Bunion op in December

Good to know how everyone is getting on.

Has anyone else been given this exercise to do: lean on a wall, go up on tiptoes as if you were wearing stilettos..... That's the one I've been given that I'm finding hardest, all the toes on the operated toes hurt and feel stiff.

I would be interested to know what exercises you folks are doing, the surgeon stressed to me how crucial they are to gain mobility.

I'm still walking like a duck!

Hi Sue,

Glad to hear you have been progressed to doing exercises. That is a good sign.

Aside from being a dietitian, I'm also a qualified personal trainer. The exercises you have been given would improve the strength and flexibility of your toes as well as building your calf muscles. Because you have been doing heel walking mainly, this would have build up the anterior tibialis muscle which run along your shin bone and possibly underused your calf muscle which is the opposing muscle. Try to do the exercises to pain tolerance as this would improve your mobility, flexibility and strength.

I can't wait to be told to do exercises. I have 3 more weeks with my fibreglass cast and if all's going well, this would be replaced by an air boot cast and I would be allowed to put my foot down on the floor. Currently, I'm non weight bearing and when he replaced my cast last week, my leg muscles have deteriorated so much that when I lifted my leg, it looked like bingo wings. I will certainly be doing a lot of exercises such as heel raises that you are doing once I'm allowed. I hate skinny calves!

Anyway, good luck and listen to your professional's advice…they know what they are doing.

Hi All,

I hope that everyone is well. I thought I would update everyone on my progress. I went for my final appointment yesterday. My k wire has been removed, just involved a bit of tugging! Surgeon was very happy with the result and I was told I could walk and return to work. My foot was unbelievably stiff and my calf didn't know what was going on! I didn't have an X-ray and I wasn't given any excercises. So it was interesting to read Sue that you have been given some. Would you mind putting some more on here so I can make use of them please? Or do know where I might find them on the web? I need all the help I can get! Getting back to excercise is really important to me so I was pleased to learn that I should be back running sooner than I thought. Although it will be a few weeks.

I have been to work today. I took my crutch as more of a warning for people to see why I was being slow. I could only get my fit flops on so had to cover my scar area because at the moment it looks that some kind of alien/lizard shredding its skin! People on here had said about the skin thing but my goodness it is gross! The joint kind of feels a bit crunchy but I am persevering and trying to walk properly. I'm off out to buy some bigger trainers tomorrow, I am so paranoid about my toe being pushed over that I might come back looking like I have clown shoes on!

Hoping to get to the gym this weekend so that will be interesting.

Although there have been ups and downs looking at my foot now it is so worth it, it looks like a normal foot! Not only does it look normal it will now work properly too, so at the moment I definitely don't have any regrets.

Best wishes to everyone

Tina

Hi Tina, congratulations - its good to hesr you are progressing well and fascinating to know that you were not given an x-ray or any exercises. Do you have any more follow-up appointments?

Anyway keep us posted re your progress, particularly in relation to your toe and footwear!

Best wishes to all.

Hi Robina, no-one has mentioned toe separators so far. I am now back in a large padded dressing that is supposed to stay on until the 6wk check-up. I presume I will have to wait until then. The nurse at the foot clinic who did the dressing change didn't seem to think there was a problem!

Hello Tina, I was interested to read what Veronica has written about exercises, it's very relevant. Here are the ones my surgeon gave me:

1. Stand about a foot from the wall, place your hands against the wall, and raise yourself up on tiptoes as tho you were wearing stilettos (I wish!)

2. When sitting, press your toes on the ground and lift your heel. Sit in that position.

3. Put your foot in warm water, hold the joint, and bend the toes as far back and forward as you can.

He said get the toes mobile at all cost, even if you have to take painkillers before the exercise.

Good luck! I don't feel like I'm making huge progress, but friends say I'm expecting too much too quickly.

Hi everyone,Im back.sorry i havent been on the forum for a while,but ive been so nervous about my operation.

I had my bunion done on the 13th January,i also had a lump taken off the side off my knee,so its been a double whammy.

I hope all the ladies and 1 gent who had their ops in december are doing well.just been catching up on some of the comments.a wide variety i think.

The first two nights after my op were horendous.finished up going back to orthapaedics on day 2 for some stronger painkillers and some crutches(which i am finding difficult to use)I was told i could walk almost straight away providing i walk on my heel.Even 5 minutes stood at the sink washing pots is too much.I think i have been doing to much, but its so boring sat with your foot up all day.

Ive managed without the tramadol last night,which im glad about because that was giving me an upset stomach.so im just taking paracetemol 4 times a day.Go back to the hospital next wednesday.Looking forward to seeing my new toe,thats if they take my pot off.

Hope to hear from you all soon guys.bye for now take care all of you xx

.

Hi all I have my bunion operation in 2 weeks time on 3rd feb which I can't wait to have it done and get it over with im a little nervous but thats to be expected, I have to be at hospital at 7.30 in morning hope I don't have to wait long for it to be done. My consoltant and surgeon said he's going to remove the bunion, break my big toe and realine the ligaments in my foot I think thats what is going to happen. Hope its not going to be painfull and if im given cruches im able to use them. Any advice would be appreciated

Sarah

Hi Sarah.

There couldnt have been anyone more nervous than me before my operation.I had general anesthetic ,Once i had the injection couldnt remember a thing afterwards.I was supposed to be having both feet done at the same time.

Im really glad i didnt.What with having the knee operation as well. The first few days I was in alot of pain,which can be expected and I wasnt given strong enough pain killers.I find the most I have my foot elevated the better it is.Good luck with the op.let me know how you get on.

Denise

Hi

Thank you Sue for the excercises. I don't have any follow up appointments.I will definitely being doing the excercises the joint is so stiff but even compared to the first time walking it is already better. I managed to get some pumps from sainsburys that are from the sole comfort range. I got a size bigger, I can fit my arch support and my foot comfortably, the other shoe is too big but as it's got a thin Velcro strap so it stays on. I did get my trainers on today done up very loosely. It looked very strange with my smart work stuff! I did have cotton wool in between my big toe and the next to stop it from bending!

Another thing that I was told is good is to alternate heat and cold so I am giving that a go too.

Got a party tomorrow so sparkly flip flops it is.

Sarah I was a little nervous but right now even though there were some ups and downs I so wish I had done it sooner. If you do everything they tell you to do after you will be fine. When I woke up the nurse said it's all over and didn't believe her!

Tina

Hi all

Sarah I had my op on the. 7 jan on both feet and can share some observations now I am almost 3 weeks down the line

Keep on top of pain relief and take whatever you are prescribed REGULARLY for the first few days even if they don't feel too sore. My hospital recommended ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time and that seemed to work for me with a codeine thrown in if it got really sore

Try to keep your foot up as much as possible in the first two weeks - this is the critical phase of the healing process and a good opportunity to rest up

Say 'yes' to any and all offers of help. You don't realise how much you use your feet until you can't! I was very lucky that my son and his partner moved in with us for those first two weeks which meant that I could keep my feet up completely apart from attending to calls of nature!

Be prepared for a lot of pain as soon as you put your foot down for the first 3 days. The anaesthetist will probably put a local pain block in your foot which masks the pain for the first day post op so don't get a fright when it feels like the pain has suddenly ramped up when you put your foot down on day 2 this is normal. It is horrid but one of our kind forum members reassured me that this sensation would ease after day 3 and it did which was very re assuring

Don't try to do too much too quickly. Your bones have to heal and set so even if you feel no pain be patient and follow the consultant's advice to the letter.

It is definitely worth it- my feet look amazing and I am pain free at 3 weeks although if I walk too much my feet start to throb letting me know they've had enough!

Good luck and try to keep positive

Hi all just a quick question about bunion surgery when will I have my check up at hospital with consoltant after bunion surgery?

Thanks

Sarah

Hi Sarah,

I think it is different for everyone, the procedure they had and whether it was NHS or private. I went private and had a complicated surgery. I have my leg in fibre glass cast. the first cast was plaster of Paris and the surgeon replaced it 4 days later with the fibre glass cast which stayed on for 4 weeks. I saw him again 10 days ago so that he could replace it with another one which would say on for another 4 weeks, the I will be fitted with a soft cast and will be allowed to weight bear. That is supposed to stay on for another 4 weeks.

I hope that helped.

Hi Sarah, I have had two visits since my op, and I saw the surgeon who did the op each time. I have another one in 6 weeks time.

But I guess each hospital is different.

Try not to worry...... Not easy I know.

Lindsay, your post is informative. I suppose everyone gets better at a different rate, but I'm a bit disappointed that 7 weeks on I still have a lot of pain, and can't help limping., especially after reading what you wrote!

Hi all,

I went back to work last Wednesday, limping but glad to be out and about. Although I haven't had my 6 week follow-up with the Surgeon ( that is scheduled for this coming Tues) I knew I was allowed to drive and wear my new soft shoes from the 6 week mark.

Feels great, I am able to wear the over-sized work boots my manager ordered for me part of the day, until the bunion area tells me it needs a rest. Then I put on my skechers and carry on, no real discomfort. in fact, wearing a shoe or work boot seems to be supporting my foot better than just heavy socks with the Darco Boot did. The work duties I am doing are mostly sedentary but I am still moving about quite a lot. the area is a little swollen by day's end, but the wound is not sore and the bones don't ache!

As I said before, there's been less foot pain from week three than I had before the surgery so I know that is a partial success. I am very curious though whether the surgeon can honestly call the op a success when he sees my big toe is nearly as crooked as before.

Thanks for the exersise tips , Sue, will let you all know if I get a final x-ray or any further advice that you've not all covered here with your own stories!