Hi Joll43, it's Carol :wave:

I wonder if I could just ask you some questions about your recovery.

I am 7 weeks post op and you know I have been going to PT and doing the exercises and biking 6+ miles per day for aerobics. My foot, since week 6, has really felt great. The bones feel like they have healed and I even jogged a little in my house but don't dare really start until my next post-op this thursday and ask my DR. I actually was fast dancing at a party last sat. nite with no pain. That is the good part.

I still don't have the same range of motion in my joint as in my other foot. My foot is still swollen there and that is the only place that I still have discomfort. I know(besides getting rid of the big bunions) they took bone from that joint and cleaned it out - maybe you didn't have that problem. I had very little cartilidge in the middle of that joint, so they also moved the toe over to where there was some cartilidge. (Think it is called a chilondectomy (spelling???!!!)
My feet had no ROM. Could not even put my foot in a high heel. My PT guy says that I WILL get range of motion back - said I was about 40% when I started PT and I am about 65% now. Says to keep doing the exercises.

Was that the last thing to come back for you? I think I read a post of yours that said it took you 6 months to be back in your shoes. So was that the reason? Couldn't flex your toes?? Were you always able to wear heals?
One of the main reasons I did this surgery was to get ROM back so I am a little concerned at this point.

Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Carol

Carol,

HEELS? Asking for trouble. Don't even think about a high heel - EVER. If that's the main thing on your mind, you are in for it.

Okay, now that that's settled, 7 weeks is not a lot of time at all. At this point, you're more about healing than recovering. Your bones "feel like they have healed?" Feeling is nothing when you're talking about broken bones. You can't feel if they've healed. Take X-rays every day and look at them - then you'll know if they're healed. You're at a crucial stage and could be giving yourself a stress fracture if you do too much weight-bearing exercise. Jogging? NO WAY.

Why doesn't anyone on these boards seem to understand the fact that healing takes time?

IT.


TAKES.


TIME.

It took your feet years to get this way, right? Why do you want to wear a high heel and run around after 7 weeks? It's insane.

If you read some of my other earlier posts, you'll see that I can't stand when people who were so afraid of having the surgery "confess" that they "may have done too much" a day or two after their surgery - they just had to get up and try and walk around, or clean up, etc. I got really mad in a couple of posts, and rightly so.

Okay. Sorry. I just had a fight with the husband and that may be coloring my reply.

It took months for my ROM to come back, and after a year, I'm still working on it - I'm always working on it, and making sure the shoes I wear don't bring my bunions back. I have no desire or time to go through this again, and don't plan to.

Be PATIENT, or at least try to - see what your doctor has to say and be completely honest with him/her about what you've been doing and what you want to do in the future. Maybe my doc is just more conservative, but in reading everyone's posts and hearing what complications they're having after the fact, I think a conservative approach is the way to go -- I'm now completely pain free and have great strength and ROM because I took the time and worked hard when I was given the go-ahead to do so.

I really am having a lousy day, so I do apologize for the tone of this - please feel free to ask me more specific questions, and I will do my best to help.

Lisa

Hi Lisa :wave:

Whoa, back up the boat!!!!

I never was wearing heals, post op. What I was saying was that before the surgery, I had no range of motion and couldn't even pitch my foot enough to 'put' it into a heel. I would never put on heels now and from what I understand, it takes around 6 months before you should even think of that.

I have been following orders 'exactly' and that is why I think I am having a very good recovery.

I was just asking about your ROM now. I am glad to hear that it slowly improves. And it is OK for you to get a fired up about someone at 7 weeks post op wearing heels - That would be a real nutzy, stupid thing to do!!!!

Thanks for the reply and don't let your husband get to you. Get him back, GO SHOPPPING!!!!!

Okay - the boat's backed up. Sorry.....

Before the surgery, I could get into a heel, but I couldn't take two steps if I tried. I have flat feet and my toes are really short, so my feet are all foot, then tiny toes - imagine this with bunions, and you can almost feel my pain.

My pod put padding in certain places in my shoes so I could wear a 2 1/2 inch heel for my wedding - I don't think I can go much above that unless it's a platform, which is how I would cheat wearing heels before.

About the ROM, I remember hitting a plateau in PT, where I couldn't get it beyond 30% (active) and I thought it would never improve, but I just kept working and once all the swelling goes down (foot and ankle), it's great.

For weeks I thought my big toes would never touch the floor either, and that's a distant memory!

Again, I apologize, but I do get angry when other people don't try and rush their recovery, then post about how much pain they're in because of it.

(I didn't go shopping - I went to the gym!!)

Take care, and keep it up!
Lisa