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Swollen Ankle after Anterior Hip surgery
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Aug 14 8:04pm | Replies (29)Comment receiving replies
Hi Sue,
Just curious regarding the icing, did you ice the foot and ankle as well as the hip. I am 17 days post surgery with significant swelling in my left foot and ankle that came on during the first 7 days and has not improved. I have been icing the hip, but not every time I sit down. My sister and brother-in-law both had hip replacements within the last year and neither of them had this kind of swelling. The Doc says it varies from one individual to the next and is normal, just as is the bruising. Just kind of becoming frustrated because it's hard to do the exercises they give you with this amount of swelling. Sorry for the long winded question but what I am after is do I ice the ankle and foot and will that help reduce swelling because my understanding of the issue at hand is the fluid is moving down from the hip so not sure whether ice on the ankle has any value. Thanks
Replies to "Hi Sue, Just curious regarding the icing, did you ice the foot and ankle as well..."
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Icing typically doesn't reduce this kind of swelling very much, which is, as your surgeon described edema - excess fluid letting gravity do its work. But, it may make you feel more comfortable.
I'm going to take a guess that you are spending more time standing, walking, or sitting with you leg bent and foot down than the others in your family did.
Swelling varies greatly from one person to another - in my case, it can vary between surgeries.
The most help I found was to NEVER sit with my foot down until the swelling went away, and minimize standing time (walking helps contract muscles and move the fluid so is not as much of a problem.) My husband's mantra was "foot above the heart" - if lying down it should be up on one or two pillows. If sitting on a sofa or in a recliner, it should be elevated enough so the foot is above the pelvis, not just level with your hip. These positions allow the fluid move back toward the kidneys where it can be eliminated. You can also do a little "lymphatic massage" (at this stage you might need help.) This is a very helpful video-