Hello! I had a Weil's Osteotomy of 2nd metatarsal together with a repair to torn plantar plate and ligament. This was 3 weeks ago. I am non-weightbearing for at least 3 more weeks until I return to doctor. Have been using ice therapy machine and spending lots of time in bed with leg elevated. Foot still pretty swollen and painful in the ball of the foot and on top at incision site. I'm worried because I stumbled on my crutches a few days ago and landed all my weight on this foot. It is bandaged and I was in a surgical shoe. Hoping I didn't damage anything. Would appreciate hearing how others have fared following this surgery and what recovery time was. Thanks!
Hi, just saw this, I had similar surgery to yours together with tendon lengthening on my second toe. I had a hammer toe, but it was not too bent so they just lengthened the tendon, I did not have a pin put in or anything in the toe, but I had the osteotomy to help ball of foot pain, the pain I had was awful like walking on a stone, so they did the osteotomy in the hope it will give me some relief.
I had it done In October 2016, and so far so good, I've worn trainers or fit flops for most of the time and small heels but not anything higher yet as I'm a bit wary. I had an extremely swollen foot for several months but that has improved a lot and it looks a lot better, and so far I'm not getting the sharp pain on the bottom of my foot like I used to so that's better.
Thank you for the reply. I also had a tendon cut and stretched and threaded through the bone to anchor the 2nd toe because I had torn the ligament holding it in place. I'm doing much better but still have swelling and nerve sensations that are annoying. Pain is much better and I'm walking better. Am just ready to be normal and be able to wear flats again instead of only tennis shoes. So at 5 months post-op for you - how close to normal are you? Swelling? Nerve sensations? Pain from walking?
Hi phoebekins. well I'd say my foot swelling is more or less completely down...( my foot was so swollen for the first few weeks after I got the bandage off I was quite shocked) now though it's back to my normal shape foot... unless both my ankles are swollen because I've been on my feet too long then I'd say my operated foot is a bit more puffy than the other one which I think is to be expected. I could not get normal shoes on for ages, but now can get some on, I've worn ankle wedge boots but the heel is not high, I'm a bit too wary yet to venture over 1.5 / 2 inch heels. I've tried to walk on my tip toes and I can do it carefully on my operated foot but I do it gently as obviously all the weight is going on the ball of your foot . My toe where the tendon was cut is still a quite a bit swollen though, compared to the other toes, and whilst I can move it ok I do not have the same movement completely in it as I did before but I think that happens when the tendon is cut. I can live with this if I don't have the ball of foot pain as it was this that I could not cope with.
Ive not much pain while walking now, I overdid it way too much before Christmas and my foot was throbbing and I worried I'd damaged my foot but I think it was just being on my feet too much after the op. They say you take six weeks to recover, but I'd say it's only now the last month or so my foot has looked normal. Another thing is I used to have very hard skin/callous on the ball of my foot under the second toe, I don't have this now, the consultant said this was because the pressure on the second metatarsal is now a lot less. Having said all that I have not been out walking on a higher heel for hours or shopped with higher heels or boots so maybe time will tell whether that has improved too. Before my operation when this all started about 6 years ago I had to stop wearing heels so much as the pain was unbearable , I tried everything insoles,, reflexology, yoga toe stretchers, foot soaks, metatarsal pads and began to wear flatter shoes but by last year even flat shoes and even my trainers began to give me pain, so they agreed to this operation.
I did read that it takes 7 months to a year for the foot to be completely healed, though I'd imagine everyone is different I think I've seen more improvement in the past month or two than the first few, and I think that's since the swelling has came down a lot. I sometimes soak my feet in Epsom salts and that seems to help.
i don't have much nerve pain now I did get that before around the scar site but that seems to have gone too. At the moment I think it's been a success
Hi, Lizbet - glad to know your swelling is almost completely resolved. You're a couple of months ahead of me, and the swelling is the main thing driving me crazy still. I will try the Epsom salts. I really appreciate all the info you shared with me. It helps to hear progress from a real patient rather than just my doctor's estimates if when I should reach certain stages. And, of course, he is not nearly as concerned as I am if I have to wear tennis shoes to a very nice event because that's all I can get on! Hope you continue on the road to 100% recovery. Many thanks for the help.
Hi Phoebekins ... your very welcome, it's very frustrating when you don't see much improvement or are not sure what stage you should be at. My consultant said recovery will be about 6 weeks, I thought I'd be back in heels and dancing by Christmas ...well haha 😀That didn't happen. He obviously meant you can walk about more easy at 6 weeks, but that's about it. I understand what your saying about footware I've so wanted to wear my heels but I'm very wary, ive lived in trainers and fit flops this past 5/6 months ( though the first month I had to wear old trainers that were a size bigger as I could not get anything else on due to swelling. I'm hoping soon I can try out a heel even now and again .
Yes do try the Epsom salts I bought a big 5kg bag online, dissolve a good cup full in hot water and soak your feet for 20/30 mins, it def helps with the swelling I think. I also bought an ice pack online like an ice pouch with a lid you fill it with ice and that helped the swelling too.
i also took a photo of my foot every month or so, just to see if I could see an improvement, as it's annoying if you think things are not getting better. I've enclosed a pic of my foot the pic on the left is just after I got my stiches out in middle of October last year and the one on the right was taken in the middle of February this year.... there's a good difference, though it's still a bit more swollen than my other foot but then my other foot has not been operated on .
Best of luck to you for a speedy recovery and nice footwear soon
Lizbet x
Hi, Lizbet - you have come a long way in terms of swelling since your surgery! I have, too - I just thought I'd be totally back to normal after 3 months. The nerve sensations are really driving me crazy lately. I did try the Epsom salts one evening, and my swelling looked pretty good the next morning. I just haven't made the time to do it again. I feel like my whole life has been revolving around my foot! Especially with physical therapy 3 times a week. Am happy that I'm finishing it up this week. Will just need periodic "tune-ups" to be sure everything continues to move correctly. Are you worried that you'll need this surgery on your other foot? Sometimes my left foot hurts under that 2nd metatarsal head, too - but the thought of going through this again leaves me reeling. Ugh!!!
Hi Phoebekins, well yes that has crossed my mind, though at the moment the other foot seems ok. I have to say I'm going to be a bit more careful about what I wear on my feet, and hope to prevent this happening to my other foot. Though my consultant said it was the way my foot was shaped or something and that the heads of the metatarsal bones pointing down more and were more prominent and therefor this was why I got the horrendous ball of foot pain. Don't know if that makes sense 😀 but yes it was a far bigger deal than I thought when then said they would operate, I thought I'd have a wee plaster/band aid on for a few weeks the. I'd be sorted haha... I came out of theatre with a massive bandage around my entire foot and it took ages to feel better .
My main issue now is my toe that they lengthened the tendon in, it tends to still look swollen a bit and does not always touch the ground like the rest of my toes. I've read about floating toes after tendon lengthening and it's not as bad as that but I'm currently binding that toe next to my other toe to make it lie flatter in the hope that if I do this every day it will resolve.
You certainly don't appreciate your feet until you have problems with them I think haha.
That's for sure, Lizbet! I will never take my feet for granted again! And my doctor had me wear a toe splint for a few weeks to keep that second toe down. It's just a black fabric thing where one piece wraps around your foot and the other around your toe with a strip behind it that velcroes to the band on the foot and anchors the toe down in place. You could probably get one on-line.
Thanks for that Phoebe, I will look into that toe splint to keep the toe in place
lizbet x
Hello! I am scheduled to have this surgery the first week of October. I'm wondering how you both are doing now? How is the swelling, the pain? Are you able to wear heels? What about activity level?
Thanks!!
Hi Lizbet! I am scheduled to have this surgery the first week of October. I'm wondering how you both are doing now? How is the swelling, the pain? Are you able to wear heels? What about activity level? It has been so helpful to read about your journey. I'm terrified about doing this, but I've been battling this pain for three years - orthotics, padding, stretches, injections, nsaids, increasingly more orthopedic shoes, you name it!
I hope you have had success, and look forward to hearing from you!
Cathy
Thanks!!
Hi, Texcat - My surgery was December 1st, so it's been 9 months. I still have a tiny bit of swelling, which I only notice because some shoes I used to wear are a bit tighter over the top of my foot. I followed all doctor instructions, especially to keep my foot elevated and iced post-surgery and to minimize activity. I also faithfully completed physical therapy and all home exercises. I can walk for miles, I can jog - I can do any activity. I do have some stiffness, and sometimes some soreness if I've done a lot. But most of the nerve sensations are gone, and I slowly am better and better. I have worn a low heel, but I really only wear flats. I have the same anatomy on my other foot and am not inclined to exacerbate it and have surgery again. Best of luck to you! It is no fun, but it is worth it to walk pain-free again.
Oh, I'm so glad that it has worked so well for you! Thank you so much for posting your progress. I figured no news was good news. it's been a very difficult decision to make for me, and hearing a success story make sure it a little easier. Best of luck to you for continued healing and a pain-free foot - on both sides!
How you doing.? I had the same surgery 2.5 months ago. I am doing good but still a lot of pain if I walk too much. I am a nurse and am not able to be on my feet for 8-10 hours yet. They can only hold my job for 3 months, my time is up in 2 weeks, I told them I didn't see any way I would be ready to go back in 2 weeks. Can't believe I will lose my job. How long was it before you went back to Work? How do you feel now?
Hi, Sbart - I am just fine now and have been for months but am not sure I would have been able to be comfortably on my feet for 10 hours a day just 3 months post-op. I am retired so did not have a work deadline looming. Have you completed physical therapy? Mine went a bit past the 3 month surgery mark and that's what really helped me. Plus some laser treatments for swelling that my doctor had. They made a huge difference about 2 or 2 1/2 months post op. Do you have good orthotics from your doctor to put in tennis shoes? That helps a lot with walking pain free. Maybe taking a short walking boot (like the post-surgical boot) to put on if the pain gets worse towards the end of the day would help you get by at first? Good luck!
I hate to hear that, Sbart. I'm a nurse too, but I have a desk job now, so I am hoping I will be in a little better position to handle this surgery. I am quite terrified that maybe I should just keep muddling through the pain for a while longer, rather than getting surgery. I'm scared I may make things worse. My doctor has said there will not be any physical therapy. Is this something I should be concerned about?
Hello all! I am new to this forum! My mom recently had the osteotomy of the second metatarsal for toe capsilitis. She had the surgery done on the 17th of November, so it's been a month. She is in a lot of pain and the swelling has only gone down a little bit. She gets stabbing pain on the side and top of her foot. She has taken pain pills and it's not helping much. It's hard for her to sleep and her calf even hurts some too. Has anyone else experienced this? Or does anyone have any pain coping ideas? She gets the pin removed in 5 days. THANKS FOR ANY HELP!
Hi Christina, when I had mine done, I spent a lot of time on the couch elevating my foot above my heart level. I didn't have a whole lot of swelling. I took Vicodin at night for pain. I had a guard on my foot and that seemed to cause more pain than my surgery in the beginning. I felt a ton better after my pin came out and I could take off the guard. I had shooting pains also on the top of my foot up to my ankle. If she has pain along the outside of her foot she may need to stretch her tendons out some. Pain in the calf and swelling could indicate a blood clot ( I happen to be an RN) . Is her doctor aware of this? If not let him know.
Hi all I'm new to this too. Reading your posts has been really helpful, thank you, particularly this one from phoebekins. I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of Feb 2018, very nervous!My metatarsal problems are fall-out from bunion surgery 45 yrs ago & the plan is to have osteotomies of toes 2,3 and 4 on the left foot. I know it's getting worse & restricts what I do, but I'm not in continual agony, only after walking a distance and with certain movements, and I can't do impact exercise like running/skipping. I'm due to retire (I'm 60) this May and plan to be a lot more active than in my current sedentary job, eg outdoor volunteering, more walking, gardening etc and I feel I should just get it over and done with. Hence I'm nervous, & don't want to shoot myself in the foot (haha) - am I mad to have the surgery? The good thing is I'll have the time to recover. I know it's my decision ultimately but any thoughts would be gratefully received, thank you!