i am doing surgery on both feet together for 8 hammer/claw toes and bunion surgery and straightening out both big toes that curve in. does your shoe size change from arthrodesis? will my toes be shorter?

Not necessarily will you have a smaller shoe size after arthodesis (fusion). You mention that you are straightening your big toes that curve in and treating your hammer/claw toes. Are you just having a bunionectomy and the other toes straighten, or a fusion of some or all your toes? And you are doing both feet at once or seperately?

I wouldn't worry about shoe size at this point,and would not even recommend buying new shoes until after surgery and your feet have healed.

Goos Luck!

I am having both both done together with buninectomy on both big toes, more for curve reasons then for bump on side. my 2,3,and 4 toes are being fused in middle joint for curve relief and also work done on 5 for both. i have seen people who just had work on 2,3 and 4 on one foot and toes are now much shorter then their other foot.! i am very curious how my current shoe will fit ,,or not fit....any experiences?

I only had my big toe fused and it is probably about a quarter inch shorter, but all my other toes stayed the same length. I'd guess you'd stay the same shoe size, but it may be awhile before you are in shoes. With that much surgery I'd have to guess that you will have some significant swelling that will diminish over time. What I ended up doing after my foot had healed up, is that I tried all my shoes on and had three piles: Keepers, Maybes, No Way. I kept the Maybes and tried them a couple months down the road and some were kept and the rest went out of the house. As far as your old shoes go it will depend on the style of the shoe and how it is cut. I stayed the same shoe size but it was certain syles that went.

I hope you have great success with your surgeries!

eko, thanks for your insight. were you more limited with shoe styles? my doc says i will have no shoe limitations and i do wear an occasional 4 inch heel. i will be in sneakers in 3 weeks after surgery. my surgery is august 1 and i am trying to do everything to be prepared. any tips?

I am limited to the height of my heel on my shoes because my toe is fused where it meets the big toe. It sounds as if you will not have that limitation, but it might takes a little while to wear 4 inch heels after surgery.

To get ready, because you are having both feet done, make sure you have a way to get around the house, at least to the bathroom and back. I used a chair on wheels and pushed my way around the house. For showering, you may want to have a handheld shower head and a way to sit in the shower. Prepare and freeze meals ahead of time. Make sure you have flexible ice pack to put on your feet to help with swelling. Have some good reading material, or activies you can do because you will get bored. Videos/DVDs, fresh batteries in the remote are good. Are you having any help after your surgery? Just think about the things you'd need to do and how might you accomplish them after surgery.

Plan ahead is the way to go. Hope all goes well and you'll have to be sure to post letting us know how your surgery goes. Good Luck! -eko