In an unexpected twist, a hurricane led to Connie getting an ankle replacement.
When Hurricane Sally hit her home in Alabama and she lost power, Connie stayed with her daughter in Atlanta. One day, while walking the dog at her daughter’s house, Connie missed a step and shattered her left ankle. That’s when she first went to Emory Healthcare, where a surgeon reconstructed her broken ankle.
The surgery was a success, and Connie went back to walking her dog. However, the fracture had lasting effects.
“Ankle arthritis tends to occur after a previous injury, even if it heals well,” says orthopaedic surgeon Rishin Kadakia, MD. As Connie developed arthritis, she went from walking her dog and being active to painfully moving through the most basic tasks.
Her provider near home suggested a procedure to clip a nerve to stop the pain. But Connie remembered the care she received at Emory Healthcare. “They treat you like a real person they would like to know,” says Connie. And she also knew the team at Emory Healthcare offered some of the most advanced techniques based on recent research. That’s when she contacted Dr. Kadakia.
Ankle Fusion vs. Ankle Replacement for Ankle Arthritis
Dr. Kadakia presented Connie with two options: fuse or replace her ankle.
An ankle fusion locks the ankle joint in place. This reduces pain and range of motion. Because the ankle joint no longer moves, you must adjust your gait, which is the way you walk. Ankle fusion is permanent. It can be a good option for patients who need pain relief and have limited movement.
An ankle replacement swaps the ankle joint for an implant. You keep your range of motion while reducing pain. This means it’s easier to walk normally and keep up with a more active lifestyle. There is a 10% chance you will need parts of your implant replaced in 10 to 15 years.
Dr. Kadakia says ankle replacements may be a good option for people in their forties and older. They work well for people who already have a good range of motion in their ankle but need pain relief from arthritis. An ankle replacement can help people live active lives and continue using their ankle normally.
While ankle fusion is a more traditional approach, ankle replacement is becoming more common. “Newer technology and surgical techniques have come a long way in the past 10 years,” says Dr. Kadkia. “The implants have increased longevity, and the surgical technique is often specific to the patient.”
For Connie, the choice came down to what she enjoyed doing. She wanted to keep walking and doing low-impact activities. An ankle replacement gave her range of motion. And her activity level wouldn’t wear down the ankle implant too quickly.
Ankle Replacement Surgery and Recovery
In July 2022, Dr. Kadakia reconstructed Connie’s ankle joint. The team at Emory Healthcare personalized the procedure to meet Connie’s needs.
The team also ensured the tools they used during surgery would not interfere with her pacemaker.
During the surgery, Dr. Kadakia cut the front of Connie’s ankle to reach the joint. He then removed the ends of the tibia (leg bone) and talus (foot bone) and inserted an ankle joint implant where the two bones meet, forming the new joint. Connie stayed in the hospital overnight after her ankle replacement surgery.
“It hurt more than my ankle reconstruction, but recovery was as smooth as could be,” says Connie. She attended follow-up appointments with Dr. Kadakia every few months for the first year.
Connie relied on a solid family support system. And she worked hard at physical therapy in her hometown in Alabama. She used resistance bands and a balance board to strengthen her ankle and improve walking.
Dr. Kadakia outlines key milestones most patients can expect during recovery from ankle replacement surgery. While full recovery of strength and motion can take up to a year, most patients can walk pain-free in three to six months. You don’t walk for the first six weeks. Then, you can walk in a boot for a couple of weeks and start physical therapy.
Walking Pain-Free After Ankle Replacement Surgery
“Once I could move again, I was pain-free—and I still am,” says Connie.
Connie is getting ready for her next annual check-in with Dr. Kadakia. He will take an X-ray of her ankle and see how she’s feeling a few years later.
“It was the best move I have made,” says Connie. “If I had only known how much relief I would get, I would have done it sooner.”
Emory Uses Leading Ankle Replacement Surgery Techniques
Ankle arthritis and ankle replacement research is ever-evolving. Orthopaedic surgeons at Emory Healthcare use the latest techniques and technologies.
“What’s fun about being at Emory is that my partners and I look at the literature and see how we can improve upon what we do,” says Dr. Kadakia. They review recent ankle replacement research and discuss how to apply it to patient care. Patients benefit from the collaboration of the whole team. “Things have dramatically changed in the past 10 years. We’re learning a lot about ankle replacements and constantly improving.”
Visit us online to learn more about foot and ankle conditions, or call 404-778-3350 to request an appointment with a specialist.
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