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How should I get ready for hammer toe surgery?

Posted , 4 users are following.

amanda76719
amanda76719

I am having surgery on three hammer toes on my left foot in a month or so (Sept 12th hopefully). I was wondering if anyone had an ideas on things they recommend to do before surgery. I'm having the third, fourth, and fifth yoes on my left foot fixed by an osto-something or other. I know they are cutting out part of the bone and I will have K-wires in for a bit. Any help or ways to not totally stress out would be awesome.  

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • amanda76719
    amanda76719

    Posted

    I realize this isn't specifically about bunions, but it seemed like the closest group.
  • dot_818161
    dot_818161 amanda76719

    Posted

    Hi Amanda,

    I think it is the apprehension leading up to the surgerythat is probably worse than the actual event.

    I am afraid I cannot forewarn you about what to expect for your particular operation, since I have only had an operation on a bunion, but I would suggest getting a plastic foot cover which will enable you to have a bath or shower. I use a plastic stool to sit on in the shower, which has been great.

    Hopefully your surgeon will advise you on what you can and cant do, but do ask him what you should do to accelerate the healing. Should you do toe exercises,  which may not really be possible in your case? is it OK to walk on the foot? You will probably be given a wedge heel shoe and crutches. If you have stairs, I found the best way of going up and down was on my bottom instead of fluffing around with crutches. A lot of people on this forum recommend, ice, to help the swelling. I havent had a real problem with swelling and just couldnt face the ice!

    I have used a pillow to elevate the foot at night in bed, and as the foot was in bandages for a fortnight, didnt need to have it covered overnight either.

    Wish you good luck, and try not to worry too much, the prospect is far worse than the actual operation. Get a good supply of books in. If you are fit, that will help will getting around on the crutches, so if you arent, some exercises to strengthen your arms will help.

    Keeping your foot elevated most of the time will assist the healing. Everyone seems to have different levels of pain, so cant really advise you on that one, they will give you painkillers, and I think most people found the first 2 or 3 days the worst. In my case, I was pretty much pain-free after that.

    You really dont need to stress in advance. Keep busy if that helps to take it off your mind. Time passes and focus on the result rather than on the means whereby...

    • amanda76719
      amanda76719 dot_818161

      Posted

      Thanks Dot, 

      All of those make sense, especially the 'don't worry' suggestions. My doctor told me I would be in s surgical boot after surgery and would be non-weight bearing for the first week. He also told me I can go back to work after the first week anf he woulf write whatever instructions I needed for work. I work as a cashier in a grocery store. I dob't think they will allow me to be there with the pins in. I live with my aunt but she works during the day so I will be on my own most of yhe time. I'm worried that she thinks this is a simple procedure. My doctor said I would be out of the boot after four weeks or so. She isonly agreeing to it because I'm not going to miss any time off work, even though I have short term disability.  Thanks for listening to me ramble.

    • dot_818161
      dot_818161 amanda76719

      Posted

      Hi Amanda,

      As my op was different, I hesitate to put my twopence worth in, but I would have thought going back to work after a week was quite optimistic.  If you can elevate your foot all day, then it would be do-able, but in my case, my foot was in a bandage for 2 weeks, so I couldnt see what was going on, but once I just had a dressing on the incision site, the foot would be engorged with blood when I would stand up. I did go to a restaurant and put the foot on a chair, but it really wasnt at all comfortable.

      Most likely anyone who hasnt had this kind of operation would not appreciate that it isnt simple procedure, but an operation is an operation, and as its your foot, it is quite a different matter to a broken arm which isnt weight bearing.

      Perhaps your aunt could make up a lunch for you and leave you a kettle etc, but you will still have to go to the loo. I have a husband, but though he has been pretty helpful, does all the cooking and shopping, I dont think he quite got the fact that I shouldnt be on my foot. So I have done the washing up, and made myself a cup of coffee if he wasnt around. I did hang the washing out and even hoovered, which was not advised, but I hope it hasnt done any damage.

      I wonder why your employer wouldnt allow you to be at work if you have the pins in.

      Try not to worry too much in advance, usually things just fall into place and it all works out. My aunt will be 99 in September, and one of her favourite expressions is that 'it will be alright' and it tend to be just so.

    • amanda76719
      amanda76719 dot_818161

      Posted

      I think they might not want the liability of me being there. Not totally sure I want to go back with my pins in. Worried I will drop something on my foot or hurt myself some other way. The cash register area isn't really big enough for much. My doctor was talking about a stool for me to sit on. I don't think that will help much, it seems like it would only let me rest the good foot or I may be able to stand and prop my bad on it, I don't know. 

      I havr bern trying to schedule my vacation around my surgery anf it isn't working. So after talking to my mom today, I gave up. I scheduled a date for my surgery and said screw my vacation. I have access to short term disability and have decided to use it. There was only one day in September that I could have surgery and something just keeps telling me to have it now. As it is, I won't be into a shoe until at least halfway through October and possibly into November. I hope you have had a good day.

  • PamSchim
    PamSchim amanda76719

    Posted

    Amanda, make up some food ahead of time, stock your house with groceries, have ice packs ready. When it comes time to have the k-wires removed, ask your physician to put up a shield so you can't watch. That hurts like a bugger! I had wires in all four of my toes and screws in my big toes (now removed). Follow through with the suggested PT post-op and you should be good to go within 6-8 weeks. You'll be walking fine with  a post-surgery shoe/boot within a few days though. Rest, ice, elevate as often as you can as well. Good luck. 
    • amanda76719
      amanda76719 PamSchim

      Posted

      I will implement as many of your suggestions as I can. Thank you for making them and especially for tellibg me to ask him to make sure I can't see him pull out the wires. How do you think your toes healed as opposed to your big toe? I havr heard your 5th toe takes longer to heal due to it rubbing against your shoe the most. Any ideas on that? I want to be back in regular shoes by the time it gets cold here. I live in the US in the midwest. I also walk 2 1/2 miles to work each day one way. Wondering how fast i can do that... 
    • PamSchim
      PamSchim amanda76719

      Posted

      I too live in the US in the Midwest, in MN. For the first fall/winter post-op (I had my surgeries in June and July consecutive years) I wore comfy 1" heel leather clogs that were a little wider. They accompanied my constantly changing feet during this time of healing. Believe it or not, I am down one whole size in open-toed sandals 5 yrs post-op. The amount of work that was done on my toes to remove damaged bone shortened all of my toes just enough. I also had to donate ALL of my old shoes as they were all too wide for my "new" feet. Horrors NOT as I love shoes!! smile
    • amanda76719
      amanda76719 PamSchim

      Posted

      Wow Pam,

      Much colder where you are. I live in OH. I usually wear boots of some kind for the winer/snowy months. I have pretty small feet to begin with, but they are wide. All of my shoes have to be wide or they don't fit right. I guess I'm lucky with just having hammer toes (they are genetic as everyone in my family has some) mine have just taken to rubbing together and creating corns between my toes. I have a bunion starting on the other foot and have hammer toes over there as well, but they are not currently causing any problems and are not as bad as the left foot. So looking forward to painting my nails when my toes are nixe and straight. Lol

    • jean31984
      jean31984 amanda76719

      Posted

      Amanda I forget to mention that I also had surgery on my pinkie toe. It's called mallet toe, cuz it's crooked. The doctor straightened it. That little bugger hurts more than the area where the bunion was removed. It's still red and swollen after 7 weeks. Ice packs are a good suggestion. I do ice it daily.
  • jean31984
    jean31984 amanda76719

    Posted

    Amanda,

    My personal recommendation is to get used to "eating clean." By that, I mean no sugar or wheat, since they increase inflammation. If you can get a hold of some Arnica, the type you dissolve under your tongue, you can start that a week before surgery. Helps with bruising and swelling. I took it for over a month and even today, my physical therapist recommends that I continue to take it. They make a cream as well, that can be used later. Three days after my surgery, I was in a chair with my leg elevated, lifting upper body weights. You do want to make yourself feel good by doing some healthy things for yourself. Chamomile tea is a great relaxer and makes you mellow out. Just a few tips that may help you. :-)

    Jean

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