Proper Healing Takes Time

Foot and ankle injuries don’t always heal quickly. And yet, modern society expects everything to happen fast! Your internet search is taking more than a few seconds to load? Ugh – cause for annoyance. Traffic jam on the interstate? – permission to feel impatient and anxious. On TV, the hero wraps up a crisis neatly and tidily. It’s easy to let this “get-it-done” mindset sneak into all aspects of life. However, that mindset isn’t going to work when it comes to healing the body.

A foot or ankle injury isn’t going to get better as though you’re living in a 60-minute television drama. Healing takes time. How much time depends on several factors:

• How long you waited to get care.
  Minor issues can become major ones if you delay treatment. For instance, a stress fracture in your foot can advance to an actual break in the bone if you continue walking on it without intervention, such as wearing a protective boot.
• How badly you were injured.
  A minor ankle sprain, in which a ligament stretches too far, will heal much more quickly than a Grade 3 sprain, in which several ligaments tear in half.
• How extensive your surgery was.
  Your recovery following foot or ankle surgery may involve walking with crutches or an orthotic boot for a few weeks. We may also recommend following up with several weeks of physical therapy.
• How well you follow the podiatrist’s instructions.
  If you try to do too much too soon, don’t take your medications properly, or you’re not careful about preventing infection, you may unintentionally extend your healing time even longer.

Our experienced podiatric surgeons, Dr. Craig B. Frey, Dr. Megan L. Oltmann, and Dr. Jim Swienconek, are dedicated to helping you heal from a foot or ankle injury or surgical procedure as quickly and safely as possible. Call Foot & Ankle Associates of Cleveland in Solon, Ohio at (440) 903-1041 or contact us online to schedule a consultation about all your foot and ankle concerns. We offer a modern office with the latest technology for podiatric patients in Portage, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Summit Counties, proudly serving our patients from Solon, Aurora, Bedford, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Macedonia, and Twinsburg.