Driving timescale after bunion operation??

Hi

Thank you Amanda. 4 weeks doesn't sound too bad. I just have the school run problem! I will check when I go to the hospital in a couple of weeks to have my splint off. I was just curious whether people drove within weeks of having their bunion done

I guess it's ensuring you cover yourself in every eventuality and that u feel confident to drive and not endanger others on the road and that you get the go ahead from your surgeon.

Thank you for your reply.

Please don't bank on it only being 4 weeks though!  As I said, that is really early,  you should assume a minimum of 6 weeks but  many take much, much longer to get back behind the wheel.  And bear in mind that initially you won't be able to drive for long anyway, so hopefully your school run is only a few miles.  Good luck with the second foot, I must admit I'm putting off my left foot operation at the moment (sheer cowardice)!

I now wish I'd been more brave and got them both done together. That would be my advise to anyone but that said I'd have had my struggles but at least it's over with and you don't have the annoyance of going through it again!

What's putting you off getting your other one done?

The school run is 20 minutes from home. I think if you have a clutch and you get your left foot done it would be worse to get back into driving.

Based purely on my own experience (everyone is different, of course, but nonetheless....), I think it unlikely you could drive as much as twenty minutes initially - it will just hurt too much!  It's the combination of having your foot down for so long and the pressing movement needed to use the pedals.  Even with plenty of ibufropen it was just too uncomfortable.  But the sense of relief to be able to escape the house unaided was just tremendous, particularly as I found I could drive long before I could walk properly.  And I found I could gradually manage a little more time everyday, so it didn't take long to manage 30 minutes quite comfortably.

 As to having both feet done together, my surgeon refused to do it, and I am SO grateful he wouldn't, there is no way I could have coped.  Perhaps it's different with MIS, but I had a standard scarf and akin osteotomy and for the first three weeks really could not have managed without one good foot to stand on.  I'm now 15 weeks post-op and almost back to normal, which I know is a really good recovery time, but the prospect of going through it all again is less than enticing.  I'm also worried, from having read many posts on this site, that I might not be so lucky second time around.

But at least with the left foot an automatic is an option, so that's one less thing to worry about.  Just trying to summon the courage to fix the date - not until the autumn, for sure, I want to enjoy the summer and plan to walk a lot!

Hi Amanda.

With MIS it's not been nearly as bad as I thought pain wise. After my op I was taking tablets but I didn't need them. I kept waiting for the pain to kick in but it didn't. Don't get me wrong it wasn't painless. I got some burning sensations on and off and one night for 3 hours non stop but other than that it's been fine. I didn't need stitches just some steri strips. I had 3 or 4 tiny incisions where the bones were cut and a pin put in. I'd have been very nervous getting the conventional method done. It's what out me off for so many years. I was out the hospital in less than an hour after the op.

Like you sat everyone is different. It was weird at the weekend. I drove to my mums an hour and a quarter away. I didn't use my left foot at all so that was good. Once I got there I parked up in a village and walking to a cafe for 5 minutes was far tougher than the drive lol. I'm getting very depressed at the moment. It was 3 weeks today my op and I'm so frustrated not doing what I used to do.

How's the movement in your foot now? I'm dreading trying to walk properly in a couple of weeks when I get my x rays done and my boot off!! I will be scared to bend my big toe!!! Yikes . Dreading it. Roll on right foot getting done. I feel so bad I have odd feet now!! Feels weird. Yeah u enjoy the summer and go for autumn better than waiting for winter that would be depressing.

Is there no option for keyhole surgery where u are? Are u in UK or USA?

Gillian

 Wow, I’m really impressed you were able to drive so far at week 3, even if you weren’t using your left foot.  I certainly could not have managed that, as I need to have my operated foot elevated after 20 minutes or so, or else it just throbbed horribly. You’re doing really well!

I’m in Belgium, and we do have MIS here, but apparently it is only used for mild to moderate cases, and unfortunately the condition on both my feet is classified as severe. I should have had the surgery twenty years ago, but the demands of family and work meant I kept putting it off as it didn’t really cause me any great discomfort until a year or so ago.  So I just got on with it, but in the meantime the deviation got worse and I developed hammer toes as well to complicate matters further.  So to those who say don’t have the surgery until it’s really painful I would say I’m not sure you right!

Anyway, I’m shouldn’t complain as the surgery went well, with very little pain subsequently, and less than 4 months after the operation I’m almost back to normal, which I know is a relatively speedy recovery. I can walk quite long distances now without limping as such, although I am aware that my walking movement isn’t yet totally normal as I still have some stiffness in the joints. I’ve been having some physiotherapy over the past couple of weeks – not sure it helps that much though- but the physio says that I shouldn’t expect miracles and that by 6 months I should 100%. 

So don’t get down, it is a just long, long haul.  I could drive at week 4 but I was still in a wheelchair at week 8, and had to cancel a holiday in Italy as I felt I just couldn’t cope with getting around.  I think you have to take it rather slowly and cautiously for the first 6-8 weeks until the bones have healed, better not risk messing up the surgeon’s handiwork. It’s a case of less haste more speed in the longer term, I fear.  

Bon courage.

Amanda

Hi Amanda.

Yes I feel incredibly lucky to have driven so soon. I could have soon if I could have got down to the car easier. We have a long gravel path then 3 BIG steps then more gravel to walk on then gates to open and close. Arhhhh put me right off. I'm sure with my right foot it will be a different story! It will still be brake and accelerator.

Yeah that's my problem is having the children to ferry around I don't have much help as hubby works away a lot and my mum is and hour and quarter away.

I know . It seems such a long recovery. That's why I'm desperate to have right foot done so soon as they can more or less heal together then I'm ready to get back to my old life of going to the gym running and chasing around after the kids.

The news about cancelling your holiday is awful. Italy is my favourite place!!! We got every year and have done since my honeymoon in 2001. We went to Tuscany just a few weeks b4 my foot op. Where were u planning on going? Hope you've managed to re book!!???

Well if in 6 months back to normal isn't too bad then it could be worse from what I've read!!

If only it would stop hurting where I think the pin is situated in my foot I'd feel ok. It's the only place causing me discomfort and didn't start until I started heel walking at 2 weeks. I'm guessing it rubs on my boot!

Hi Gillian,

Yes, cancelling the trip to Italy was a really low point.  We had planned to fly to Rome, spend a few days there and then pick up a car and drive south .  But as I was still at best hobbling around and really needed to be pushed everywhere in a wheelchair, I decided this was just not viable.  I realise now with hindsight that expecting to be able to do this type of travelling at week 8 was wildly optimistic, but the doctors had told me that recovery was 6-8 weeks, which I took to mean I  would be back to normal. Whereas all they meant was I would just about be able to get out of the surgical shoe!  But take heart, two weeks ago (so 13 weeks post-op) I did a long weekend with my daughters in Florence and amazed myself with how well I  coped.  We did a lot of sightseeing, and although I wouldn't say I could walk as much I  would have pre-op, I was still managing 8 kms a day, according to my iphone!!!  I really felt I had made tremendous progress, and quite exponentially.  My husband has rebooked our trip for late September. and I'm confident I will be absolutely fine by then (in fact we 've just booked a short trip for the end of this month to Verona for the opera as the weather here in Brussels has been so awful. That's will be at 18 weeks post op and I'm absolutely certain I will be able to cope. with airports and hire cars etc,)  

So, in short, there is light at the end of the tunnel, even though it can seem a very long way off.  It really is a test of patience. But this pain you are describing doesn't sound quite right to me. Perhaps you should give your doctor  call?  I don't think rubbing is the explanation!

Hi Amanda.

Oh no bet you were gutted about cancelling Rome. It's such a beautiful place. Been a couple of times now and been to Veronica and stood on Juliet test balcony. Beautiful place.

Yes, I agree with you. You get told 6 weeks and you have that in mine it will all be OK and you'll be sort of back to normal. But like you say it really means that's when your shoe comes off and you to rehabilitate ??.

Sounds like you're doing nicely tho getting away with your daughters. That's brilliant. I don't think my foot will ever be like it was flexibility wise but who knows I may surprise myself.

Yes my pain concerns me but if it wasn't for that I'd be completely pain free which doesn't seem to sound right after only 3 weeks post op. I'm hoping it's just rubbing BUT I'm at the hospital a week on Tuesday to have the x rays so a good opportunity for me to ask questions to see what it could be but I'm hoping by then I won't have that pain. I was thinking it was rubbing but when I woke up this morning I felt the pain straight away so now I'm guessing maybe it's not the rubbing!!!

I'm so glad you feel like you're getting back to normal and going away with confidence. I look forward to that day but till then I just have to think of having a pretty foot to keep me going thru this early stage of recovery.

Gillian

Hi Gillian,  

You are quite right, a pretty foot is worth a lot!  I had rather forgotten about this as my over-riding concern has been for the functionality of my foot, but today for the first time since my op I have worn open-toe sandals rather than trainers.  I have to say my repaired foot looked so much better than the deformed one that it has given me a real incentive to bite the bullet and fix a date for the second op.  You are probably braver than I am!

Do hope the pain has abated.  If it is constant and painkillers don't relieve it, this  would warrant some medical advice soooner rather than later -another week is a long time to suffer!

Hi.

I replied earlier but it said there was an error and I can't see my reply so I'm having to try and remember what I typed.

I think it was.....

Wow! You had to wait so long to drive . I couldn't wait that long due to school runs and lack of help I have around me!! It's scary you had to wait that long gosh bet you're so glad to be mobile!

I will see what the hospital say when I go 2 weeks today

Yeah, I'm in the military but my job isn't physically demanding and I was given a note that basically gave me a legitimate reason to not do any kind of training. My partner was able to drive me to and from work and anywhere we wanted/had to go. I am glad I'm able to drive now but I still walk with a limp and my foot aches terribly if I haven't applied weight on it for a while.

Well it's not the op itself I think that was a breeze it's the recovery that's the hard thing getting mobile again. It's not an op to take lightly it's definately tolerating recovery! Why were bunions created ??