Hallux Valgus (Bunions) :: Ice Your Foot To Reduce Swelling After Bunion And Hammertoe Surgery?
Jun 6, 2015
It is just over 3 weeks since I had bunion and hammertoe surgery. In the mornings the swelling is reduced a lot but after being out and about in the walker boot the bunion area (big toe and surrounds) and two hammer toes are quite swollen. I do keep my foot elevated for as much of the time as possible but have not tried ice yet. Does this have any permanent benefit and how does one do it without leaking water everywhere? Can I just buy bags of ice from supermarket and apply to ankles or is there a more effective technique? Also how long did most people use the walker boot for. My surgeon said about four weeks after the op to come out of it and move into trainers but opinions seem to differ and I don't see him for a few more weeks? Sorry to keep asking for advice but I live alone and don't get to see many people at moment.; I tend to worry a lot about all this as I hear horror stories on internet about things going wrong and swelling not going down?
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I had bunion surgery 3 and a half weeks ago. Everything went well, it has 3 screws and a pin in it. The stitches came out after 2 weeks and I was allowed to wash my foot for the first time a few days afterwards. So since day 19 I have been able to wet / wash my foot.
However, it has a peculiar smell..it is NOT an infected type smell.( there's minimal swelling and no redness ...some heat associated with the swelling). I was the foot at least twice daily...especially considering that the outside air temp is 43 degrees C.... and keep a light thin gauze 'sock' on it whilst it is in the DARCO shoe...
My daughter says the smell is dead skin cells.... but I'm not sure.
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I just wanted to share some news and ask advice. I recently broke my toe two weeks after my operation. Due to that my bunion has returned. I also have a floppy toe after a tendon release on my second toe.. I am due to go back on the. First of Sept to review my foot and discuss another operation. I have A spur on my heel, which has inflamed my Achilles Tendon, after struggling now with various treatments, physio, ultrasound steroid injection and a wait of over a year to see a different Orthopedic Consultant I went to see someone last week.. It appears my tendon is so inflamed no there is no option but to have surgery. One to remove the spur and two to sort out the tendon.. I was quite shocked to get such a prompt diagnoses. Not only am I having surgery but I am booked in for next month. The new consultant has told me no way will I be able to have my bunion on the other foot done until this Is sorted.. He has offered to take on the care of my floppy to and bugnion once I have recovered from the tendon one.. It's all taken me aback and I am in a dilemma what to do re the bunion op.. Keep my original doctor for the bunion one but delay the appointment or switch it all to the one consultant..
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I had double bunion surgery 7 months ago. With my right foot the pain is making it vert hard for me to get my foot flat onto the ground. I have had xrays and a scan and that show everything seems to have healed ok however due to the pain I am walking on sides of my feet this is causing other issues with alignment etc... So I am off to have a nerve block put into my back to help with this and hopefully get me walking. Sometimes talking to the surgeon is difficult as he does not really know what is going on. Has anyone had a nerve block put into their back for the same sort of reason and if so how was it done and did it help?
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I have a large bunion on my left foot. My big toe is numb and tingles like frostbite at night. The bunion on the right foot is not big at all but I have the same tingling in that foot. This happens every night and feels like they are very cold
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I had bunion surgery and repair to second toe 7 weeks ago, no longer wear the ortho shoe started swimming this week and have had 2 buy shoes for extra wide but my foot is still swollen and more so by the end of day has anyone else experienced this ? Luckily I am signed off work for 4 months as surgeon felt as a nurse should make sure ok before I go back
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I am due for surgery in 2 weeks to have a metatarsal neck osteotomy with a pip fusion. i have been for my pre op and glad to say all is well but i am a little confused as to what the operation will involve as the literature they have given me relates to bunion surgery (metatarsal osteotomy) my main problem is that my toe has become dislocated due to dropped arches . has anyone had this op?
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I am 10 weeks post-op right foot Lapidus, and 3 days post-op left foot Lapidus. My healing and return to normalcy went fantastic with my right foot. I'm hoping for the same with my left foot.
My nerve block just wore off but there's still minimal pain with consistent use of my pain medication. Mostly just throbbing from the swelling. How's everyone else doing today?
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I am from belgium and moved to United States 7 years ago.
I want to get my surgery done in belgium since it's cheaper there also to spent time with my family .
i only can be there for 4 weeks after the surgery to recover.
my mom will be taking care of me for those 4 weeks.
will I be able to walk on my own after four weeks to take my flight back to United States ?
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I would welcome hearing from anyone who has both feet operated on at the same time. I am really eager for this to happen to get it all over with in one go. Also I am 64 --very fit and active --(hike and cycle up hills etc) and am worried about losing my fitness so am thinking that one period of recovery makes more sense that being inactive twice over. But I have little concept of how disabled I will be --eg will I be able to get to the loo, make myself a coffee etc or will my husband have to do everything for me and if so for how long. I am quite a positive and determined person but one or two friends have suggested that I must be crazy to have both feet done at once. Anyhow just thought I'd join this forum and get advice from people who have actually been through the experience. By the way I have just got back from holiday and found a letter offering a provisional date for surgery in 10 days time!
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I am six weeks post surgery, the specialist visit and the X Ray is scheduled on Wednesday and I expect to be out of the boot and allowed to weight bear on the whole foot which is all great news. But there is a little problem, at present no shoes of mine would fit on my still slightly swallen and pretty tender around my big toe foot. I went through few shoe shops today and absolutely nothing was suitable (even tried men thongs/flip flops but they also hurt me too much) so now I am considering buying a flat post-op shoe (with flat bottom) as they are adjustable and padded so comfortable for me at the moment but I am wondering if anyone else had better idea as the post op shoes have quite thick soles and for that reason would not be the best for my spine as I would have uneven leg length. My Ugg boots would be probably ok but it is Summer here so hot weather and warm shoes would most likely increase the swelling.
I expect swelling to go on for a while (in my experience 6-8 weeks) but I don't want it to stop me from exercising and being able to drive. I am also about to start a new art course and no way I would give that up.
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I am two weeks two days post surgery. I have been told to wear my trainers most of the day by the hospital. That was hard but u could cope. Now the pain is awful. I know it is to reduce swelling but I couldn't continue today so I've taken them off and gone for the frozen peas instead.
I couldn't find any info about this problem so decided to post myself. (The saver here is obscuring my writing so sorry if there are any errors). Has any one had any experience with this? Or any advice please?
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I am 7 and a half weeks post op after a Lapidus & an Akin procedure. I was in cast until last week and have managed a tennis type shoe and a sandal on so far.
The swelling has been bad as expected with full weight bearing, but the real pain is in the ball of my foot and my big toe does not lie flat, but rather sits elevated. I think the ball of the foot under the big toe is swollen so that may be the cause? I can only walk for a few minutes properly before the pain becomes too much and I am limping and walking on the outside of my operated foot. I can usually cope with pain so know this must be fairly severe.
I am doing my toe bending exercises and think that already the range of motion is not too bad.
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I am due to have a bunion removed next month but because of arthritis in my big toe I am also having a 'fusion'.
I would love to hear from anyone who has had this operation to know their experiences.
Was it very painful - how long off work . what (if any) height heels can be worn after. I have been told maximum of 1 inch - is this correct?
Although my toe/bunion is painful, it is so difficult to know what to do especially as I can find no-one who has had this op?
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I've been reading the posts on this site and they have been very helpful so I'm very thankful for that! Have been keeping ice on ankle and foot elevated since I came home from surgery center. Block has worn off, and pain so far is minimal. Not sleeping (4:00 am now) good, as I am in my easy chair and just dozing now and then. Had the surgery with two screws and shaved the bump. Foot in a velcro shoe. Tried to prepare for this as best I could, with the tips from everyone on this forum. I have a wheelchair, walker, and crutches. From the posts it looks like a shower chair will also be needed. I will post again tomorrow with an update!
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Had bunion surgery on nov 12/2013 to right foot. I have two incisions on my foot, one where the bunion was and on the top of my foot
I'm going into my 6th week of post-op recovery and and things are starting to look up.
I can't wear my normal shoes yet. My daughters foot is two sizes bigger than mine so I wear her's.
I don't have much strength in my ankle which I find odd since that was the problems area.
I haven't had severe pain throughout this procedure however I find night time the sorest time do day. At this point when I wake up I have no swelling but within a few a few hours of movement my foot looks like a blow fish. Had to manage. I spend a lot of time resting my foot with it up. The scares burned for weeks like a really bad sunburn. My foot is very dry and scaly. Vitamin e helps with that. Abit disappointed that my big toe is still a it crocked. I see the surgeon jan3 and I will ask him why.
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1) how high does the foot need to be elevated and ballpark figure for how long to elevate it for?
2) I've found crutches to be surprisingly difficult! any suggestions on their use? and I am considering a knee scooter for back up as well but have heard it's easy to injure yourself on them.thoughts?
3) what is the stitch removal process like? what's done and what's the pain level?
4) has anybody had to go back to have some hardware that was out in removed?
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I am 6 days post-op and had no idea this surgery would be this bad. I decided since I had to have the plantar fasciitis and heal bone spur surgery that I would just get my bunion and hammertoe corrected at the same time. BIG MISTAKE! I was unaware of the pain I would have to go through and the worst part is that because the plantar fasciitis surgery requires a cast for two weeks, I have not been able to ice my foot at all. The first day out of surgery wasn't too bad. My foot was numb but there was a little pain. Day 2 post-op was a little more painful. I did have to take hydrocodone but soon realized that they did not work to relieve my pain at all. I ended up calling my doctor for stronger pain meds. They ended up working great but make me very sleepy. Day 3 was far more worse than the first 2 days because all of the numbing medicine had worn off. I stayed on my couch with my foot propped up and only got up to use the restroom. Day 4 was about the same as day 3. I did go back to work but could only stay 1/2 day due to the pain. After surgery, I had a splint made out of cast material that went up to just below my knee. It was heavily bandaged. I had my first post-op appointment yesterday and the regular cast was put on. I have to say, I was very shocked at how horrible my foot looked. I have 5 incisions and a ton of bruising and swelling. The cast again is only because of the plantar fasciitis surgery which I have had ABSOLUTELY NO PAIN with. When they put the cast on, it felt too tight because of the swelling and it hurts 10 times worse now than it did before the cast. This is currently day 6 post-op and I am back at work with a pillow on my desk to prop my foot up on. Heaven forbid I stand up because when I do, the blood and fluid in my leg and foot race down to the bottom of my foot causing excruciating pain. I can only stand up for about 5 minutes before my breath is completely gone from trying to "take" the pain. I can only hope it gets better from here. Once the cast comes off 13 days post-op, I will then be placed in a walking boot for 2 weeks. I can only dream of that day now because I know I will be able to ice my foot any time I need to. I have not been able to ice my foot 1 time due to the splint and now the cast. I know if I could ice it, the swelling would have a much better chance of going down quicker.
If there is anyone out there looking for advice on bunion/hammertoe surgery....please do not think that this will be a walk in the park. This surgery was my 21st surgery. I am 33 years old and have had 14 knee surgeries alone. I have had 3 total ACL reconstructions and the rest scopes to clean out torn cartilage. I have had bunion surgery in middle school on each foot, hammertoe surgeries on each foot, a c-section, and a few other minor surgeries. THIS SURGERY BY FAR IS THE WORST I HAVE EVER HAD. Do not take that lightly. I was on crutches for 9 months with my first ACL reconstruction so it was not easy but I never would have imagined anything ever being worse than that. I now have 4 screws in my foot along with 1 dissolvable pin in my second toe. I can bear very little weight on my foot but hope each day I can put more and more weight on it.
If you are considering having plantar fasciitis surgery and need bunion/hammertoe surgery or it was suggested to just get it all done at once.....DO NOT DO IT! From the experience I have in the past 6 days, I have learned that there is VERY LITTLE pain associated with plantar fasciitis surgery. The only discomfort I have had with that part is the incision rubbing against the splint/cast. Because the plantar fasciitis surgery requires a cast for 2 weeks and a walking boot for 2 weeks and if you are considering bunion/hammertoe surgery at the same time, you will have WORSE pain with the bunion/hammertoe part of it than the fasciitis because of the splint/cast.
I am due to get my other foot done (bunion/hammertoe only) in December and I am seriously considering not doing it. Please consult with your doctor before considering all of these corrections at one time. My doctor made it sound like it would be a very simple and easy surgery to recover from. HE WAS WRONG! If you do decide to have the surgery, make sure you plan to take at least a full week off of work.
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Has anyone had Hellers fusion for arthritis? I believe the procedure is similar but be interested if anyone knows of the recovery for this fusion surgery.
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I had a bunion operation on my right foot in May 2015 as walking was as painful as sitting on a cactus. The operation went well considering that they put down "hip replacement" on my medical card by mistake 20 minutes before my bunion operation.The following months were quite painful, in fact I would say that you will feel less pain if you have a daily Brazilian wax or swim with some alligators. If you love high heels like me well you have more chances to marry Frank Sinatra than being able to wear heels for at least 8 months! Recovery is a long road and after following the instructions from the surgeon to rest, my big toe became frozen & looks like a fish finger , I don't try to wear open sandals around kids in case they feel like fish fingers. My surgeon has booked me for a manipulation under anaesthesia to make my toe more flexible ... In other words he will pull my big toe until it's longer than Brooklyn bridge and snap it like sugar snaps.
just wondering if anyone had MUA after a bunion operation and what the results have been, was the recovery a long and painful experience like the bunion operation ? Can you wear normal shoes again and pain free ? All your precious advices are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading, Laila
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Had bunionectomy on both feet 6 weeks ago, had both feet heavily bandaged for 3 weeks, when bandages came off surgeon told me I had dissolvable stitches so he didn't need to take them out
Told me I could wash my feet keep them elevated as much as possible just seem to have a lot of scabs on the cuts was expecting them to heal quicker.
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