Ankles can simply wear out, too – primarily due to arthritic changes and pain. In those cases, the treatments are limited to two kinds of surgeries, fusion or replacement. When the lower leg’s bone is fused to the ankle’s main bone, the result is an ankle that is pain-free but that doesn’t move. So the other foot joints need to have good mobility.
For certain candidates, great strides have occurred in the area of total ankle replacement surgeries.
“Total Ankle Replacement can last longer, perform better and offers quicker recovery,” explains fellowship-trained Orthopaedist Tuvi Mendel, M.D., Orthopaedic Specialists, Davenport. “That surgery offers real advantages over the more traditional fusion procedure: It doesn’t limit joint motion like a joint fusion surgery does,” says Dr. Mendel. “And it provides a quicker recovery for most.” Because the replacement parts installed during the procedure can wear out, however, the procedure is not for everyone.
