Slow healing surgery wound?

Hello Emma. So, you had your operation on 6 February and you're due to have your bandages removed and back into a normal shoe on Thursday. I take it you have this done 20 February? In which case, if you're expecting to be hopefully into a normal shoe after Thursday I think you are being extremely optimistic as this is only 14 days after your operation. I think you need to add at least a further 4 weeks at the very least before you can wear 'normal shoes' again. Your foot will be very swollen for many weeks to come. I only saw the veins through the skin of my operated foot at the beginning of week 10 and you'll soon understand that bending your foot to get it into a 'normal shoe' is not very easy as I'll be very surprised if you can manage this given bending the foot will be quite limited for some time to come. Have you been given any advice what to exspect from your consultant and hospital? I'd be more than a little surprised if you told me that you hadn't. You must take great care and not be in a hurry to get back to normal. I'm at week 12 now and still have quite a lot of stiffness. But, I'm just taking each day as it comes. I was told the recovery for hallux valgus surgery is a long process. Patience is required in shed loads. Get yourself a shed!! I suspect the reason why your stitches have popped is possibly because you've not been resting with your foot elevated which is an absolute requirement after this surgery to aid reducing the swelling, throbbing and general recovery. Take on board what I'm saying. Please. For your own sake. Otherwise you'll still be in bandages this time next year.

Yep, I am 100% sure I will be in a normal (all be it wide shoe) from Thursday, 2 weeks post op.

I have followed instructions to the letter, rested with feet up all bar toilet visits. I am able (and allowed) to fully weight bear for short distances. The foot is a little stiff, but I am able to move it well. It's just in a light bandage with a boot for walking. It's almost pain free, with the swollen toe being the only source of discomfort.

I don't know if it makes any difference, but i'm 30 and in the UK.

Emma, my doctor told me not be alarmed if I saw a little bit of blood. My doctor used dissolving sutures, both internal and external. I had no bleeding but experienced so much swelling at the incision site, it felt like the sutures would pull loose.

I had a double osteotomy using the ludloff method/plate. I was walking with a heel boot on day two and driving at two weeks; however resting, elevating, and icing at the correct intervals. I could have worn a shoe at that point if I could find one wide enough but my foot was too swollen to attempt it. So I opted to wear the boot and driving shoe for two more weeks.

Glad to hear your experience is similar to mine. Good luck!

Quick update for you.

2 weeks today since my scarf and akin surgery. X ray shows healing well, so bandage off and wound looks great. I'm now in a normal shoe (Well trainers) and can slowly start resuming normal activities!

I have exercises and stuff to do, but after the first couple of days, I couldn't ever imagine being where I am now :D

I am 3.5 weeks post surgery. I had one foot operated on - big toe joint cleaned out, and oasteotomy, tendon taken from forefooot and used arounf that joint to replace lost cartilage, 2 toes pinned and small bony growth on little toe removed.

The pain has not been an issue, but I can't even now walk around more than 5 minutes withut it aching and needing to be elevated.

I was given very little instructions from my surgeon, a podiatric surgeon, but he thought I would be back to work as a rep ( with a lot of walking in my job) at the 3-4 week mark.

I tried going back at the 3 week mark, and it was hopeless.

I am better now than a wek ago, but this is frustratingly slow recovery.

2 days ago I started going to gym to do weights only, but what is normally a 5 minutes walk took 20 muntes as I am so slow and it felt really sore afterwards so I have stopped going.

I know everyone's surgery is different and the tendons take longer to heal than bones I believe , but has anyone has such a slow recovery as this?

I defi itely won't be going ahead with the 2nd foot as planned, probably never, and at this stage I regret doing it at all.

by the way, for the first 10 days I elevated and iced all the time and still regularly do it but not so often lying down , which is much better, as the foot needs to be above the heart.