My elderly mother’s ankles are swollen and she is walking with her knees bent. What can I do to help her walk better?

My Dad is currently getting physical therapy to improve his stamina and balance, when walking. It is all paid for by Medicare.

You need to have your mother examined by her physician. First of all, swollen ankles can mean heart problems or kidney problems. Perhaps she needs to be on a diuretic to "Pee" out the extra fluid. Bring specific questions to the Doctor when you go. And get answers. She sounds like she needs help with the bent knees. The physician can get a Physical Therapy referral to determine what can be done to help her ambulate. She may have muscle weakness and may need exercises and/or an assistive device. If she is bending her knees, chances are that she is a fall risk. You need professional advice. Joyce

Thanks mseidel ! This is a new one for me. I searched through my husband's med books, and I couldn't find anything on Anodyne Therapy....an infrared light.
Then I searched just for just infrared and found that it is used for the temporary treatment of certain types of pneumonia. I love the feeling of the infrared light that they have in some bathrooms in hotels, especially in the winter!

Look into a therapy / product called Anodyne Therapy. It is "infrared light" and it works great for swelling and pain and other things as well. Some PT clinics and in house therapy services us it. Be informed in advance that it is not paid for by most insurance companies. Most insurance providers consider it" Experimental" when in fact it is not. It has been widely used all over the world. Research it on PubMed.gov It has been used more frequently because it is more holistic and non-intrusive. It will not interfere with other medications since it is a vasodilator. That is why it will decease the swelling that she is experiencing. In fact it will make any antibiotic work better and faster since the circulation to the infected site is increase many times over. It may also improve her gait (walking) as a result of its use .....Check it out

swollen ankles some times are due to heart problems,the circulation in the legs are bad and can not get the water out up to the heart to be pumped to the proper places.Make sure to go to the doctor like you said you were going to.Keep salt soda lunch meats away from her,water is the best fluid.I hope I helped,I am dealing with all of this with my granny,when we got the correct dose of a water pill along with her high blood pressure pill and I changed her diet her ankles and legs became so small it was unbeliveable.It will also help if she has any sores to heal.

In order to determine the best way to help her, first, the cause of her swollen ankles and bent knees but be determined. Swollen ankles may be the result of congestive heart failure - in that case I recommend a visit to her physician and/or cardiologist for appropriate assessment and treatment. Swollen ankles can also result from a sprain/strain from a recent fall - in that case I recommend a visit to her physician to determine the extent of her injuries and he cause of her fall. Are her limitations due to arthritis? If so, is her arthritis being managed appropriately by her physician? Once her medical status and the cause of the swollen ankles and bent knees have been determined, then the appropriate treatment can begin. Physical therapy may be appropriate to improve her flexibility, strength, balance and endurance which will result in her walking better. A physical therapist will be able to design an exercise program that is just right for your mom.

Both Milach and Rcacace gave great answers to the patient who suffers from swollen ankles. Elevating the legs, movement in between elevation, and perhaps a diuretic may help this pt. The drug known as Norvasc ( often used for hypertention) will also send fluid to the lower legs and ankles. It also helps to keep water away from the pericardiem to prevent CHF. Great answers, but it's always important to see that cardiologist or at least an internist.

My mother-in-law had very swollen ankles. You need to get those legs elevated. I'm betting she's spending a lot of time sitting, right? In my mother-in-law's case, it was a sign of COPD, which is pulmonary. Fluid collected around the heart and the heart could not function properly, so blood was pooling in her ankles. I don't recall what the solution was, but I think it was getting her water pills.

You should get her to a doctor as soon as possible.

It's also a classic sign of congestive heart failure. Is she short of breath often too? Maybe something to ask the dr about. No matter the reason for it though,they will usually prescribe a water pill and suggest she wear TED stockings.

My father is in a nursing home and had swollen ankles for about 6 months and his shoes would not fit. The main cause is from a heart problem. His wheelchair has an elevated surface for his feet to stay on. They also gave him diuretics and potassium and he wore different types of compression aids and his swelling has gone down considerably. He is on blood pressure meds also. Hope this helps.
Physical therapy may work for her but, as always, check with her doctor.

We soak my mom's feet in warm water with some bath salts or epsom salts, massage them, and sometimes elevate them. She also appreciates leg massages, and has trouble walking so she does water exercises in the pool. Gentle chair yoga classes are very helpful too. Good luck!

I would strongly suggest speaking with her doctor about your concerns. Asking the doctor (or her pharmacist if you can not get in touch with her doctor right away) if any of the medications she is on could cause this. Once you do get in touch with the doctor ask what can be done to help your mother with her mobility and comfort and if physical therapy would be beneficial. I think that 9 times out of 10 PT is helpful to some extent and is almost always worth a try. Good luck and please keep us posted.

My 93-year-old mother has been told by several doctors and her family (myself, my sister, etc.) to keep her feet elevated above her heart as much as possible. Her history includes a couple of strokes and more recently, high blood pressure. She is quite feisty and refuses to listen. I live 5 hours away from the nursing home, so I'm not able to coerce her to lift the bottom of the recliner to keep her legs up unless I'm visiting.......once or twice a month. If she DOES keep her legs up, the problem improves dramatically. My sister is her legal guardian, and she believes that Mother should have the final say and does not work with her to keep her legs elevated. She has not allowed her to walk or work on walking with her walker because she believes that Mother might fall. The lack of activity (constant TV-watching and dozing) has had a part in Mother's deteriorating body also. Members of her family generally live well into their 90's (both her older and younger sister are alive and well). In fact, one of her Dad's cousins lived to be 108!

AprilDawn: Your mother should see a cardiologist. BP meds should be adjusted up or down. Some meds do cause ankles to swell. She may or may not need a diuretic. Believe it or not, salt/Sodium and Potassium have very little to do with swollen ankles. Modification of salt is recommended anyway. Salt intake has no effect on Isolated Systolic Hypertension (the top number).

My elderly mother uses a walker - it allows her to take short walks as she gets support by holding on to the handles, and since it has four "legs" it gives solid support for balancing. The walker has allowed her to walk along our uneven yard quite successfully - although we are always close by when she uses it.

How much walking does she actually do, each day?

One possible reason why her ankles are swollen can be because she sits around too much and doesn't walk around enough. Try to get her to be more mobile, like walking around, both inside and outside your house/apt. Get her out of the house/apt more often. Have her exercise. Remember: The key to longevity is to kept active. :-) W

Has her doctor prescribed custom compression stockings? I don't mean the ones you pick up at the pharmacy, I mean the type she is measured for. You would be surprised how much they will help the swelling. I care for a dear friend who had both his ankles broken years ago. He recently had issues with his blood pressure and swelling of his legs. He was resistant, but then decided to try the stockings and to his surprise they made a tremendous difference. Now he swears by them and tells others how they saved his life!

Just finished two months of home physical therapy prescribed for my dad (98),from his doctor, from the local hospital home health care services. Great gals came out, physical therapy, RN checks, speech therapy, etc. Medicare picked up the whole tab and there are monthly assessements and as long as he showed improvement they would continue. Due to his age he did not have as much progress as someone younger might have. Still walks with a walker and is much stronger niow. Was also diagnosed with beginnings of Parkinsons and with meds has REALLY improved. No choking on liquids, more animated when talking, and less shaking when walking. Great blessing but is this why Medicare is going broke!! Ask your moms MD to order home health care if she qualifies.

elevate, massage, no sodium, water pills, and perhaps potassium pills.

My mother really benefited from some physical therapy that helped her learn to walk better, using a walker. I was amazed at how much of a positive change they were able to achieve.

Have her sodium level checked.

Thanks. I can't call the dr. till tomorrow, and she doesn't take blood prossure meds. So, I am just keeping her off her feet till I talk to him. She always loves eating in front of the TV anyway! Thanks for the post.

it could be time to change her blood pressure meds ? it happen to my husband , dr changed his blood pressure meds and got the kind that has water pills in it and now the swellin has gone down . does she take blood pressure meds , shes holdin too much water and needs water pill to help her pee alot .