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Swollen foot worse!

Posted , 3 users are following.

barbara00055
barbara00055

hi I'm nearly five weeks and my foot seems to be constantly tight and swollen, all over from toes to ankle, it feels worse than in the past few weeks.  Any suggestions to make it feel better?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • star1456
    star1456 barbara00055

    Posted

    Hi Barbara

    Sorry to hear you still have s lot of swelling.

    Don't despair it does take a long time for swelling to go down . All you can do is ice and elevate and every hour for a few minutes rotate your ankles first clockwise then anti clockwise.

    After 8 weeks I still get swelling so it's not unusual.

    Hope it will start getting less swollen soon.

  • Stella07970
    Stella07970 barbara00055

    Posted

    Hi Barbara I'm also almost 5 weeks after scarf and akin, so not sure how this compares with your op, but I have learned my lesson re. doing too much and since keeping my foot elevated all the time including in bed and only walking 5 mins max on my heel in the special shoe. Also its important to do the excersises for both your foot as a whole and the big toe (if you have been given any by your surgeon/physio). Bones need to be kept still, but joints need to be kept flexible... thats the challenge! 

    The BIGGEST thing that helped me is to have a lymph drainage massage which will help move the fluids away from your foot and up to the drainage point in your knee. I also took a homeopathic medicine called cleevers which helps lymph drainage. Also use ice (I have a couple of those wine cooler tubes in the freezer which can go over your foot) for short periods of time. 

    If you dont want to go to these lengths you could just use some moisturiser and gently massage it into your foot - not on the scars - always moving along your foot towards your ankle and then up your ankle towards your knee.

    Hope this helps! Keep me posted : )

    • barbara00055
      barbara00055 Stella07970

      Posted

      Hi Stella, thanks for info.  I was really good and kept my foot up most of the time in first three weeks, but then the dressing came off and I weaned myself off the wedge shoe to a Teva Sandal which is very supportive.  Since then I've spent less time with my feet up, it's not done my back any good and I've out in weight.   Friday I went shopping without the wheel chair and think ove er done it.   This evening I've taken people's advice and put my foot up high again, Im using cold packs that I put in freezer. But still not too good it started going up back of leg, so just now I put one of those white socks from hospital on my leg and foot. Feels more supportive.  I will look into those ideas, where did you get the massage done and where might I find the cleavers?
    • Stella07970
      Stella07970 barbara00055

      Posted

      You can get Cleavers on amazon I don't think they will put up this reply if I put the link in so just look online and you'll see your google search will chuck up loads of info re lymphatic and the benefits of cleavers etc. I got the massage from a holistic centre where they offer all kinds of alternative health and different kinds of massage - if you find one near you just call them and tell them why you want it so they give you the correct practitioner. 

      You are DEFFO overdoing it! Keep that leg up at all times except to go to bathroom or make a cup of tea! Its a really frustrating but better and quicker in the long run. My surgeon said he had only one failure in 10 years and thats because the person didn't wear the shoe or continue to elevate til 6 weeks...it takes 6 weeks for your bones to fuse back together and 6 months to fully set...

      Sorry to go on but take care of youself and be kinder to your poor foot! x

    • barbara00055
      barbara00055 Stella07970

      Posted

      Thanks again.  When I last saw my surgeon at 4 weeks, to pull out the k wire pin from middle hammer toe, he said ok to wear my Teva active sandals and to now gradually get back to normal activities.  I must admit the sandals are better than the wedge shoe as having uneven walking height upset the arthritis in my back.  But I think the activity thing is wrong.  I must remember how long ago I had the op and continue with the raising of my foot.  Maybe a stool next to my art painting or sewing.  If I don't do that sort of thing I'll go mad!  Have you put on weight? I've an extra 5 lbs to lose somehow, not sure how if I can't get active sad.  I'll look up those ideas, did find on YouTube how to do the lymphatic drain massage yourself, so started that last night. My foot feels a bit better this morning, but there is a pain in calf when I walk.  If it's all there tomorrow I'm going to doctors.
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