I would appreciate any advice that anyone has to offer. I had the scarf and akin procedure undertaken on my left foot in May 2015. The surgery was performed by an NHS orthopaedic surgeon. I had a preexisting hammer toe of my second toe. Following surgery, the advice was two weeks non weight bearing, foot elevation and pain relief. To be honest the pain wasn't too bad. I was then advised to heel walk in a flat surgical shoe for 6-8 weeks. I wasn't offered physio, crutches or exercises. After 12 days I saw the surgeon and the dressing was removed. There are three screws in the big toe that are permanent. He said the wound was healing nicely and to wear a foot splint for 12 weeks, he would review me again in 12 weeks. My problem is my big toe and 2nd toe do not touch the floor, I have a massive gap between the big and second toe. I am experiencing a stretching pain under the second toe, which is a great discomfort. My big toe is numb, but I did expect this. The ball of my foot is swollen and bruised. There doesnt appear to be signs of infection. I am now six weeks post op and I feel despondent that my foot looks more disfigured than pre surgery, more painful. It isn't possible to put on my usual wide fit shoe, I feel like my foot would break as it is so rigid if I tried to put on the shoe. HELP is this normal or do I need to ask for a review, I dont want to be a wimp
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.
Thank you, thats abit more reassuring. Does your big toe touch the floor? I fear it may never happen. I am supposed to be having the second foot in a couple of weeks, but felt I needed advice about this one first. Do you work, i was hoping to return to work at the end of august. We are all individuals and recover differently but there are stories about people running around after 6 weeks. Thank you and good luck with your second recovery.
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,my left foot toe still not touching the floor but it is movoving but still stiff.
Ihave been off work for 18 weeks ,i would have been able to go back maybe at 16 weeks but they knew i had other op to come so said not to bother just get strong for nxt one.I too have noticed some people seem to be up and about so quickly but we are all diffrent and i would not have been able to go back to work until about 16weeks as it was so very painful walking ,i had a horrible limp.My doctor said everyone is different but most of the people she had seen with this surgery all took a long time to recover.The occupational health also said the same. Maybe if i was a teenager it would have been different lol!!
Thanks for your reply, its really good to have these blogs and to be reassured. I have a sheet of exercises that a friend gave to me. She had the surgery in a different area. I do them religiously and because the surgeon didnt offer them to me, you sometimes think you may be doing more harm than good. One of the exercises is picking up a tissue with your toes, well I dont have a prayer of that! But I am sure it will come with time. I am probably slightly more concerned because the second op is imminent. Ill speak to the surgeon on the day of the second surgery. My main concern is the big toe going down, the massive V between the toes and the overstretching underneath. I understand what you mean about the stiffness. Im feeling anxious too but as you say its a waiting game. Just need it to be ok for the end of August to resume work. Thanks for your advice and good luck with your recovery,
You are right we are all different. I feel that if I had the op a few years ago prior to getting complications, hammertoes etc then recovery would have been quicker. From experience my advice would be get them sorted as early as possible before complications set in. Thanks again, all the best
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!
Thanks Barbara I m pleased that you are recovering, yes it good news to hear from Shoan doing so well at 18 weeks, its just patience really. I cant put a sock,on at the minute, I ve tried a bigger one too, because it causes a tightening sensation in my foot. I hope all goes well with your next appointment. Good luck
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?
Thanks Alice, its good to hear everyone elses experiences. Im actually wearing a darco splint, it wraps around the foot, there are loops that pull the toes down and held in place by velcro, so whilst I am wearing this for 12 weeks, it will have to remain in the surgical shoe. I did anticipate being off 8 weeks, but due to the second surgery, this will be one period of sickness and recovery all in one go, thats why I am so anxious to know that this foot is recovering 'normally' I feel as you do that of I tried to put my foot in any shoe, it would compromise the healing process. I feel that he has taken my big toe too far to the right. It would be good to know what advice you are given next week, good luck
Hello. I am in Tasmania Australia. I had double bunion surgery 3 months ago. Its been the hardest thing I have ever done. I am walking a bit better but worried about my rught foot. My big toe seems to be bending towards to other toes and because of this my second toe is so squashed I have a bone starting to stick out. It also feels like I have a very tight shoe on. Even when I don't have shoes on. Wondering if anyone is having this issue.
Hello. My bunion/ hammertoe surgery was Feb 13 and I am only now relieved of pain and swelling. I had physical therapy as well. I also developed a ball under my toe and was told it was scar tissue. It was treated with a compound ointment and cross friction, a type of rubbing and pressing on it. I also practiced picking up marbles with my toes and was told to manually press the joint of my big toe down. This whole process was way longer and intense than I imagined. Good luck to you
Hi Toni, pleased to hear that you have done so well. Are you in the UK, what is compound ointment? I might try the marble exercise, i tried it with a tissue, but cant do it as yet, not so worried about that. The splint that I was given works whilst it is in place, but as soon as I remove it, the toes revert back leaving a huge gap. Like you say its a long process, thanks for your story, much appreciated.
Hello Den.
Everything you describe sounds perfectly normal to me.
I had left foot hallux valgus correction together with 2nd hammertoe fusion November 2013 and then my bunion on my right foot corrected in October 2014.
My bunion toe and the hammertoe were standing proud of the floor and I worried about this. The bunion toe has now adopted a more normal position but because of the nature of the ammertoe surgery this toe will now never ben and does stand a bit proud still. The bones in the hammertoe have been fused as I was told they would. Thjis is absolutely no problem and I have no discomfort from it or the bunion toe.
I seemed to be sailing along very well but then got the most awful pain/discomfort below the big toe joint and I got very down hearted about the whole thing. However, my surgeon told me that what I was experiencing was discomfort from the Sesamoid bones. There are several and as the bunion is developing the alignment of the foot interferes with these tiny little bones and really we don't know about this until after we've had hallux valgus /bunion surgery and the toe is then re-positioned and the Sesamoid bones have to also find their proper place again. Hence the discomfort. Anyhow, if you vigorously massage this area during bathing and regularly each day the condition should get resolved. Mine did. My surgeon ( again , like you on the NHS) told me that there are a few procedures to alleviate this condition if it doean't improve. One involves removal of the sesamoid bone(s). I haven't needed this.
I am sure that you will see improvement but, it is rather disheartening when everything appears to be going along nicely and then things seem to be taking a backwards route.
I am sure this is not the case and that merely as you regain more of your mobility and spend more time on your feet this is when these niggly silly things start to be apparent.
Take it from me, I am now practically back 100% to my pre-bunion condition with this foot. My right foot still has a little way to go. But I am confident that in a few more months I shall see this return to almost pre-op standard.
I found some Waldlaufer Holly training shoes which have proved to be an absolute Godsend. I like to go walking but found my usual walking boots a bit awkward to get onto my feet and wear with comfort for quite a long time and then, passing a shoe shop near where I live, I spotted thge Waldlaufers.
I wear them almost all the time around the house and when just pottering about ( although I wear my other ordinary shoes which are all flats anyway when I'm going out and want to look a bit smarter).
Re the numbness. My left big toe is still very slightly numb on the top but my right big toe is still quite numb but I know this is improving. So, I guess it will all soon recover.
Re the disfigurement. You are certainly not a wimp.
I think the key is to not try and expect to wear your normal shoes before your foot tells you it is ready to have them on. Your foot will be quite stiff or very stiff and this will in time improve. The worse thing you could do would be to force a shoe on when the foot is reluctant to bend.
The bend will return but this may be avery slowly.
You do not say what gender you are but, I found my ballet flat shoes were the easiest to get on as they don't come too far up the foot and therefore you don't have to get the foot to bend too much.
Take care,
Good Luck!
Gillian
Hi Pauline, it is difficult, its major surgery to the foot. I think you are very brave having both together, not sure I would have managed that. My big toe is going away from the others. I think the tightening maybe part of the healing process. My foot tightened more when I put a sock on, so I stopped wearing them for the minute. Looking at all these stories, I think recovery is longer for some more than others. Do you have a follow up appointment, good luck
hello Den. Yes I have a follow up tomorrow so hopefully they can tell me if it's ok. Thoughout this whole experience I have not been very imformed by what to expect. So hopefully my recovery is going ok. I am worried about the sensation I have. Lets hope they can reassure me. I shell update tomorrow.
Hi Gillian, thanks for your reply. Ill take tour advice and do the massage. I suppose we all have set backs and now its great that you are back on the road to full recovery. You are right the niggles do start the more you do and the more time on your feet. During the first two weeks bed rest, I thought it was going to be easy, because I didnt experience much pain at all, I was a little optimistic! I willlook up the waldlaufers, I've not heard of them. I'm female, so when I'm ready for shoes Ill take your advice on the ballets too. Thanks Gillian and good luck
Good luck and yes please update on what the consultant says
I am 30 weeks from scarf op and I can tell you that the joint is still large, larger and deeper than before. And I can say that the toe is still numb, the upward facing side...... Although numb it's still painful if you see what I mean, it's a very slow recovery for some. I still cannot get into a lot of my shoes.... So you have to accept a long time for improvements. I try massaging it every day and exercises, I think it helps, but I think that it's as good as it's ever going to be. .... But I also had arthritis in the foot so can't expect a miracle....