Which procedure allows you to walk ASAP?

Foot care
1

Hello!

I am a teacher with moderate bunions. I need to get bunion surgery at some point within the next few years because I constantly experience extreme pain after being on my feet all day. I have been doing some research on different procedures, and it seems that some types allow you to walk sooner than others. I even found a doctor (Dr. Neal Blitz) in New York City who developed a "bunionplasty" procedure and promises to have you up and walking within two weeks (in a surgical shoe, of course).

Has anyone been informed of a procedure that allows mobility ASAP? (By mobility, I mean restricted walking. I do not expect to be walking in normal shoes or for long distances for a few weeks, regardless of the procedure.)

Thank you!

2

Hi. I ve had both feet done, separately, in the last year.  Both times I was up and walked out of hospital in two hours in a heel walking shoe with crutches.  I had a scarf osteotomy

3

Hi, I have had the same op as Clarrisabelle, last week, but both feet at the same time. I

think one of the most important things post op is elevation of the foot/feet to keep the

swelling and pain down and aid recovery. All types of bunion surgery seem to involve

trauma to the foot. I would say it's really important to give your feet sufficient time to heal to achieve the best result. I can't imagine that it would be possible to take short cuts with this type of surgery, not that this is Dr Blitz's intention. Does he have any online reviews? I have seen these on the net for other bunion surgeons.

As I keep telling myself, all this will pass.

4

Hi

I'd be wary of hoping you will be able to walk sooner following certain bunion procedures. Your operation will involve either bone cutting or bone realignment. You may be able to put pressure on your foot earlier, but the bone will take at least 6 weeks to heal and the pull of gravity will result in swelling at the base of the joint Anti inflammatories and ice will help but you will find elevating the foot a necessity. As an ex teacher the thought of working before 8 weeks would not be a pleasant one.

5

Good morning BMS2026.

So! You have mild bunions and you're a teacher and you want some info about meing mobile ASAP following surgery. Well, I would firstly suggest you visit your GP to discuss and then he/she will assess and decide on you seeing an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in foot and ankle surgery ( I am assuming that you live in the UK as I do).  I had surgery on 27 November 2013 in Bradford to corect a bunion which was of substantial severity. I also had a hammertoe corrected ( the toe adjacent to the bunion toe) at the same time. It's 23 weeks since my surgery as of today I was in very firm bandages until 20 Janary 2014 Wearing a special heel wedge shoe from date of my surgery until 20 January when I transferred to a flat rigid sole shoe for a further two weeks. I commenced driving around 15 February2014. I did try a week or so before this date but the underneath of my bunion toe was very tender and I didn't feel able to control the clutch pedal satisfactorily. You need to be able to perform an emergency stop effectively and aso inform your car insurer that yo've had the surgery if you drive a manual vehicle. It doesn't apply if your car is an automatic.

Can I suggest that as each one of us is different that you refer to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital's website and read  its excellent 'A Patient's Guide to Bunions (Hallux Valgus) and Lesser Toe Deformities'.

I think the thing most important about the surgery you are contemplating is that whilst the surgery itself isn't life threatening it does have a very, very long recovery period. Much longer than for surgery such as hip and knee replacement. You have to keep the weight off your fot and elevate it above the level of your groin in order to help keep the swelling reduced. And there will be significant swelling. There will be a lot of throbbing to the foot if it is not kept elevated. And the elevation will help with the wound healing process. You will probably need to use crutches for a few weeks also. The meanest of tasks such as standing and brushing my teeth was the amount of time Icould stand before the throbbing sensation would begin. This decreases after a couple of weeks but continues if you're on your feet for many more weeks for periods of more than a few minutes.

I gradually experimented with my shoes and could only wear 3 pairs for about 4 weeks. Partly due to the presence of the swelling and the bend you need to lever your foot into shoes is uncomfotable to start with and also very stiff. But, the foot has undergone significant trauma and so this is no great surprise.

Having scared the wits out of you with all the above I can in all honesty say that I have no regrets about having had the surgery even though I still am getting some discomfort on the ball of my big toe but this is due to two little sesamoid bones which have not yet settled down after the surgery. I am however, walking about very well and can wear just about every pair of my vast shoe collection comfortably. I DO NOT WEAR HEELS!.

The severe pain I was warned I'd experience following the surgery did not happen in my case. As already mentioned I had the intense throbbing but no pain as such.

So having been brutally honest you have to now make a decision.

Good Luck with that!

Also, do remember that to rush back to work will be a mistake. You will have days when you feel your foot is totally fine but once you start to move around it will very likely become very hot and start to throb.

I am lucky in that I am retired and can sit down and raise up my foot at my convenience when required.

As soon as you enter thet school you'll be expected to function as though you haven't any problems and demands on you will be made.

Some people regard bunion surgery as something and nothing and trivial. However, the reality is somewhat different as I have already tried to make you aware.

Good Luck,

Gillian

6

Further to what Gillian has told you, my surgeon told me that a bunionectomy is like having a back op, but on your foot. I'm now 7 weeks post op and still cannot be on my feet for long - I had a chevron osteotomy and a very mild bunion.