Local resident back to putting her best foot forward after ankle replacement

After a terrible work-related fall in early 2016 that resulted in a compound fracture and several corrective operations, Michaela Robertiello, 50, began to suffer from debilitating joint pain almost a year later that left her ankle swollen and sore.

All this changed when the East Hanover resident and business professional found foot and ankle specialist Dr. Michael Goldberger at Tri-County Orthopedics, the region’s most preferred orthopedic practice.

After careful examination and diagnostic testing to discover the source of her pain, Dr. Goldberger diagnosed Robertiello with posttraumatic arthritis of the ankle, a type of arthritis associated with a traumatic injury or recurring injuries, unlike osteoarthritis caused by years of wear and tear. 

“It had become so bad that it was almost bone on bone, and the pain was almost unbearable every day,” says Robertiello. 

Since Robertiello was an ideal candidate for the procedure, Dr. Goldberger performed a total ankle replacement on her right ankle in January of 2018. The procedure is a motion-sparing alternative to ankle fusion, and Robertiello has regained full movement in her ankle since the surgery.

“I had lost complete motion, and now I have complete motion,” recalls Robertiello. “I wasn’t even able to put a sneaker on before the surgery. Now, I have no pain at all.”

Less than a year after her procedure, Robertiello’s pain is gone, her function has been restored, and she’s no longer limited in her shoe choices. She’s returned to walking and exercising daily and says, “It’s like my ankle is completely back to normal!”

Click here to learn more about total ankle replacement or schedule an appointment with Dr. Goldberger by calling (973) 538-2334.