After Foot Amputation — What’s Next?

Foot Amputation

A foot amputation can be a scary procedure to face. But, completing a successful operation is your surgeon’s job. Your work begins after the procedure.

Knowing what to expect after a foot amputation can help you toward a speedy, healthy recovery. Your hospital staff will give you medications to alleviate pain and fight infection, but you need to know more. Here’s what you can anticipate:

In the hospital after your foot amputation

After moving to your hospital room post-recovery, nurses will change your bandages and will teach you to do so, as well. You will also start the early stages of physical therapy with stretching and some gentle exercises.

Perhaps, most importantly, you will receive information and guidance about your prosthetic foot (if you’re choosing to get one).

At home 

If your healing progresses well in the hospital, you’ll likely go home after a few days. Once there, be sure you follow your surgeon’s instructions about bathing, activity level, and physical therapy to ensure your best recovery.

Physical therapy starts with gentle stretching and will progress to exercises that will improve your muscle control, enable you to resume daily activities, and help you regain independence. It will also include practice with your prosthetic or assistive devices.

Only take pain medications prescribed by your doctor. Even taking an aspirin can increase your bleeding risk.

If you experience swelling, redness, bleeding, worsening pain, numbness, or tingling, contact your surgeon immediately. These symptoms could be normal, but they could also indicate a need for immediate attention.

Inpatient rehabilitation

If you have additional health problems or you’re not recovering your mobility quickly, your doctor might recommend an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Healthcare providers will focus on wound healing, rebuilding your strength, preparing your leg for the prosthetic, and improving your mobility. They will also teach you how to care for your new prosthetic.

Ongoing rehabilitation

Prosthetics: If you opt for an artificial foot, you’ll need to be fitted properly, learn how to care for it, and how to walk.

It’s possible your leg will still be swollen when you get fitted for your first prosthetic. If so, you’ll receive a temporary one, getting the permanent one within six to 12 months.

Mental health: Losing a limb can be emotionally traumatic. You can develop feelings of depression, anxiety, grief, denial, and suicide. If you feel any of these emotions, contact your doctor immediately. Your care team has support resources.

Complications

Even successful surgeries carry risks. Blood clots and infections can occur with amputations. If left untreated, these problems can cause nerve pain, phantom pain (pain felt in a removed limb), and bone spurs at the end of your leg.

Contact your surgeon if you experience any complications. While it might be possible to correct the problem with medication, there’s a chance you could need additional surgery.

Ultimately, going into your amputation surgery with a clear understanding of what your next steps will be could put you on a path to a quicker, healthier recovery. If you know what to expect, you can be better prepared.

If you have any questions about a foot amputation, contact the Amputation Prevention Centers of America.

Protect Yourself from Charcot Foot

Charcot Foot

If you have diabetes, you face the possibility of developing many foot problems, including ulcers, non-healing sores, and even amputation. But, there’s another condition you should know about and watch out for: Charcot foot.

Also called Charcot arthropathy, this condition weakens the bones in the feet of people who have peripheral neuropathy. It also attacks the joints and soft tissues. Over time, it can cause painful sores and actually change the shape of your foot.

Why does Charcot foot happen?

Your bones naturally lose calcium when injured, and, according to the Cleveland Clinic, that makes the bones weaker and more susceptible to further damage. The numbness from peripheral neuropathy increases the danger. If you can’t feel a sprain, a break, or an infected or lingering sore, you’re more likely to continue walking on your foot normally. In some cases, slow healing from a foot surgery can be responsible.

What happens?

Prompted by injury that often doesn’t get timely treatment, your bones lose the calcium that keeps them strong. At that point, your foot can start to lose its shape, and your arch can drop below your toes or heel. Doctors often call this “rocker bottom.”

Additionally, your toes might curl, and your ankle can become twisted and unsteady. Any misshapen bones can also press against your shoes, creating new sores that can also get infected and lead to amputation.

What to look for?

Diagnosing Charcot foot can be difficult, according to a study published in American Family Physician, because it mimics other conditions, including cellulitis and blood clots. Initial X-rays and lab tests can also often look normal.

However, there are some symptoms, other than the fallen arch, that can make you suspect Charcot foot. If your foot becomes reddish, warm to the touch, or swollen, talk with you doctor. You should also be concerned if you have instability in your ankle, any misalignment of the bones that form the joint, or a strong pulse in your foot.

Can you prevent it?

Yes, you can do things to potentially side-step Charcot foot. Follow this list for better foot health:

  1. Get regular check-ups with a foot doctor who has experience treating diabetic foot problems.
  2. Check your feet daily for swelling, redness, warm spots, and sores. Check between your toes, too.
  3. Wash your feet daily, and dry them thoroughly.
  4. Always wear socks and shoes.
  5. Keep your blood sugar levels under control — between 80-130 mg/dL before eating, under 180 mg/dL after.
  6. Take extra care to avoid injury, particularly while exercising.

 
Overall, if you begin to see these changes in your feet — especially if your foot begins to change shape — contact your doctor immediately. Any delays can result in further damage to your foot that could lead to infection or amputation.

For questions, please contact Amputation Prevention Centers of America.