Ankle arthroscopy What happens after my ankle arthroscopy?
The first 24 hours
Pain relief
When the patient wakes up after surgery the ankle should feel comfortable. The patient will have had ankle and intra-articular injections of local anaesthetic whilst asleep.
Following surgery a patient will be given a combination of three painkillers to be used regularly for the first 48 hours post-operatively and then to be used only as needed. Mobility
After the ankle arthroscopy, once you are back on the ward the physiotherapist will start mobilising you. You may put as much weight through the ankle as is comfortable. The conditions where this is not the case are with an osteo chondral defect and if your arthroscopy has been part of a lateral ligament reconstruction. You will be more comfortable using crutches for a day or two and then these can be discarded.
Your operated leg will need to be elevated when non-weight bearing for the first 24 to 48 hours.
You are encouraged to exercise your ankle within the bandage both by moving it up and down as well as moving it from side to side. This is from as soon as you are able to do this.
Length of stay
Once fully awake and mobile the patient can go home if they wish. It would be sensible for a responsible adult to pick up from hosptail and accompany overnight. Bandaging after Ankle Arthroscopy
Following an ankle arthroscopy you will have three layers of covering. Closest to the wounds are two small adhesive coverings and these should be kept on for two weeks. Overlying this is a layer of sterile wool and overlying this is a crepe bandage. The dressings should be left intact for the first week. The wounds themselves should be kept dry for two weeks. At one week following the surgery you may remove the outer crepe bandage and the underlying wool. The adhesive dressings over the two arthroscopic portals should be left intact. If these should become loose or dislodged, replace them (without touching the wound) with a good sized adhesive plaster. These can be replaced as often as required, it is important that the wound itself is kept untouched and dry. Driving after Ankle Arthroscopy
Generally you should be comfortable and safe to drive at one week following your ankle arthroscopy as long as you are permitted to weight bear. Return to Sport
After ankle arthroscopy you will be back to walking at 1-2 days following your ankle arthroscopy. This will be without use of a crutch. Any sporting activity is best left for at least two weeks following the procedure. Realistically, things can be built up from two weeks post-operatively but will probably take in excess of four weeks before more vigorous sporting activity will be possible. 
The bandage worn following ankle arthroscopy
At two weeks
A patient will be seen in the Outpatients Clinic to have their sutures removed a two weeks post-operatively. The specific advice from here on depends somewhat upon the problem which has been treated. In most cases it will be to return to unrestricted activities from here. A patient may now drive and get their wounds wet.
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