Foot and ankle surgery can impose significant hardship on a patient when carrying out their essential activities of daily living including mobility, sourcing and preparing food, as well as maintaining personal hygiene. Pre-operative planning between the surgeon, patient and caregivers can circumvent most of the challenges imposed by the post-operative restrictions of foot and ankle surgery. Depending on the weight bearing status of the operated extremity, a wide array of durable medical equipment devices are available to provide mobility and safety for the patient. Various devices are also available to protect the patient and the operative site during bathing. Pre-operative gait training can be valuable in selecting the most appropriate mobility aid for the patient, assuring safe ambulation while keeping the operated extremity protected.
Keywords: Durable medical equipment; Gait training; Hygiene; Mobility; Non–weight bearing; Nutrition; Postoperative convalescence; Sleep aides.
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