I am concerned about my scarf and Akin bunion operation post operative recovery

Hey there i am 18 weeks post op on my left foot,and it is just about back to normal still swelling but can actually fit in a shoe.It was exactly like yours i thought it would never get better i also was having pain on the ball of my foot side of my foot and my ankle killed felt like something was very wrong,think it was with not using it i could not get the heel toe thing going but then suddenly it was there so am happy ,it is a long recovery.

Have just had the other foot done 2weeks ago but this time i had mis surgery so no scar but still same recovery i expect? although i am a bit braver this time and not being so anxious about it. I have avery big gap between my toes looks weird,but i did with the first one and now its not so noticeable!

Going back to the othe foot and shoes i was about 14 weeks in and bought a pair of sketchers a size bigger as it was all i could fit into.

Hi den I had bunion and hammer toe surgery around the same time as you (15 may in my case) and although my big toe touches the floor the second and third toes (which I had implants put in to correct hammer toes) do not touch the floor. At this stage I think the swelling underneath the toes is major contributing factor to this. I think we have to be patient with this swelling business as it seems to take a long time before it goes. I know what you mean about the look of the foot too as mine looks unsightly and disproportionate. It looks fat and ugly which doesn't inspire one with confidence. Again it can all be a bit disheartening as the whole business has been quite an ordeal. I think it might be a bit early to think of returning to your pre-op shoes. I was advised that I should go from the walker boot thing in about a week (making a total of six weeks in that) to a soft trainer (a size or even two sizes bigger than usual to start with. The swelling seems to go on for several months at least I have been told. Apparently it reduces gradually but can take some time. I sense that like myself you very much want to speed the process up and this can be frustrating. I have been told that exercises like trying to gently move the toes or scrunch then up as if you were trying to pick up marbles with them, are helpful. Also gently pushing the toes down manually towards the floor every now and then can assist recovery. Mine seem impossibly stiff so I can relate very much to what you are saying. From what I have gleaned from others on here your symptoms are normal and for both of us it is very much a waiting game. You are not being a wimp by the way. Well if you are then I am a wimp too. It is a very scary and worrying busness all this foot surgery business. And I for one have found myself feeling anxious and depressed a lot of the time. It feels like there is a big ball under my toes and it is not so much painful as just very uncomfortable. My big toe is numb like yours. Sorry I can't be more helpful but your experiences certainly seem similar to mine and those of others who have posted on this site. I wish you all the best in your recovery and as I say it sounds quite normal to me. I just wish I could fast forward a few months down the line!!

Hi den, all that you are describing is normal.  I can remember that after 6 weeks I improved more rapidly.  I am about 12 weeks and, although my foot is much better than at 6 weeks, I still get the swelling, aches and niggly pains in my foot though.  I managed to get into a wide skecher trainer for the first time last week, and have been using sandals up to now.  I still cannot fully put my big toe flat on the floor but I can now move it slightly towards the floor.  There was a wide gap between my big toe and second toe but as I wear socks and fitted shoes it is getting narrower.  The doctor said he over-compensated because the toe does move back a bit.  

I had my hammer third toe straightened but that hasn't been too successful as there is a dimple like scar and it's still sore, I'm going back to him in August.

We need lots of patience to get through this op, and when you think about it, we've had major surgery on an important bone in our body, one that needs to be strong for us to walk.  Good news from Shona at 18 weeks, I look forward to being closer to normal again! 

I am in a similar situation to you! I am 5 weeks post op, not had much paib. I am still in the Darko heel walking boot, but was never told 'no weight beariing.' It's healed up well, I saw the surgeon at ten days' post op for bandage removal and a quick look. I also have two screws and a staple which will stay in permanently. He said all looked ok (just a visual check). I see him again this Tues for a 5 1/2 week check which will include Xrays. I have been given no physio or excercises/advice, but  this is my second foot surgery and so I figure it is just up to me to get on with it!  My first surgery (on the other foot) left my big toe still leaning towards my second toe, but the surgeon (different surgeon) said he didn't want to 'over correct.'  That foot feels fine, but i do still wear a toe separator because the big toe rests quite heavily on the second toe and i don't want a recurrence ot the bunion. I have read that our natural foot shape is somewhat curved and the toes should taper in at the front; that is what makes our toes fit ok into shoes!  When i  initially saw the result of this second surgery, big toe much straighter and a wide gap between my big and second toe. i initially thought it was a better job than the first foot. But I did wonder if this would make it more difficult when it came time to put on a shoe.  The time is almost here, Den. i have some Skechers soft fabric shoes, a size larger than my normal size. I wore them last time from about week 6-10, and had no discomfort at all adjusting to shoes. Most people go into velcro sandals but this will not help me back to work. My foot needs to be covered.  Apart from a need to have my toes safely protected, even by a light fabric shoe, I am certain nobody will want to see ugly toes in my  workplace! But right now I fear that the big toe is so rigid that it will hurt or break or compromise the screw/bone knitting that's going on under the skin  if forced into even those soft shoes. Swelling under my big toe, right in the middle joint is an issue for me also, as well as the ball of the foot. Not painful though, and I am not suffering from stretching sensations as you are. But as with you, big and second toe do not touch the floor. I would like to  think that walking in a flatter shoe rather than the heel walking wedge shoe will help bring the toes down. I will ask the surgeon about this Tuesday and let you know. Overall, I do think making you wait from 12 days to 12 WEEKS is an exceptionally long time between reviews. Are you signed off work for that entire time?