillows will help and I’m trying to figure out attaching a coed to something
, maybe a door handle, to pull myself up. Thoughts?

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Jul 2 3:43pm
In reply to @brucedr "Thank you for the detailed suggestions. I’ll start working on implementing them. My surgery is on..." + (show)
@brucedr

Thank you for the detailed suggestions. I’ll start working on implementing them.
My surgery is on August 6th.
Since it is my right ankle being replaced, I’m wondering if I can drive once they replace the cast with a “boot”?

Jump to this post

@brucedr You will have to ask your surgeon when you will be cleared to drive. I am positive that their answer to driving with a boot on your right ankle would be an absolute NO. You need to have enough coordination and strength to be able to drive.

It also becomes a legal issue because a large boot makes your leg clumsy and you can't feel the pedals. if you were involved in a traffic accident while driving with a boot, you could be blamed for causing the accident because you were incapable of avoiding it. I went through this too because it was my right ankle that was fractured. I honestly don't remember how long it was when I started driving, but I was driving myself to physical therapy when I was in the stage of using crutches. I didn't do well with the boot because of the weight of it hanging on my ankle which caused pain. I was better off using the crutches longer even when I was partial weight bearing. I would use one crutch on the injured side and walk on my foot with a shoe with custom orthotics.

I would expect you would be going through some rehab and physical therapy and there would be evaluations and follow ups with your surgeon before you are cleared to drive.

A couple other suggestions I can give you... I used a simple folding camp stool that I had in front of the bathroom sink so I could stand at the sink and it was a sling to hold my knee of the operated ankle so I could put weight on the leg. I also used the folding stool to support my ankle for bathing. I would sit on a shower bench in the tub cross ways with my leg on the stool next to the tub.

Do you have someone to help you after your surgery? I was surprised how hard it is to manage when you are disabled by not being able to weight bear and walk.

REPLY
1 reply
brucedr | @brucedr | Jul 3 4:40pm
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@brucedr You will have to ask your surgeon when you will be cleared to drive. I..." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@brucedr You will have to ask your surgeon when you will be cleared to drive. I am positive that their answer to driving with a boot on your right ankle would be an absolute NO. You need to have enough coordination and strength to be able to drive.

It also becomes a legal issue because a large boot makes your leg clumsy and you can't feel the pedals. if you were involved in a traffic accident while driving with a boot, you could be blamed for causing the accident because you were incapable of avoiding it. I went through this too because it was my right ankle that was fractured. I honestly don't remember how long it was when I started driving, but I was driving myself to physical therapy when I was in the stage of using crutches. I didn't do well with the boot because of the weight of it hanging on my ankle which caused pain. I was better off using the crutches longer even when I was partial weight bearing. I would use one crutch on the injured side and walk on my foot with a shoe with custom orthotics.

I would expect you would be going through some rehab and physical therapy and there would be evaluations and follow ups with your surgeon before you are cleared to drive.

A couple other suggestions I can give you... I used a simple folding camp stool that I had in front of the bathroom sink so I could stand at the sink and it was a sling to hold my knee of the operated ankle so I could put weight on the leg. I also used the folding stool to support my ankle for bathing. I would sit on a shower bench in the tub cross ways with my leg on the stool next to the tub.

Do you have someone to help you after your surgery? I was surprised how hard it is to manage when you are disabled by not being able to weight bear and walk.

Jump to this post

Thanks for more details. All good information. I’m lucky to have both a wife and a daughter “looking after me”.
(At least I think I’m lucky…)
I see the problem with the driving. May have to get Uber on speed dial. I’ve had both knees replaced so I have had some of the same issues, but I think this will be more challenging.
Thanks again.

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mjswanson | @mjswanson | Jul 24 4:23pm

I had a TAR on March 15 of this year. I am 77 years old and my problem was severe arthritis in the ankle I sprained severely when I was 12 years old. I also had a ligament on the outer side of the ankle replaced. My recovery has been non-eventful and almost pain free. I wore a brace instead of a boot, and after a couple of weeks, the brace was adjusted to allow the ankle to flex. I did 6 weeks of PT after I had the brace, and when the brace was adjusted to allow for movement up and down, I was allowed to drive. It has been an easier recovery than the Total Knee Replacement surgery I had the year before. The first month or so on the scooter was not easy, but not because it was painful...just awkward getting around. By the way, my surgery was done by a specially trained podiatrist in my area.

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