I'm considering having bunionectomies and correction of hammer toes. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced a change in shoe size, particularly width, after surgery/recovery.

well my bunionectomy was 10 weeks ago. my foot is still swollen but i can tell you that it will definitly be more narrow without the bunion...so your shoe size should stay the same. when healing is over, it should be the same size. definitly not bigger.

Irish Terror - I was reading other posts, and saw yours to suzieblueeyes about how your bunions didn't hurt. I just want to tell you why you may want to rethink whether or not you should have the surgery. I have had bunions all my life, but they never really bothered me, I just wear good sneakers (nikes pegasus). I'm not the cute shoe type anyway.

But as far as not having the bunionectomy until they hurt you, I tried that. I went to the doctor not because of the bunions, but because I had a lump the size of a pea in the arch of my foot. It turned to to be a fibroma (scar tissue) on my PF caused by the neverending constant pulling of the PF by the 45 degree angle of my bunions, which did'nt hurt at all. The dr. said even though I'm only 40, they should have been fixed sooner. The extent of my surgery was pretty invasive. I have 2 incisions, top & bottom, 2 screws in the osteotomy on top and a 3/4 inch hole in my PF removing the fibroma. Bunions can cause the rest of your foot (knee, hip, spine) to really be misaligned.

I was in a cast for 7 1/2 weks, NWB for 5 1/2 weeks, I've had a peg on the bottom for the last 2 weeks for partial weight bearing and I get the cast off TOMORROW!!!! It's been 7 1/2 weeks since surgery, much more that I bargained for. I'm getting the other foot done in December, even though it doesn't hurt, because I'm afraid it will also be bad if I wait, and I am able to do this right now because I work at home and have insurance. That matters too. If you are in a place in your life where you can pull it off, and the dr. recommends it, you should consider surgery. Just my story... Kim

yea but how about your shoe size?

esp..sorry i thought this was about shoe size..you probably do not know your shoe size if you still have a cast on..good luck tomorrow!

I had bunion surgery on one foot 6 months ago. (will have to get the other foot done sometime this year). I still wear the same shoe size as I did before--only now it doesn't hurt!

The dr. told me to bring a regular sneaker to wear home after he removes my cast, I think he's being overly optimistic myself. He seems to think I'll be right back in the same shoe. I know when he put the "permanent" cast on, 1 1/2 wks. after surgery, my foot was already visibly more narrow! I'll let you know. Kim

The cast is off, and I actually got my own sneaker on my foot at the Dr.'s. I couldn't keep it on, but my foot is much narrower, I can tell even through the swelling. I'm wearing my husband's size 10 until I can buy some that are a size or so too big for me. I'm sure I'll end up back in the same size, they just won't squish me anymore. Kim

Thank you all for your responses. I'm going to make an appt with my podiatrist to discuss surgery. I'm sure you are right-sooner is better than later.