Arthroscopy ankle surgery?

Question

Hello, I just got ankle arthroscopy done today and I was told that I had a severe ankle sprain with reactive synovitis. I was wondering what that meant and about how long my recovery would be. Also about how long I would be on crutches without any weight bearing. Thank you!

Answer 1

So, a "severe ankle sprain" likely means that you either over-stretched or tore several of the ligaments that support your ankle and help the many different joints work together in activities such as walking. "Reactive Synovitis" means there's inflammation in/near the articular surfaces (where bones meet) of at least one of the joints in your ankle. This may or may not indicate the presence of an infection, so you'll want to follow-up with your doctor and/or surgeon ASAP to learn more. The synovitis may be the cause of any pain you've been having prior to surgery.

In terms of weight bearing, that's up to your surgeon - and each surgeon tends to have his/her own beliefs about how long you should be off your feet. He/she should have told you how long you'll be on crutches - if not, you need to ask. I can say, for certain, that you can't rush things - if you do, you risk doing more damage to your ankle ligaments and set yourself up for future sprains.

Hopefully, your surgeon has given you a referral to Physical Therapy which will help decrease pain, get back strength and range of motion, and help you get back to "normal" as soon as possible. It's important that you do exercises they teach you as they'll help your ankle to heal and help you stay injury-free heading into the future.

Sorry this is so long winded, but I hope this helps!

Answer 2

reactive synovitis Is an inflammation in the joint. you really need to telephone your doctor and ask about your recovery time. You are probably going to have to be on crutches for two months.