You will find that if you have your foot down for too long, it will start to throb, swell and become more painful. I was told to moisturise as much as possible as it aids healing the scar and also massage helps reduce scar tissue. What to Expect After Bunion Surgery Week 1: The most important week: The first week after bunion surgery you should expect to spend most of the time resting with her foot elevated. Why You Should Choose NSFAC for Ingrown Toenail Removal, You Want A Second Opinion From A San Antonio or South Texas Podiatrist or Pediatric Podiatrist, Your Destination for Foot and Ankle Care in San Antonio and South Texas, Free Transportation to Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic at Universal City, Peripheral Arterial Disease: Blocked Blood Highways, The Next Step Difference: Achilles Tendon Problems, The Next Step Difference: Plantar Fasciitis. Keep it in that position for three seconds, then relax. 2023 Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, LLP, All Rights Reserved, Reproduced with Permission. As it turns out, this breakdown is relatively common, especially in men. Surgeons pair an exosteotomy with an osteotomy, which can realign the toe joint. Bunions may be inherited as a family trait. The longer you wait when you suspect a bunion, the longer the recovery time. Some shoes don't fit because the foot shape has changed. Lean protein, fruit and vegetables are particularly important to include in your diet in the weeks following your surgery. At Northwest Surgery Center, we specialize in minimally invasive procedures. Our board . Swimming or any activity that will get your bandages wet. Take a pain reliever for soreness as recommended by your healthcare your foot at home during the first few weeks after surgery. The goal of surgery is to relieve pain and correct as much deformity as possible. your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you Extended recovery time. use a cane or walker following surgery. Sadly, I couldnt walk without pain! As with any surgical procedure, complications can happen. wear. provider. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and tests or other diagnostic tests. Heres what to expect with bunion surgery: Its important to note here that once a bunion forms, the only way to get rid of it is through surgery. Will you need a sedative? My foot is now properly elevated, iced & i realised how stupidly much I have done the last 3 days. Was shocked at how long the scar was but my toe was straight, wounds clean and minimal swelling. Successful bunion surgery recovery is largely down to how well you follow your surgeons advice. Thanks in advance. Im sure this has helped with the pain free recovery so far having foot Like you I work in fashion & theatre. Do talk to your doctor about this everyone has a different recovery it is a painful operation thats for sure and people are all different with their pain tolerance as well but if youre in agony and you have numbness Id definitely be speaking to my doctor about that as there could be an issue with a nerve or something else. Especially the first 3-4 days it is critical to keep her foot elevated to decrease swelling and pain. The following exercise modes are the easiest to return to: Low impact exercise More strenuous activities, such as running or dancing, may take 10-14 weeks to return fully. Pain, soreness, and significant scarring of the foot after the surgery. I went into this with a lot of hope and two weeks later the results exceeded my wildest dreams. Your healthcare provider will give you specific instructions for caring for You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your permission Thank you for the space! continued pain. Wearing comfortable shoes might be able to alleviate some of the pain and discomfort, but it wont do anything to get rid of the underlying condition. Right now I have been able to stand without the boot and walk around fine in the boot but he wants me to put a sock and shoe on every morning the second I wake up to keep down the swelling throughout the day but if it starts hurting after 30 minutes to put the Ace bandage and boot back on for the rest of the day. Surgery is not something that many people take lightly. Wish I'd found this article earlier. You should inform your insurance company about your operation before driving again to make sure your insurance is valid. Northwest Surgery Centers are the only podiatric surgeons in Colorado offering this unique alternative to traditional, long recovery time bunionectomy surgery. There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. In an osteotomy, your surgeon will make an incision in the joint of your big toe and realign the joint to a more comfortable position. Failure to do this will adversely affect your bunion surgery recovery time. All told, full recovery may take 1-5 weeks with the help of a protective shoe, but you will be able to walk out of surgery. Your doctor may also ask you to stop eating or drinking for a number of hours before the procedure starts. Often patients experience very little pain during this period if they keep the swelling to a minimum by elevation. Using ice packs regularly the first few weeks after bunion surgery helps to reduce swelling and pain. Great information! This is why surgery is the most viable treatment option for individuals suffering from hammertoes or bunions. By making several small incisions, surgeons who utilize minimally invasive techniques can remove a bunion and realign the foot without causing collateral damage. Absolute contraindications to undergoing knee replacement surgery include: 10. Laborers who elect for a traditional surgery may miss months of work. The Tailor's bunion surgery most commonly involves making cuts in the bone, in order to heal those cuts you must have a proper supply of all of the nutrients necessary (e.g. Skip to topic navigation . Im able to wash it and massage with aloe gel. (local and general). after the procedure, depending on your particular situation. It is not unusual for you to feel pain or notice swelling in this area during the first couple of days. Around two weeks after your operation, your bulky dressings and stitches will be removed and you'll be given a toe alignment splint to wear, as well as exercises to help with your recovery. Your surgeon takes the extra bone off from the side of the joint, then makes a cut in the bone removing part of the joint. Patients who undergo minimally invasive foot surgery to address bunions or hammertoes can expect to return to work almost immediately with minimal scarring or soreness. Its 15 months since I had bunion surgery involving pinning my big toe. Thankfully, minimally invasive techniques now allow surgeons to operate using only local anesthesia. Why is it Important for Diabetics to Exercise? I am keeping my foot elevated as much as possible and it really makes a big difference to how it feels too! Every surgery carries some level of risk, so it is possible that you will face some complications after it. Staying off your feet for at least 3 to 5 days is highly recommended. Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, LLP Grapevine, Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, LLP Keller, Multi-Wave Locked System (MLS) Laser Frequently Asked Questions. This surgery has affected every part of my life. download our free Guide to Minimally Invasive Foot & Ankle Surgery. These are nice and wide so there is no pressure through the foot, and often have a special wedge under the heel to help you not to put any weight through the front of your foot during the initial phase of bunion surgery recovery. your foot is numb, but you are awake. During the surgery, the surgeon will make a large incision along the side of the foot, remove the bunion, and place metal screws, metal plates, or other devices to hold the foot's new alignment in place. Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery and foot swelling problem, in which the big toe extends away from the other toes. Your surgeon takes the extra bone off from the side of the joint, then makes a cut in the bone to correct the angle causing your bunion; and then fixes the bone cuts with one or two screws. Bunion surgery is done to reduce the pain and correct the deformity caused by a bunion. Our highly-skilled and experienced team can help individuals deal with common issues like bunions, bone spurs, hammertoes, and more. Thankfully, there is a viable alternative! This period is also the most important for bunion surgery recovery. An exostectomy is a little different, as your surgeon will simply remove the additional bone mass (bunion) without doing any kind of alignment. If you are pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant, you should What happens after bunion surgery? So then my partner used it on his major surgical scar (about 10 inches long) and its almost invisible now. , splints, cushions, and other devices may provide short-term relief. If you refuse to follow the doctors instructions and walk after the surgery, this might lead to many complications resulting in pain and swelling of your foot. We can help you get back to living life free from foot pain ASAP. My toe and second digits are stiff but healing feels so much better. What are the risks of bunion surgery? Then I stupidly cooked scones & dinner. My husband has nicknamed me Clompy as when I walk around the house you can hear me coming (there is definitely no sneaking up on people). An intravenous (IV) line may be started in your arm or hand. Lower risk of post-operative infection. Refrain from putting weight on your affected foot. When the Bone Breaks: Healing Foot and Ankle Fractures Properly. Its done, Platelets and stem cells work in unison together, they heal diseases and injuries in our bodies. Pain pills should be taken if necessary. I found that I had to keep my foot up for a long time to keep swelling down! We had a family 80th birthday out of town yesterday. 4.7K views 2 years ago. The typical period is about two to four weeks, depending on your specific recovery tempo. Yes lots of pain slow rehabilitation you need to stretch them pull the toe out and stretch upwards lots every day a couple of times a day. Once you remove the orthopedic shoe, you should keep the bandage over your wound and start with the motion range exercise. Exercises are a really important part of bunion surgery recovery. Traditional, or open-foot surgeries for conditions like hammertoes and bunions can be very painful and force an individual to spend at least a day in the hospital. Knee extensor mechanism problems, such as a patella (kneecap) fracture or patella tendon tear. Quick fix for Hammertoes: Back in Shoes in 3 Days! Your biggest question is what to expect after surgery? Usually the patient feels very good and wants to start doing things. Insurance Plans Accepted by Next Step Foot and Ankle Clinic. Stopped walking on it the next day and got off the pain medication immediately as I try to live a no pain medication lifestyle. Your fourth follow-up appointment (12 weeks) X-rays may be taken if healing was incomplete during your third visit. when showering. This is nature telling you to get off the foot and let it rest. I NEVER thought that stretching my calf would relieve the excruciating pain at the top of my foot. Does the Neurogenx Treatment for Neuropathy Work? Here we will look at typical bunion surgery recovery including how long it takes to return to activities and key points for ensuring a successful outcome. In some cases, this procedure is either combined with or replaced by the removal of part of the bone in the joint. Thank you for the great blog. That is the skinny on what to expect after a bunionectomy. You should also take all the prescribed medications and follow your doctors orders. Hope your ankle is all good again! We are vaccinating all eligible patients. Ice and elevation almost constantly are the best way to manage your pain! The problem. Bunion Surgery 2 Week Post-Operation Update, What to Wear After a Foot Operation When You Have to Wear a Post-Operative Shoe or Moonboot. Ive stopped taking painkillers during the day, and only sometimes take them overnight. Located in Littleton, Colorado and in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. I have been in pain every single day since the surgery, just different degrees of pain. Bunion surgery isnt a very complex process, but some patients face struggles during the recovery period. Video, Is Your Child Suffering From Heel Pain? I performed a few and they have helped tremendously with my foot pain. These are the things you should do to ensure you make a good bunion surgery recovery: You should keep your foot elevated as much as possible for at least two weeks after bunion surgery. Unfortunately, theres no magical cream that you can rub on a bunion or hammertoe to make them go away. I appreciate learning from your journey. The entire recovery process for either bunions or hammertoe can take anywhere between several weeks to several months or more, depending on various factors. After some types of surgeries, a cast or special shoe is used for a few months. An exostectomy is a little different, as your surgeon will simply remove the additional bone mass (bunion) without doing any kind of alignment. Did anyone else experience this. Dressings & Wound Care Im almost 6 weeks post surgery. The toe separator that I wear all the time does help to keep my big toe in place and feeling more comfortable. FYI Theres a silicone gel product sold under the name Kelokote (and possibly Scarcote) that works to reduce scars. So far the pain is not too bad taking pills every 4 hours and my DH has been brilliant A simple bandage and a special postoperative shoe are all that is needed. Again, the good news here is that minimally invasive foot surgery dramatically shortens recovery time when compared to traditional methodologies. This is not wise. Verify here. There is a reason why the elevation of your foot is recommended after bunion surgery. Exostectomy is most often performed as one part of an entire corrective surgery that includes osteotomy, as well as soft-tissue procedures. There may be other reasons for your healthcare provider to recommend bunion surgery. (This means you wont have to go under, during the surgery. I can see how a bean bag footstool would have worked perfectly. All bunion surgeries are not the same; just like every patient is not the same. all meals in bed. Aspirin or certain other pain medicines may increase the chance