Foot / Ankle :: Flatfoot Reconstruction Experience - 7 Weeks Post Op
Mar 4, 2016
I had my surgery 7 weeks ago and am finally in a boot and can walk again with the help of 1 crutch. I am driving and going to physical therapy 3x a week. The first 5 weeks were very hard not being able to put any weight on my foot. A knee scooter was a tremendous help. I was not In very much pain and got to go shopping and out to eat. Getting the cast off at 5 weeks was great. Hopefully the rest of my recouperation will be as easy.
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I will be having Flatfoot Reconstruction Surgery in May and am trying to get a handle on the recovery. I live in a small 1 bedroom apartment, ground floor, but with 2 semi-steep steps leading inside.
I'd love to know anyone's experience with steps/stairs after this type of surgery. Also am looking for a recommendation for a good foam wedge for foot elevation...and actually anything else you might want to share. I'm a bit overwhelmed at how arduous the recovery may be.
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I had reconstruction of my left foot. I am 7 1/2 weeks Post op. I was in the hospital for 4 days with a nerve block behind my knee and drugs through a pushbutton pump. pain was managed. I was sent home with perks and vicodin.
For the first week I was told to take the pain meds before I felt the pain which was every 4 hours. After the perks I was able to use vicaden, however I didn't like the vicodin so I went to tramadol. That was only for the first two weeks. My dr does not believe in hard drugs after that. I was in a cast for two week which was the worse for me😔I felt very confined and tight.
Went back to the Dr to only find out an additional 4 more weeks in the cast. Total of 8 weeks, I am now in a boot an able to bear 1/3 of my weight along with PT and exercises at home.Weight bearing is gradual. Takes 3 months for full weight bearing. It is a very long process with lots of patience.
My knee roller is a blessing.Before weight bearing I tried hopping on crutches and fell, please don't try that.
Be honest I haven't felt myself since surgery hope it's part of recovery...I would like to know if you feel not yourself yet after 7 weeks. I am the type of person that loves to run out every chance I get and sometimes I am not up to it because it's tons of work with the boot. I sincerely hope after 3 months I can work by myself. Let me know if anyone feels the same.
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I am currently 8 weeks post op from a very extensive flat foot reconstructive surgery . I was excited to start partial weight bearing this week starting w 25 percent in a boot.
My problem is I have sharp pains coming from the bottom of my heel which I am thinking may be from the screws from the calcaneal osteotomy. This is making it very difficult to put any pressure on my foot when weight bearing ?
Has anyone experienced this ? Did it go away on its own? Was there anything that helped this . I am afraid I will not be able to proceed the wt bearing with this continued heel pain.
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I am on week 4 after my surgery. I am wondering if there is anyone that could give me some hope. Right not walking of going PWB on my foot seems like light years away. I am having severe nerve pain and my foot still brings me to tears on occasion. I am taking Ibuprofen to help with the pain and down to two Percocet a day. When did you notice a huge improvement in your pain and will the pain be mostly gone by the time I go into my boot.
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3 months ago I got injuries at work, and at first didn't think it was bad... Fast forward to now. I'm almost 3 weeks post op for the ocd lesion in the round bone on my right ankle. My OS said it was a 12x7 lesion, and he done the debridement and microfracture. I fell on day 4 after surgery and landed on my right foot. I was put in a plaster cast on day 5. I fell again just a few days ago, and landed on recovering foot, since then i have had the a lot more pain, in the exact spot before the surgery and at the surgery site. Could these 2 falls in such a short time messed up the surgery? And what happens if the surgery doesn't work? All I want to do is get better so I can get to work, but I work at a factory and I stand on my feet 8 to 12 hours a day 6 to 7 days a week.
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I am just writing with the hope of getting some more help/assurance re the Gould brostrom (or as my letter has now pointed out Arthroscopic debridement and lateral ankle reconstruction - unsure if this is the same of different?) procedure which I am due to have in just over 2 weeks on the 22nd June.
I have been very unsure for a while now as to whether or not to go ahead with it but have decided to take the plunge, however I still have my doubts!
I injured my ankle initially around 5 years ago (ruptured ATFL showed up in MRI scan) and almost had the surgery back then, only to decide not to go ahead with it. Since then I have rolled over and sprained it on multiple occasions, and have felt it become increasingly weak to the point where I have very little confidence in its strength. When playing football I now wear lace up supports, which are strong enough to prevent the rolling, but obviously doesnt deal with the root cause and there is a still a feeling of achiness and limited movement. When not wearing my ankle supports I would say its at least a 50/50 chance I'm going to roll over on my ankle every time.
I can still run and go about my everyday life virtually without any issues (feel twinges but nothing major unless recently sprained) and the views of the consultants varied from the cautious 'maybe only have it if you're playing high level sport' ( which I'm not but just play football weekly for my local team), to saying yes I go for it as its clearly getting weaker and weaker and becoming more of a frustration.
I guess alongside asking for advice as to what to expect post op, I am also seeking assurance that by going ahead I am making the right decision (bearing in mind surgery is considered last resort and rehab process is lengthy).
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I feel I have been getting no help from foot doctor. Hopefully someone here can help. I am 13 weeks post op for tarsal tunnel and plantar fasciitis surgery. I have recently thrown my back out because I can not walk right. I am walking on part of my incision. It feels like it is going to rip open, burns and this part looks different from the rest of inclusion. My doctor is giving me ultrasound therapy on incision but it is not working. I asked to go to physical therapy but he does not believe in it. I am at wits end. Hurts foot to walk and walking makes my back feel better. I am not in any form of a cast. I am walking with sneakers that he recommended. No arch support because that is where incision is located. I am getting very depressed with summer here and I can not enjoy it. I do not see the doctor for 2 more weeks. Any advice or suggestions? I keep getting Vicodin for pain but I am afraid of getting addicted. Can not take Advil or anything in that family.
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If you used both crutches and a knee walker after surgery, how much did you depend on your crutches? I tried using crutches today for my upcoming surgery, and I don't think I can go more than 15 feet with them because of elbow problems.
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Disclaimer: If I ramble on and make absolutely no sense,
I blame my incoherence on the pain meds
Anyway, my second PTTD reconstruction is done! I had the exact same procedures on my left foot as I did on the right...FDL transfer, medializing calcaneal osteotomy, Evans calcaneal osteotomy, bone marrow aspiration, and Strayer procedure. The surgeon told my family that over two inches of the PTT was severely degenerated/beyond repair. Prognosis is a full recovery over the next 1 1/2 to 2 years.
Unfortunately, my nerve block didn't work as well this time; so, I woke up in pretty severe pain. The nurses were great and had the pain to a manageable point within a half hour. By the time I was discharged, I was able to take my first dose of oral pain meds...I was pretty comfortable on the ride home.
At this point, I am taking one oxycodone every 4 hours (down from 3 the first day) and think I will be able to start putting more space between doses tomorrow. The pain is not too bad as long as I stay "toes above nose."
Knowing what to expect in the days following surgery has definitely made these first few days smoother/less scary. Each day is one day closer to being active again!
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I think I saw this mentioned before, but do you have some helpful hints about sleeping after surgery? I'm a side sleeper with pillow between knees. It's about the only way I can sleep. Yea, it's probably not possible at the beginning. Also, did anyone put a "blanket support" at the footboard to hold the blankets and sheets off the foot?
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I had a modified brostrom ligament reconstruction back in October of 2013. I am still having a LOT of pain in my ankle. It is very much more stable now that it used to be... Before the surgery it was like every step it was close to popping out of place due to the ligament, however I still have severe pain in my ankle and shin... Does anyone else experience the same issue, and any advice on what I need to do? I called the OS and they recommended me going back to the brace and although that works, I would like to at some point be without the brace, because it hurts even with the darn brace on!!!! It just feels more protected while in the brace but it doesn't stop the pain from happening.... It aches like when you have the flu, I feel achy in the ankle all the time, but w/o the brace it HURTS about a 5 out of a 10.. I have a very high pain tolerance and would say the pain is about the same as it was before the surgery.. The pain before the surgery was never so bad I couldn't deal, but it was like all day nagging pain... I am still having that pain. Is that normal 6 months after surgery?
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My foot still hurts when I walk, in a week I'll be 5 months post-op and I was suppose to see my surgeon on Friday but it got rescheduled to October 3rd. I'm trying to phone my surgeon to see if I can get an earlier appointment because October 3rd is really a long time to wait!
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I am scheduled for a total ankle reconstruction in 2 wks and hoping some of you will have some words of wisdom or tips/advice .
I'm going to be on bed rest for the first 2-3wks, in a cast for 12wks, NWB for 8wks and not able to drive.
Any suggestions as to what I should have on hand to make life easier while being on bed rest and while NWB? We've invested in a cold therapy unit for the immediate post op period . I'm a wimp when it comes to pain so hoping the cryotherapy unit combined with the pain med's will leave me with minimal pain.
I'm not one to lay around and do nothing....always have to be out and about doing things. This is going to a very mentally challenging few weeks/months.
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I'm 16 years old and have severe flat feet. i have a lot of pain in my feet, legs, knees, hips and back. i started to go to physiotherapy and the doctors said i had the worst feet he had ever seen (he was surprised i could still walk) i then went to one of the best orthopedic surgeons in my area. after looking at my Xrays he said that there were 2 options 1. surgery and 2. intensive physiotherapy. my parents decided that surgery would be a better fit as physio may not work. after getting an MRI the surgeon has again returned with 2 options surgery or orthotics. my parents now want to see if orthotics will work. But i want the surgery i have had 3 sets of orthotics already (custom made) and they don't seem to work. i really want the surgery and i don't know how to tell my parents i am going into grade 12 (senior year) and my parents believe it will affect my studies but i have maintained good grade. should i have a say? how can i convince them to get the surgery?
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I am having serious doubts about going ahead with my surgery, and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced a tremendous improvement in the pain and functioning of a foot with a ruptured PTT. My rupture occurred in November, and caused me LOTS of pain, limping, and sticking to three inch heels to keep the weight off my arch. I postponed my surgery to May 21 because I was too frightened. I wore an ankle brace that also pulled up my arch while doing whatever I could at the gym. At the end of March I noticed much less pain and walked three miles briskly with some incline on a treadmill. I can even jump rope now a month later and have been for several 4 mile fast walks. In fact today I was up to 4.7 miles/hr. on the treadmill. Tonight I did a single heel raise! I know my arch has flattened and now looks like my worn out flattened left foot, but am I crazy to be going ahead with this major surgery when I'm experiencing less and less pain and my foot is becoming more and more functional?
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I am looking to have a left flat foot reconstruction in The Fall of 2014 at HSS.
I am trying to get as much information as I can in regards to making the right decision. Currently I can still exercise but have pain when walking a distance or being on my feet all day. Also my foot is starting to turn in and affecting my knee.
I want to hear how did you know when it was time for you to get this surgery done. How bad was your foot before you considered this surgery. Could you walk at in orthotics without pain or were you in constant pain all the time.
From what I hear this is a horrible surgery and I don't want to be worse off than I am now. I have already had 4 opinions with different OS and they all recommend close to the same thing just different ways of doing it.
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On November 22, 2013, I had hammertoe surgery in my right foot. Incisions were made in the back of all four toes besides the big toe to release the tendon. The second toe was more rigid than all the others so it needed more work. Part of the knuckle had to be removed to slightly shorten the toe and a bone graph was put in. So, that toe had an incision in the back like the others and stitches on the top.
I was in a surgical shoe for four weeks, then tennis shoes for two weeks, then I could transition into other shoes. Recovery was pretty painful. I kept my foot elevated and iced it for the first week. I only walked when I had to use the restroom, and for the first few days that was almost impossible. It hurt so bad I ended up hopping to the bathroom on my other foot. So I got that surgery done in November and now it is March and my foot is doing great. Sometimes there is still slight pain in the second toe, it's still healing. My toes aren't 100% back to normal yet but I think they are close. I can walk/run on them with no problem.
I just had the same exact surgery on my left foot on February 28, 2014. This time I requested crutches since it was unbearable to walk on my foot the first time. I went home with crutches and used them for the first 4 days. Then on the 5th day I started to try to put pressure on my foot and begin to walk on it without the crutches. I thought the pain was getting better but it is now day 8 and I am in a lot of pain. My foot feels very hot, there is a burning sensation, and there are some stabbing pains. Usually the pain meds (Vicodin) help a lot with the pain. But tonight after taking one and seeing no improvement I took another, and still my foot is hurting very badly and I don't know what to do. Today is Friday and on Monday I have to go back to school so I'm trying to walk more and more everyday to prepare myself for having to walk around campus. I've already gone through this surgery before so I knew what to expect but so far the recovery for this foot has been slightly different from the first.
The pain is keeping me awake so I'm hoping it will ease off soon.
I would love to hear anyone's post-hammertoe surgery stories. Similarities or differences between our surgeries.
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I'm about a month away from having flatfoot reconstruction surgery and while I'm nervous about the recovery, I can't wait to have it taken care of.
I have a couple of concerns I'd love some input on. One is how you get from a wheelchair into bed when the bed is higher than the chair.
Another concern is I have very painful Plantar Fascitis in my right heel. I had a cortisone shot about 2 weeks ago which only helped for a couple of days.
My concern is that I'll be putting so much pressure/weight on my right foot after surgery and I can't imagine how I'll do that with the heel pain.
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Is there anyone that would be willing to share their journey post tarsal tunnel release surgery with me. This has been and is so hard. I had the open procedure on the right foot and need it on the left when I heal. I notice no real change in sensation. I know it could take up to a year but I was wondering what different people experienced. The doctor found varicose veins wrapped around all three branches. He said the nerves looked healthy-whatever that is worth. They feel pathetic. He just moved the veins "out of the way" What prevents them from migrating back around the nerve? I don't think deep varicose veins in the feet are something that can be removed. But if I don't feel better soon, I am going to opt for bilateral below the knee amputations. I know the recovery is slow. I have been out of work for over 4 months because I kept injuring my ankles and finally tore the peroneal tendon in the right leg. That was fixed in December. Then I got sciatica and they found 4 herniated discs. Wound up with three epidural injections in the spine. It was only after that resolved that they would even address the tarsal tunnel. I went to 3 different doctors with no diagnosis until I really screwed up my ankle tearing the tendon. What gives with this disorder? I have never come across it. I don't know if I will ever be able to return to work. My whole life is in shambles right now.
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Okay, here again, asking if anyone who has had heel pain after pttd surgery has had any solutions to heel pain problems. Prior to surgery and the osteotomy, I never had the least issue with my feel. Now it feels like there is a rock under my heel in the middle, and I walk on the outside edge of my foot, with my toes scrunched tightly to the ground. Very unnatural. And the surgeon who did my procedure can't think of any reason why I am having this issue, and recommended that I go for a second opinion with someone else. Sooo...... For those of you who might have had this issue, any solutions? Did it go away by itself in time?
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