How long until I can go back to work after bunion surgery?

I'm 61 so it's got to be harder for this old wrinkly but the minimum is 6 weeks off work and up to 12 if like me you stand a lot doing your job . Driving is an issue if you have a boot on your foot as mine was huge and I had to wear it day and NIGHT for 9 weeks and couldn't drive till it came off .... Safety and insurance issues .

My advice to you is to do any exercises you can to keep BOTH legs mobile as much as possible whilst resting operated foot too . Keep that foot up as high as you can as it really helps . Good luck

Hi Alyssa,

My doctor told me I could walk in a couple of days in the boot, but it took me 5 weeks. Now, I'm at week 7 and still in the boot and barely walk. I have very bad nerve pain, which is a DANGER of any foot surgery. My orthopedic surgeon did not warn me of any this, and now I fear I will be permanently crippled and live a life of constant pain. Please, if you do the surgery, make sure you do everything you can to prevent complications. For example, make sure to take Vit C supplements a month before the surgery and eat very healthy. Studies show that Vit C protects against nerve damage. Also, find out everything you can about the surgery before hand: type and length of surgery. Statistics also show an increase risk of nerve damage to occur on longer foot surgeries.

Good luck!

Hi Alyssa.  I'm 43 and just had the bunion surgery 3 weeks ago.  My doctor put my leave in for 6 weeks, which was approved (and I do get 100% pay).  That said, I do have a lot of work to do and thought it would really only be 1-2 weeks.  Technically, I think I would have been fine to go back to work this past Monday (which was the 3 week mark).  I decided to go ahead and give it another week but have asked to have a return to work for next Monday.  I have to do my left foot later this year and don't want to take that much time off work in a year.  I work an office job, and have the ability to work from home for a week or two and periodically.  I really could have logged on last week, it really is the pain pills and sleep schedule that has kept me from going back earlier.  If you have to stand long periods or walk much, then I would advise to stay off it for at least 6 weeks.  I can walk around fine in the boot, not long distances, but around the house.  I had to go to a funeral at the 2 week mark and that was pure torture.  Beside the emotional pain, I underestimated the amount of standing at the visitation and funeral.  My foot was in dire pain each night.  Not to mention the 10 hour drive each way.  I kept my foot up in the back of a mini-van but it really took a lot of energy out of me.  I suspect you'll be fine at the 2.5 week mark.

My podiatrist gave a stern warning that the best thing to do is to keep it highly elevated, above your heart, for the first 5 days.  Pretty much 100% except going to the bathroom.  That did a great job of keeping the swelling down which I think has helped the healing significantly.  Don't get me wrong, there is still pain at 3 weeks, but nothing like that first week.  Good luck!

I hope my experience helps. I had both feet done (bilateral bunionectomy) on april 7th. I work full time and have a part time weekend job. I also have three kids. I had my operation on thursday and returned to my desk job the following tuesday. I ran 3 miles last night and am wearing sandles today. I was extremely worried before surgery and started reading like crazy and had myself all worked up. There are tons of variations of bunion surgery methods. Your doctor is the expert. Relax and trust your doctor.

Hi Alyssa 

i had bunion surgery on both feet 8 weeks ago and was getting around after 5 weeks , 8 weeks on my feet tell me when they have done too much because they will swell up recovery is usually upto to 12 weeks as to when you will truly feel better as for being physically fit well I don't smoke not overweight your age is irrelevant it's how complex your bunion is and how good your surgeon is best of luck with your recovery , I went back to work after 6 weeks  

Be careful, you are not supposed to drive for 6 weeks after foot surgery. If you do you have to get permission from your insurance company

Not sure how much this will help. I had bunion surgery March 10th. I don't remember the medical terminology for the procedure but it involved an osteotomy on my fifth toe and a fusion of the bones in my big toe (not the big toe joint, the fusion occurred midfoot of my first toe) and they placed screws and completely moved the bone to make it straight.

I'm 25, don't smoke, hardly drink and overall have a healthy diet. I was in a cast and non-weight bearing for six weeks. After my six week postop appt, I'm now in a big, black boot and was allowed partial weight bearing on the heel and had to start range of motion therapy on my big toe because it was really stiff. I sometimes get burning sensations along the first toe bone and sometimes have a shooting pain in my big toe. Also, because my foot was immobilized for so long, my leg, foot and ankle muscles were pretty much gone. I think I've regained most control of those muscles except my ankle for some reason now though. I have my next follow up tomorrow though where they'll take xrays to ensure the screws and bones have healed or haven't come out and I'll start physical therapy.

One thing to add is I've been going to my chiro who offers cold laser therapy to aid in my healing so I'm not sure how I would be now if not for that. Swelling is still noticeable no matter what I do.

Hi Alyssa, I think you will have gathered from the comments so far that recovery times vary enormously from one person to another, and everyone has a different experience - even the same person on two different feet! IHowever, most would agree, I think, that doctors tend to be over-optimistic about recovery times and don't sufficiently distinguish between being back on your feet and actually being able to function normally. 'Walking' around the house is entirely different from  'walking' half a mile comfortably.  My right foot was operated on in March (bunion and hammer toe) and I was much more fortunate than many in that I was driving again by week 4 post op but even now (week 9) I am not walking 'normally' altnough I can get around a shopping mall etc. OK.  I am much older than you, and you don't say what sort of jobs you will be doing, but I would advise caution against being over-ambitious too soon, as this may well have a negative effect on the long-term outcome of your treatment.  Good luck for Thursday!

Hi alyssa

                  i had my bunion/fusion  operation on the 21st March i was also quite concerned of the time i was to have off work i work as a catering manager and work ten hour days most of this is on my feet i eas told 6- 8 weeks

My operation went well and my foot was padded and bandaged and i was given crutches and a Darco boot   i had my dressings removed on week two and i went back to work on week 4 i have had no aftercare or  given any instructions of what to do just that they would send for me in 6 months time  the only problem for me was finding shoes to fit  i eventuallty managed a pair of clogs/crocks used in catering but only then with the aid of a compression bandage could i get them on

i believe i went back too early but financially i could not afford to be off work my foot swells quite badly but dosent hurt at all and the compression bandage is a god send im 49 years old so hopefully you will recover quickly but no two operations are ever the same but for me i had no pain only on day one and after that just a bit of  a stinging sensation but nothing compared to the pain i was in before the operation