How do you go to the bathroom after ankle surgery?

A bedside commode can be helpful if it is hard to get to the bathroom after surgery. If patients do not have a bathtub where they can sit down and prop their operated foot outside the tub, a shower chair or stool can help patients to cleanse their body while keeping weight off their operated leg in the shower.

What do you need at home after ankle surgery?

You often will have a bulky dressing and/or plaster splint on your operated leg, ankle, and/or foot after surgery, and your clothes must fit around your dressing and/or splint. Examples of such clothes include shorts or sweat pants without elastic bottoms.

How long should you stay in bed after ankle surgery?

Brief Summary: After a patient has fractured an ankle that then requires surgery, the recommendation is to remain in bed, with the operated leg elevated on pillows for 48 hours.

Do and don'ts after ankle surgery?

Plan on doing nothing more than resting and elevating your limb for the first two weeks after your surgery. Keep your cast or bandage dry and do not change it. Resume your normal medications, unless directed otherwise. Take your pain medications as directed.

Do they put a catheter in during ankle surgery?

During surgery, a Foley catheter is placed in your bladder for effortless urination. They will remove the catheter before going home. If you can't urinate after 24 hours of surgery, ensure you call your clinic for more instructions.

Post Surgery Bathroom Tips and Tricks

How should I sleep after ankle surgery?

How do you go up stairs after ankle surgery?

How soon after ankle surgery can I walk?

No walking on the foot is permitted until the wound is reviewed 2 weeks after surgery. At that time you will be allowed to walk in a walking boot. It will take about 3 months before the ankle starts to feel comfortable. Ankle swelling will generally persist for about 9-12 months.

How do you go to the bathroom with a full leg cast?

If you are in a leg cast (especially an above knee cast), it may be helpful to have a stool or leg rest in in front of the toilet to rest the injured leg on while toileting. Hip spica casts have their own challenges. Double nappies are a good tip.

How do you take a shower if you are not weight bearing?

Showering is another common problem for people in a cast or on crutches. If there's space, place a small chair in your shower for you to sit on so you don't risk slipping and falling. It's also a good idea to place a non-slip mat on the floor (in and out of the shower) so you don't slip.

How do you get around the house with crutches?

Transfer both crutches to the hand on the same side as your injured leg. Lean into your crutches, then reach back with your free hand to feel the chair, sofa, stool or bed. Sit down into the seat. Be sure to set your crutches down upside-down within reach.

What happens if you put weight on a non weight bearing cast?

Putting any weight on an operated foot or ankle can damage the repair that's been done. Bones need time to heal. Plates or screws that may have been added during surgery need the bones to heal around them. Adding weight too soon can interrupt this important internal healing process.

Can you elevate your leg too much after ankle surgery?

Minimize sitting time as much as possible to limit swelling. When sitting, elevate your leg as tolerated. Do not allow your leg to dangle downwards for too long.

What will I need at home after foot surgery?

You'll most likely need over-the-counter pain relievers, antibiotics so that you can avoid infection, reusable ice packs to help decrease swelling and help with pain, and supplies for covering your cast while you bathe.

How long should you keep your leg elevated after ankle surgery?

Cast Instructions

After application of a splint or cast, it is very important to elevate your leg for 24 to 72 hours. The injured area should be elevated well above the heart. Remember “Toes above your Nose”. Also, rest and elevation greatly reduce pain and speed the healing process by minimizing early swelling.

How do you shower with a broken ankle?

Plastic Bag

Using paper as a cover will not do the job; instead, it will cause more mess than a wet cast, which is why using plastic bags is an excellent way to keep a cast, plastic or fiberglass, dry in the shower. Place your arm or leg into the plastic bag and secure it medical or duct tape.

What happens if you don't elevate foot after surgery?

Since you will need to rest a lot the first few days after your foot surgery, elevating your foot will significantly reduce swelling. If you don't elevate, fluid may collect in the foot and cause additional pain. Use comfortable pillows to make sure your foot is securely elevated.

Can I lay sideways after ankle surgery?

You can sleep comfortably and safety on your side, as long as a pillow or other support is between your knees. Other sleep positions are not recommended and are potentially dangerous because they can require you to twist your legs and cause dislocation.

How do you not pee during surgery?

Urinary catheters are often used during surgery, as you can't control your bladder while under anesthesia. For this purpose, a foley catheter is typically placed prior to surgery and keeps the bladder empty throughout.

What do surgeons do when they have to pee?

There will be assistants and an anesthesiologist and a lot of nurses. So it's not like the patient is going to be left all alone while the surgeon hits the bathroom. And sometimes surgeons work in shifts. And this is called "breaking the scrub" so the surgeon is going to have to scrub again after using the bathroom.

Is it common to pee while under anesthesia?

Urination Problems

General anesthesia paralyzes the bladder muscles. This can make it not only hard to pee, but impact your ability to recognize you have to urinate altogether. Additionally, many surgeries involve the placement of a Foley catheter—a tube put in the body to drain urine from the bladder.

Why is ankle surgery so painful?

Expect to be in some degree of pain following surgery. The bones in your foot and/or ankle are being manipulated in the operating room to correct the problem, which will cause pain. In general, the pain subsides after a few days to a week after surgery, depending on the type of surgery.

What is the fastest way to recover from ankle surgery?