How's everyone healing?

i didn't even think about that but PT would be really different now that your other foot is post op. did you get dissolvable stitches again this time? i am soo glad i got dissolvable as i had no infection or pain from the stitches and getting them cut is so much easier than having them removed

Ho Nemo,

Yes 20 dissolvable stitches this time. Last time I had 27 and one gave me cellulitis. I'm hoping to avoid that this time around!

My PT and I came up with exercises I can do while I'm in my hard cast on the left side. This time I'm going back when I'm 2 weeks post-op since I can elevate and I sit all day at work.

When do you think you'll get your other done?

Yes hopefully cellulitis can be avoided! less stiches is always good too. how long did it take you to stop using cruthces? ive been watching youtube videos of people weaning off two crutches to one but its not really the same kind of surgeries so its a little different. i just so badly want to ditch the crutches but im not sure how you do that. is it something you just need to take a deep breath and make your post op foot have weight for a step?

and i havent decided when ill do my other one. my right foot has always been the one that gave me pain but i went with my left foot because it was visibiliy worse than the right but now my right is starting to look worse. my big toe is under my other toe and it didnt used to do that. but i cant take time off work for a while so im hoping for at least a year until the next one.

finally figured out images. this is my foot. i am exactly 2 months post op lapidus.

the pattern is from my compression sock by the way lol

Hi Nemo. I went off crutches completely at 4 weeks. I was still in my boot for 3 more weeks before I was moved into sneakers. I practiced at my home (all one level) before trying to walk outside with no crutches.

I had already started exercises out of the boot at PT so I had time to adjust once it was time to walk without the boot.

I can't recall if you mentioned this or not but has your doctor said your 100% fused? Is tge difficulty transitioning due to pain or is it more worry gettimg in the way?

Perhaps is you started standing on it without crutches where you can hold on and balance would be a good starting place? Then you can work your way up to slowly taking steps.

That's great that you can wait on your other foot! That way there's no pressure or a rush.

Nemo that's a great looking foot! Thanks for sharing! How did you attach the image? I've tried to do that on here before and got no where fast.

my Dr showed me the x-ray Monday and said x-rays look great and there was a little bitty line and she said that's the bone. she didn't specifically say it'seems fused but definitely hasn't said it's not and has been making the sound like I'm fine there. I think the time line is much slower because of her style and because I have a lot of hardware. but I feel great when I put a lot of weight on it its odd feeling but fine. I practiced alot yesterday and had no pain later which features that wasn't fused you'd know based off the pain I thibk. I'm just going to practice every day to get off crutches at least to a cane.

Nemo that's great! Everyone fuses differently. I was told usually between 8 to 12 weeks for most. At 7 weeks I was told it was 85%. I was 100% fused at 8 weeks. What a difference a week can make! I also have hardware; a titanium plate and 4 screws in each foot. Keep up your practice. The more it happens, the easier it will be.

That's whats kind of different is my dr hasn't told me what % i am fused or anything haha but hasn't said I'm not or that I need to be carefule etc so I'm assuming I am. I practiced walking more today and I walk along the wall with my right crutch and no left crutch but I'm next to the wall on my left if I need to grab it. It's getting easier but is so hard. I can step on the foot and all but I find once I need to bring my good foot forward it's hard not to limp or jump a bit. The walking boot is higher than my normal shoe so maybe it's from that. I might also be babying the amount of weight on my post op foot without thinking. The more practice the better though.

Nemo I actually asked him how far along. At first he said it's an immature fusion. I asked what that meant to the average person and then he said 85% fused. It was neat to look at the X-RAYS and the difference between week 7 and week 8 my full fusion. I'm certain your walking will come along. I know your doctor seens more conservative than mine in the weight bearing. Mine just took me out of the boot at 7 weeks and said start walking in a sneaker for now on. We practiced in PT. The boot really throws off alignment! I got a massage 2 weeks ago to try to undo some of the discomfort. It certainly helped!

on my x-ray it was a small white line which I'm assuming ears it was 100% but I looked up videos in YouTube and it seems like walking in a boot just gives you a bit of a limp because of the boot but I will keep trying. I got a few steps with one crutch but they were weak haha by habit I lean over to the right. it'll take time.

I think you'll be syr

Memo I think you'll be surprised when you eventually come out of the boot. I was able to barefoot walk easily. The boot really puts things all out of alignment. The height difference alone when in your boot from one side to the other is enough to make you limp. Maybe today try to go in another room just woth one crutch to see how it goes? Leaning on them is only going to make matters worse as you know.

I've been forbidden from barefoot walking. My surgery was Sept 9th. The boot I think complicates your recovery. It tgrows you so far off balance and changes your gait. My foot is getting better, I'm slowly turning my foot back to its correct position but it still feels like it is always lagging. My joint where the bunion was removed feels high and my foot sits differently the before the surgery, which was expected. Maybe this is normal positioning, I can't remember prior to having the bunions. Recovery is slow and steady and my big toe is a little more flexible but still uncomfortablly stiff. For those of you 8 weeks or more, at what point did your stiffness end?

yes the height difference is what I think the main cause of the limp. it makes my good leg really tired because it has to come up to meet my other. last night I walked along the hallway in case I lost balance but I had one crutch and I did it! I wouldn't say I'm walking normally though because of the limp but it's a good way to practice I think. pt is going to help me with it too. Monday is when I can wear a shoe for an hour so I want to be as normal as I can be by then! I'm hoping walking in shoes will be easier than three boot.