Prepare Yourself For Recovery From Ankle Replacement Surgery When You Live Alone

If you are getting ready to have ankle replacement surgery and live by yourself, you may wonder how you are going to cope with taking care of yourself while recovering. If so, use the tips below to prepare yourself beforehand for recovery from ankle replacement surgery when you live alone.

Stock up on Microwavable Meals

After your surgery, especially in the few days that follow, you are not going to be on your feet very often. Even when you do move around your home, you will probably be using crutches, which can make trying to prepare meals a cumbersome challenge.

Since you will not feel like or be able to easily prepare and cook your meals, go to the grocery store a few days before your surgery. While there, stock up on meals you can simply stick in the microwave. Frozen dinners are better than most microwavable meals from your pantry since many of the latter do require some prep work.

If possible, buy at least a week's worth of meals, if not two weeks. If you are unable to move around your kitchen easily, driving to and shopping at the grocery store will be even more difficult during this time, especially if you have to go by yourself.

Practice Post-Surgery Living 

Along with stocking up on quick, convenient foods, another way you can prepare for taking care of yourself after your ankle surgery is to practice post-surgery living about a week before the procedure. If possible, ask your doctor for a pair of crutches at your pre-op appointment to make this task more realistic.

Each day before the surgery, practice routine tasks either while on your crutches or using only one leg. For example, getting in and out of bed can be difficult if you only have use of one foot. Start with sitting on the bed, and let your soon-to-be affected leg go limp. Then, practice lifting your good leg on the bed, followed by pulling your affected leg up with your hands.

Another thing you should practice before surgery is sitting down to go to the bathroom. While it may seem like a trivial thing, it is a necessity of life. If you try to sit on and stand up from the toilet after the surgery without a little practice, you could end up falling and hurting yourself.

Practice going to the bathroom by lifting the bad foot off the ground, then stabilize yourself on the crutches. Then, use them to help you lower and pull yourself up. If you do go off balanced while practicing, you'll still have use of your foot to catch you. Repeat this exercise several times a day for a week until you feel comfortable with the motions.

Using the above tips can help you deal with recovering from your surgery when you live alone and have little to no help. For more information about what you can expect after your ankle replacement surgery, as well as personalized guidance for getting around, speak with your surgeon beforehand.