After surgery for big toe fusion .
Posted , 5 users are following.
hi everyone ,i am new to toe and foot problems on this forum but have participated in discussions for other categories and found everyone so helpful.
i am currently on day five of recovery from big toe fusion. i was in severe pain for first two days but now bearable with non opiate medication. i can get up and walk easily for toilet stops and sponge baths but not doing anything but sitting with foot raised and feeling helpless!
I get y stitches out in another week and a half.
has anyone been through this too? What was their progression to recovery like? CAN ANYONE give me a reasonable time frame for recovery?
I live in AUSTRALIA and been to the top surgeon in SYDNEY?
0 likes, 20 replies
djnursediva Felis
Posted
Well i had flat foot surgery Aug23rd and I am still in a air cast and only allowed to weight bare with crutches no more than 40 pounds applied to my foot. I had a foot fusion and tendon lengthening. For me its a pretty long recovery. I go back to see my doc Nov 5 and hoping to be able to full weight bare. I will be repeating this surgery in one year on the left foot.
Felis djnursediva
Posted
thanks for your reply looks like i will have to be very patient,
Jason1972 Felis
Posted
Hi - I am 11 days post same op performed by the best Wales NHS has to offer!
Got rid of the pain in 72 hours (Morphine) and decided to carry on pretty much as normal, out for lunch and called in at work a couple of times.
On my 7 day review the surgeon kicked my ass really bad for being over active and basically said if I did not chill out she was going to plaster me to the groin. She gave some pretty stark warnings about potentially losing my foot if I did not comply. No going out for seven days, no showers/baths and stay in bed foot up. This news obviously devastated me and I started to wish I had not volunteered for fusion surgery.
The Toe in question now feels great and I am having a sneaky walk/shuffle without crutches in my cast, I have another appointment Tuesday next week hopefully for stitches out.
I am just counting down day by day until I can have my life back. Booked to go Skiing in Austria Jan 6th so have a bit of a deadline to worry about as I have to try and get this toe into a Ski boot (At least its shorter now).
Hang on in there, I have virtually read the entire web on recovery times for this op and 10 weeks keeps coming up for a kind of normality. 3-4 weeks you should be able to break the cabin fever and have a beer!
All the best
Jason1972
Posted
Update 5 weeks post op,
Had my cast removed on week 4 after an xray and went into a walking shoe. Have not used crutches since and am gradually getting faster at walking. Starting driving a car with clutch again with some discomfort to feels great to get out and about again.
My toe is pointing up and swells a little when down but soon returns to normal after ice and rest. I have very little pain just some numbness at the end of the toe and tenderness on the scar.
Felis Jason1972
Posted
hi JASON !
i am 8 weeks post op now ,and up and about,driving again! We are having summer in AUSTRALIA so the foot still swells with the heat and the scar is tender. i wear sports shoes called HOKA one ones and they have a rigid sole so this really supports the toe.
i am expecting to be back power walking by the end of FEB . as that will be four months post op.
Thanks for all your replies much appreciated!
Jason1972 Felis
Posted
Sounds like we are almost at the same stage, feels great to be able to do stuff but the recovery is incredibly slow. Might get a pair of Hokas they look great as I am not walking very fast and cant keep up with my partner yet. Been wearing Grisport shoes for work and Dolomite Stienbock for everything else, have also purchased 2018 Sketchers Go Golf for when I can get back to playing golf (Still way off).
Been Swimming a lot instead of Spinning at the gym and it has helped with the muscle wastage from the cast. Trying to get fit again but not affect my recovery,
Almost no pain at all now from the places I had it pre op and the scar is less tender but still quite prominent, I was not expecting the redness in the scar but it will hopefully fade.
Stairs are my enemy, after a busy day up and down them I can feel swelling in my shoe above and below my big toe. Ice and rest takes it back down pretty quickly though. I am still getting used to my toe pointing upwards and adjusting my gait, suppose it will feel normal again eventually.
Looking forward to Spring/Summer 2019, hopefully both fully recovered and pain free!
Felis Jason1972
Posted
HI Jason
yes can fullly recommend HOKA one ones im sure they would be available in UK I live in SYDNEY and bought them at a Sports store,not cheap but a great investment.
i am still have inflammation around the scar and still some numbness but fortunately no pain.Occasionally a stinging sensation but that is less and less. I will be nine weeks post op on friday.
i went to listen to my son sing and play baroque fecorder at our local church CAROL service and wore a pair of ballet flats for the first time but my foot swelled right up and it was a typical stinking hot evening ! SO had to ice the foot right down when i came home.
i can where Skechers slip ons or HOKAS but that is it!
Keep improving Jason!
Jason1972 Felis
Posted
11 weeks post op today, I think I get it now - trying to push on with the walking but after about 8000 steps the swelling starts and the foot starts aching. Dug out some Nike air running shoes with the upward pointing toe and found they are very comfortable and I take my weight further back from my toes.
I am actually getting pain/aching from the other side of my foot strangely and the area where I had the op is pretty much recovered.
Played golf over Christmas for the first time in Dolomite Hiking shoes and got around OK until about 13 holes when I think my general fatigue and being out of shape started to affect my game. After that I hit the foot with ice and ibuprofen which worked well.
I think ibuprofen will come in handy next week in the Alps before and after Skiing, not too confident that I will be bombing down black runs for 6 days considering the pain after a day at work sat at my desk. Hope you are improving.
Felis Jason1972
Posted
HI jason
GREAT to hear you are doing well. i am 11weeks post op too and not power walking yet,but about to start walking in my Hoka shoes shortly,just going to start off with 20 minutes daily. im back doing housework now and difficult kneeling to do shower floor and not bending my toe.
The scar is still tender too and thought it would be a lot more healed by now, taking its time.
The numbness though is slowly improving.
HOPE you enjoy your skiing trip but dont overdo it!
Thanks for updating its comforting to feel like im not on my own.
HAPPYNEW YEAR.
Jason1972 Felis
Posted
Happy New Year - 14 Weeks Post op, Austria safely negotiated - Skiing not a problem but getting the left boot on/off very difficult. I had a follow up with my surgeon and he said I now have tendanitus in my smaller toes and he has given me some exercises to do to help.
I played my first golf competition on the weekend and struggled with pain after about 11 holes but managed to finish respectably. The exercises (bending toes forward and under) have helped and I still ice every evening, I am also trying to walk on the fused toe to balance the weight across the foot. Improvement has slowed but I think I am still going in the right direction. Roll on Spring.
Felis Jason1972
Posted
HI jason
GREAT to hear from you! We have just had a long weekend here,AUSTRALIA DAY and the heat is unbearable,day after day of unrelenting heat! This hasnt helped my recovery either! I can wear shoes other than the Hoka joggers but the right foot still swells even in sandals.
i am 14 weeks in now too, and see my specialist March 1st so he will look at my recent xray and let me know whether full fusion has taken place.It seems it will be at least six months before swelling ceases!
Glad to hear that your recovery is progressing and hope to hear that you are fully recovered soon.
I am going to New Zealand just for a week in FEB but will be taking the Hokas!
Jason1972 Felis
Posted
Almost 8 weeks post op now and pleased with the results so far. Swelling is getting less but did 6000 steps at work in the week and experienced swelling in my shoe towards the end of the day. Feeling is returning to my big toe and it is now joining in with the movement of the other four.
I have been swimming 3 times a week and it helps with the physio which I dont think and been emphasised enough by my Surgeon. The stiffness in the adjacent joint is definately less as a result.
Sadly no golf yet. I could not keep up and who knows how the swelling would be after 16000 steps, been on the range and although I can get the ball away my stance is not exactly comfortable.
I keep telling myself "Two more weeks" but this recovery is very slow. I am looking forward to next spring/summer and being pain free again. I have 4 more weeks before skiing and am fairly confident in getting a ski boot on and being fairly fit in time.
djnursediva Felis
Posted
it looks like you are coming along well. I am 4 months post op flat foot fusion surgery and i have to say its been a long road. Because i used the knee roller a lot the non operative leg and foot became very lazy. I am still getting PT on both. I pray by 6 months i am back to at least 90 percent. Right now im about 80 percent. Next year it will be time to do the other foot.
karen37061 Felis
Posted
I had my big toe fused and hammertoe surgery on the other 4 November 2nd last year.
I am still off work, 4 months, and can not put a runner or boot on my foot because of my big toe being fused.
Karen
Jason1972 karen37061
Posted
Sorry to hear that, I am 16 weeks post op and I am continuing to improve. I was advised not to run or hike until at least mid April but over the last couple of weeks I am starting to feel like I am very close to an almost full recovery.
I dont have pain, swelling or tendonitis anymore just a little stiffness. I can now wear almost any type of shoe/trainer/golf shoes and only have a tiny amount of swelling after 20k steps.
I have definately felt a difference since I started taking cod liver oil tablets and excercising my toes downwards every day.
Hope you improve soon.
Jason
karen37061 Jason1972
Posted
Jason
Thank YOU
soooooo much for your help!!
I was getting any information anywhere or from my surgeon.
So, I appreciate your help
Felis karen37061
Posted
Hi Karen
i had my foot fusion last OCT and about to go for my final xray today and then see specialist on March 1st.
I still experience some stiffness and scar can still be tender at times. i am in regular shoes now as in flats but about to get back to walking around block and hopefully back to my hourly daily walk in time. This toe fusion takes time and patience so hang in there. I am going to take Jasons suggestion and get some cod liver oil!
karen37061 Felis
Posted
Thank you Felis!
The thing about not getting my foot into a shoe sucks cuz its -40/-45° and a lot of snow & ice...so wearing a sandle on my sore foot, fusion, with a sock (not only looks ridiculous), but is very cold when I snow inside the sandle.
The sooner I can wear a shoe the better!!
Thanks again, Karen