Had my ankle fused at the end of February this year. Still having severe swelling and pain. Can anyone give me hope.

Hello Ainemcd,

Thank you for joining the EmpowHER community and for sharing your question about ankle fusion recovery. I am so sorry to hear about the severe swelling and pain that you are experiencing. 

Have you been back to the surgeon that performed the surgery? What does he or she say? If you haven't seen that doctor, then I would make an appointment for a follow up.

According to the research I did, mild amounts of swelling and pain when the foot is below the heart for long periods of time may persist for months, but will gradually improve over time according to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. Your surgery was eight months ago, so it is concerning to me that you are still having severe swelling and pain.

When looking into surgery complications, I did find some evidence that loss of motion in the ankle after a fusion can cause the other joints in the foot to bear more stress than they did prior to the surgery. This can lead to an increased rate of arthritis in those other joints. This typically takes several years to develop and may or may not be symptomatic.

Ainemcd, I would get a second opinion or go back to your surgeon. Hopefully a different doctor can give you a better explanation for the lack of mobility, pain and swelling.

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Best,

Kristin