hi today makes 2 weeks since k had a lapidus.I'm non weight bearing for 6 weeks and I can now get my incision wet. I've also been told to start stretches on my big toe and ankle rotations as well as picking things up with my toes.I've only done ankle stretches since my appointment where the Dr showed me what to do and since then my big toe has been so sore and my ankle is very swollen feeling. is this normal and should I wait for less pain before doing more stretching? it is a dull pain but hurts very bad at times and especially when moved.
I remember the shock of having to do this, quite frankly it hurts like hell. I was told "if it doesn't hurt you are not doing it right". I am 7 months on and this is my second lapidus I had the first done 1 year 7 months ago, in other words a year apart so feel I have a good bit of knowledge. If you don't do the exercises you will be like I was the first time and have to have another operation for aggressive manipulation and that was 6 months after the first and under general anaesthetic. I know it hurts but try and move the toe back and forth as much as you can stand it and just build on that. Once you are out of your boot cast do squats with your toes almost on tip toe. I firmly believe that 7 months is the magical phase after lapidus when it all returns to normal but honestly not without a bit of painful exercise, no pain no gain. There is light at the end of the tunnel just give yourself time and don't expect immediate miracles but hey you will get ere in he end.
I've only been told to rotate my ankle i couldn't even think of moving my big toe yet as it would be far to painful don't know this is the norm but not taking any chances yet to be honest I'm terrified of doing more damage.
my ankle was getting a lot more flexibility back but for some reason today for a couple hours it was absolutely torture.I'm wondering if I maybe tried too much too soon with my ankle.my toe hurts from the Dr bending it but its not as bad.maybe I should hold off for more until tomorrow.
me too! I didn't move my toe yet my Dr grabbed Jr and pulled it forward lol the toe didn't hurt it was stiff and mostly felt weirs.it probably be another thing doing it myself I'm sure.it's scary seeing your incision and having to bend a the by it. but my Dr assures me by saying you can't do anything to undo the surgery at this point unless something fell on my foot or it for slammed down.k keep telling myself that when I'm nervous about damage but man my ankle is not enjoying the stretching! I'll take it slow.thankful I'm doing PT in 4 weeks it will help.what week are you on?
Nemo
i still can't pick things up with my toes - never could. My surgeon thought that was stupid, and so did my physio. But, I'm back to the stage where I can 'pray' with my feet - toes together, heels together, knees together so that's back to normal. I'll have to try writing with them again, which I could do previously. But I am having great problems with being able to sit on my
heels. And, no, I'm 10 months in, and still not back to normal.
i still hurt. And as the exercises have been forgotten about, as I'm a full time worker and they are hard to fit into a normal working day, ive started a few up again. You will hurt, and at 2 weeks your bones have not fused together and will not do for anothe 4 weeks. So be very careful!
take it slowly until the 6 week mark, and don't mess it up, you'll have the rest of your life to reflect on your actions.
patience, Nemo, patience.
caroline
I'm on week 2 getting my stitches out tomorrow I'm sure the surgeon will let me know what is safe for me to do .
I'm getting like lecky shocks on the bottom of my foot if i stretch my leg very strange sensation 😨
All the exercises really start at 6 weeks
That's good to hear Rosie as i thought i was doing something wrong
i get those too.not when i stretch my leg but just in general.its like random static shocks. from what ive read and have been told that is totally normal and is from the nerves knitting themselves together and healing.it comes and goes.for me it makes me kick my foot or i get toe spasms.its werid.did you have a lapidus as well?
so sorry to hear youre still having pain caroline.have you ever seen your dr again to see if there is a reason why healing has been so tough or is it just because of the severity of surgery? and yes i am trying to be careful.i learned that today after my ankle really swelled up.very glad i have a dr who encourages physcial therapy
thats what my dr said but i need to check with them again because i was told call the PT now to make an appt but they said come on in for a consoltation and range of motion can be shown to me. i will need to double check with my dr first.i trust my dr more lol
Always best to check with the consultant or their team , they are the ones that know best as they have looked at your X Ray's and know what stage you are at. If you do what you are told you will be fine. I was given toe motion exercises from 2 weeks and as I've said it hurts like hell but all the exercises are to ensure you have flexibility but the real fun starts once the boot comes off. As far as ankle pain is concerned, this is normal and will continue for some time as your ankle is so weak from the boot added to which all the nerves in your foot have been affected. Good luck to you all.
Think i had a scarf Osteotomy
I also had my metatarsal shortened as i felt like i had a pebble under the ball of my foot very painful.
Had my stitches out today and wiggled my big toe and toes so don't feel as venerable .
I am an area manager so do a lot of driving so i have asked for an automatic car when i go back to work but I'm not planning going back to work for at least 2 months as i want it to heal as best it can .
yes good idea in not going back to work right away.give yourself time to heal.I go back to work in 7 weeks.are you weight bearing?
yeah the only exercises I've been given were pulling big the forward and back and ankle movements and sitting on a chair and to try sliding my feet and freezing a water bottle and sliding my foot over it in the floor
I only had my stitches out today but the doc said i should start to walk on it and just use one crutch which I'm shocked with really as i thought it would be another week or so before i could put some weight on it
wow that does seem fast.well that's good though! let me know how that goes and if there's pain.hope it goes well!
There are some great YouTube videos on post-op bunionectomy PT exercises Nemo. Each day I can bend and move my toe more and more. The first 3 days were uncomfortable but it's fine now. Stick with it daily. My surgeon said this is the crucial time. If things aren't done correctly the first few months, it can really make things extra difficult down the road.
Susan,
Did you have any hardware place in your toes? In which toe did you have the stiches. these stiches help to correct the problem in this area.
The dr he did the surgery never told me what he was going to do even though I asked him. The only thing he told me was that he was going to put a pin on my second toes (hammer toe) that will dissolve with time. After the surgery, 4 weeks or so later, I went to have removed the stiches he did in the second toe. Last X rays he took in his office after 9 weeks of the surgery I asked him why my big toe was getting curvy as before and in the area of the bunion was as if the bunion was there he seemed upset and showed me in the x rays he just took me tha pins on the 2 toes and said that there were in the right place.
The next day after this visit, I had already an appt with my family dr. when she saw my foot in a bad condition, she sent me to have a set of x rays in the lab and in those x rays there are not pins nor hardware.
I am very surprised and confused.