Living with an ankle fusion and subtalar fusion--Any advice?

Fusion will limit the motion of your ankle. There are three main ankle joints. You should ask your surgeon several questions...
Will you have one or more joints fused now?
If not a full fusion (triple arthrodesis) now, will you need to return in future year(s) for additional fusions?
Will you need any of the bones in your foot fused or reconfigured (called an osteotomy) because of the ankle fusions?
Ask your Dr/surgeon how these fusions will effect your activity level? Pain after vs pain now? What is the recovery time? How likely are you to need revisions or repairs?

The ankle fusions will leave you with an ankle that will not flex. The more joints of your ankle that are fused, the more immobile. Triple Arthrodesis would completely fuse your ankle. If you are active, or hope to ever be, an ankle fusion will significantly effect how active you can be.

I faced multiple limb salvage procedures, first a double osteotomy and tendon transfer, and following that by a year or more (depending on how quickly I recovered) a second procedure for ankle fusion - likely a triple arth. Each of these two salvage ops carried a year, maybe more of recovery (back to full weight bearing). Each would leave me with more scar tissue and likely more pain. And they left me with no hope of getting back any of my once active lifestyle. Since my foot/ankle were the only thing holding me back, I chose amputation, Ertl Procedure. With this and a prosthetic, I'll get hiking, biking, and maybe a little running, tennis, and racquetball.

Did you get the talus replacement surgery or an ankle replacement surgery? As far as I know there is only one dr in the county who does the talus replacement. I am not a candidate for an ankle replacement but probably would be for the talus replacement. It is experimental at this point. If you had this procedure I would love to hear more about it. Either way I am glad for your successful surgery. Who would have known how devistateing an ankle injury can be.

I am a 37y/o disabled veteran myself. I had my ankle fused on September 27th of 2016. This was the 6th surgery I have had on my ankle. I am now over 3 months out and am still having severe pain. My incisions have healed perfectly and the x-rays look good, but there is still a lot of swelling and my ankle is much warmer than the rest of my leg. My doctor believes something is wrong and has ordered an MRI. It will be two weeks before I see him again. I'm pretty freaked out to say the least. Not looking forward to another possible surgery.
I also have nerve damage from a previous surgery which has left my skin extremely sensitive as well as leg pain from mid thigh down. Dr put me on lyrica now and it really isn't helping. I've had lower lumbar injections called a sympathetic nerve block. They work sometimes and don't others. An implant may be required at some point. Hoping you have much better results than I'm having. Wishing you the best and thanks for your service!

Hi friend I'm 10 weeks post op I had a ttc open ankle fusion and a bone graft.had no choice could not walk att all . So it has to be said my only option. U really need to get ur home ready because ur are in for a very hard ride first week or so wasent to bad lots of pain killers etc . And once u get a full cast on u feel better in ur mind at 7 weeks I had my cast of and have bin in a air walker boot on for the last 3 weeks I'm up and about at back at work part time. I'm pretty much pain free . I've to go back end of jan to get the all clear . Plz take it very easy defo a big job but u will get there just try to look how much u improve each week. Hope all goes well and keep smiling .