hallux valgus

Hi Mary, I think from what others have said it takes a few weeks, and although you are active we can't hurry these things, everyone heals differently. Did you have one or two feet done? I suppose you were told to keep up with your pain killers, I swear by Advil for taking pain away, if you don't you are chasing the pain as my doctor says.  I'm going tomorrow to the surgeon so I will be posting his report up on this formum when I get back. Can't wait to hear what he has to say.

As for bathing, I'd just do a 'good wash' until you can wrapy your foot in protective wrapping so as not to get it wet. When I broke my foot years ago I had to put plastic bags around it and secure it with tape, a pest each day, but if you don't or can't do that, just get a good wash all over in a basin, you won't die if it's just for a short time, I know how we love our showers but sometimes we have to make allowances. I do wish you full recovery and please keep posting if you are worried, a lot of the ladies here have full experience.

Mary, hi, I'm10 weeks post op, patience is the key to recovery, regarding washing, I used to hAve a chair in the bathroom, covered it with a towel, Sat on it and could get a half decent wash while sitting down.  I too was active, running, gym 4 times a week, just getting back b to it now, but as Carol says we are all different and it depends on the procedures,  you should read some of the other threads a nd ask as many questions as you like,   happy healing 

Hi, I am 6 weeks post op Having had both feet done with screws in one foot. I was mobile after 3 weeks and pain free after a few days. I am wearing a size bigger trainers and can manage cross trainer , bike and weights but unfortunately no running for 6 months.  Still more of a shuffle than a walk but at least I can get about and drive.  I wish I had arranged a seat for the shower rather than sitting in bottom with feet out shower door 😩! Patience is what you need more than anything but it's not easy bring dependent on others . Best of luck with your recovery.

Mary. Hold on now!! 2 days since your srgery and your already wondering how long it will be before the pain eases and if you will get back to some of your exercises.

Your not expecting much are you?

Firstly, do you live in the UK?

I had no pain only discomfort after the surgery. I was given Tramadol which made me very sick and dizzy and so stopped it with the agreement of my GP. It's a terrible drug for side effects I am told but is good for pain. My GP doesn't like prescribing it for this reason. I managed perfectly well with Ibuprofen and Paracetamol but only for a couple of weeks. So, give it time.

Take it from me that you will be literally off your feet for up to 2 weeks to begin with except for going to the bathroom, bedroom, and a gentle hobble around occasionally, you need to get that foot elevated above groin level becasue if you don't you will get an awful lot of throbbing and it will delay the foot from healing. I am also active and a great walker so was dreading my period of incapacity. But I did as i was told and it's paid off.

I am 64 years old, retired, and no spring chicken.

So, let your people do everything they can for you. It won't be for ever. But it's VERY important to do all that sitting about. Boring as it may be.

It's 25 weeks since my surgery for bunion and hamertoe. The surgery was a success and all wounds healed very well.

I bought a bed cradle to lift the bed clothes ff my feet. A good investment it has been. Also, equip yourself wth some kind f long handled bag in which you can carry things around with you like your mobile phone and other bits and pieces.

As for washing yourself. I didn't have a shower or bath until 20th January this year. I managed by having a thorough wash and my husband did the areas I could not reach. Like my back. I bought a ' Limbo ' to wear over my bandges to allow me to get a shower but I only used it once as I felt unsure about striding into the bath ( our shower is fixed over the bath) and afraid of slipping or falling over.

I managed very well to get around the house and also to venture out into the garden to hang out the washing. Always taking with me the bag containing my phone in case I needed help. At  2 weeks post op I needed to return to the hospital to have my bandages changed and managed to walk using my crutches along the corridors which were not long distances. These were changed again at 6 weeks and then I took those off finally at home mid January but still had to wear the support shoe given to me at hospital. I managed to walk down the road from my house to the shop at 5 weeks again with my crutches, a distance that takes normally 3 minutes each way, only it took me well overhalf an hour. But you just have to be prepared for the length of time it takes to do things.

You will manage. But YOU MUST  be patient otherwise to try to do too much too soon will only mean that your foot will take a lot, lot longer to heal and recover and the swelling will be very apparent. I wore my hiking boots firstly in mid February, early March and now can wear them pretty much as before the operation. So, the key thing to remember is that this surgery doea involve a very, very, long recovery period. Even now if I'm on my feet for longer than my foot is happy with I get swelling but this does pass when I get the foot elevated.

Don't expect to get your foot into your normal shoes too soon The swelling will make this very difficult and also you will probably find that the bend of the foot is not very flexible and will remain stiff for several weeks. But you will eventually manage to get your shoes on comfortably in due course. I do not wear heels and all my shoes are flats or the ballet style. But it's the bend you require to lever your foot into the shoe which will hold things up. I'm now able to wear all of my shoes but find walking around the house in bare  feet is good. Your toes will very likely be very stiff and you need to concentrate on getting the foot to bend very gently and normally and pay less attention to how fast you can walk and more on getting the bend to come back. You may also find that the tops of your legs will ache as mine still do. This is due to the time needed sitting around and aso the unnatural way you will walk with your heel wedge shoe ( if you've been given one to wear) and also because you cannot put your foot down on the ground in a normal walking position. Again, you must allow for all of this and be patient. It does eventually improve and become more flexible but the muscles in the legs will need building up probably.

Good Luck!

Gillian

 

Hi Mary

I'm 8 weeks post op now and as everyone says it's a slow process to recovery.  I'm a fitness instrutor, a runner and Rambler so the inactivity was terrible.  However, I did spend the first two weeks doing exactly as I was advised and then started to return to gentle exercise when I was ready.  I'm now back teaching classes, walked 9 miles the other day and apaprt from some discomfort from time to time my foot is getting there.  I did find it hard when I went back to my other job, mostly at a desk and found that made my foot swell more than being mobile.  I can get into all of my shoes, but not very comfortably in heels and as I'm off to a wedding in 2 days it will be a wide pair of very small kitten heels for me!

Hang in there, it does get better.