Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

What To Do To Prepare Your Home When You Need Foot Surgery

27 January 2015

Nellie Ryan

After you sustain an injury to your foot or ankle, you find yourself sitting in the podiatrist's office awaiting the results of the many diagnostic tests you have just undergone. When you find out you need foot surgery to correct the problem, your heart drops. After all, you are a busy person, and you do not want to take the time out of your busy schedule to have and recover from surgery. However, in order to be fully mobile and functional, foot surgery is a must. And as such, you need to prepare yourself and your home for your foot surgery. So, learn what you need to do to prepare, and get started right away. 

Clear Debris and Clutter From Walkways In Your Home

First and foremost, when you have foot surgery, you will be required to use crutches or a wheelchair for a period of time following your surgery. This will make it difficult for you to maneuver through tight spaces or shift your weight to avoid clutter or debris on the floor. 

As such, if you are like most people, you will likely need to do some rearranging in your home prior to surgery. If you have narrow hallways, for example, remove any decorated end tables, piles of books and magazines, or the like from the pathway. Any area of your home that you will need to access following surgery should be carefully cleared and kept as open as possible. 

Additionally, watch out for kitchen and bathroom rugs or throw rugs throughout your home. It is easy to catch your crutches or healing foot on such items causing falls and further injuries. 

Make Necessary Items Easily Accessible

In addition to needing clear spaces, your foot surgery will also make it difficult for you to access items on high shelves in your home or in lower cupboards. This is due to the fact that you will be unable to place your body weight on the affected foot. 

So, if there are items you use on a daily basis, be sure they are easily reachable without stretching, bending or straining yourself. Coffee filters, dishes, bathroom items, and clothing you wear on a regular basis would be best served to be at waist or shoulder height for optimal accessibility. 

Practice Your Skills (Especially If You Have Stairs)

Maneuvering around your home and workplace on crutches is no easy task. So, as the date of your foot surgery approaches, you should begin practicing using crutches as if your foot was already immobilized. 

Lifting weights and doing exercises to strengthen the muscles in your good leg will help you to have less difficulty and pain when using your crutches. Begin a weight lifting routine that works your arms and shoulders a few weeks before your surgery for the most effective results. Bicep curls, tricep dips, and shoulder raises are some of the best exercises for this purpose. 

While foot surgery was not a part of your plan for the immediate future, you can ease your recovery immensely and make the process easier for yourself by planning ahead. So take these important steps and get your home and yourself ready for your upcoming surgery. Then make an appointment with a surgeon from a clinic like East Village Foot Center PC.

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