Hi. I'm a 28 year old guy in New York, always had flat feet but they never bothered me too much until about 3 years ago, when I got plantar fasciatis, which was successfully treated with prescription orthotics and physical therapy. Then starting about a year old, my left foot began to pronate inwards, and it just keeps getting worse and worse. I've been seeing a specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery here, who saw what was happening and tried to treat it with a new, even more supportive orthotic--but my arch has just insisted on collapsing, and now when I stand without shoes on there's no arch on my left foot at all.

At this point the doctor has said there's nothing else that he can try except surgery. I trust him, as he really wasn't eager to do surgery and it seems like nothing else will work. But I do want to know more. The procedue he's suggesting involves moving my heel bone back to the center of my foot, doing a bone fusion to help create an arch and hold the foot in place, and possibly (but not for sure) doing something with a chip of bone to stabilize the ankle as well. It would be 3 nights in the hospital, followed by 8-10 weeks of no walking, and then another 8-10 weeks of walking in a boot, then physical therapy.

Given my age and what I want to do with my life--travel, exercise, stand for more than 10 minutes without feeling pain--I feel like it would be best to do the surgery now and hopefully it will really improve the rest of my life (as it is, the rapidity with which my activity level has changed due to this condition has really depressed me).

I'm **terrified** of the procedure though, so I'd like to hear from those who have gone through it (or something like it). Was it worth it? Do you still have pain after it's all done? Can the arch collapse again? I've read through the boards here and am particularly frightened by posts from people indicating that they've had multiple surgeries on the same foot--what can cause this, and how common is it for the initial surgery to fail? Has anyone experienced severe complications?

Sorry for the long post... I wanted to be as specific as possible in describing my situation. I'd be deeply grateful for any and all responses. Thank you!

I've never had an arch in my foot, not even a small one. I get plantar fasciitis once in a while and my feet get tired but not that bad. My podiatrist explained the procedure to me once. But he said if I'm not in excruciating pain he would not even do the procedure. He said it was hell.

Well, it's not plantar fasciatis at this point--it's much worse. The left foot is quite visibly falling in at the ankle, meaning I'm walking on the very inside of my foot. Without my orthotics in, I'd be limping, and even with them in it's hard to stand or walk as I end up balancing almost all my body weight on my right side. It's starting to make me get sore in my knees and hip as well.

Hi,

I just went through surgery, but it sounds like it was a little different than yours. I haven't suffered from flat feet my whole life, but have had increasing problems in the last 10 years or so. I went through plantar faciitis (went away with OTC orthotics and 1 round of physical therapy), and last year my posterior tibial tendon started giving out, resulting in the excruciating pain and my arch collapsing. We tried every non-surgical route we could, but it just was not healing.

So far I'm very happy with my surgery (but yes, it was hell going through it). I'm at 12 weeks post-op, and given how well I'm progressing and how happy the doctor is with my results, I am looking forward to a great new quality of life.

I have started a long thread called "Posterior Tibial Tendon Surgery" below; you can check it out to see what others have gone through and how they're doing. Most of us posting there have had good results.

My specific procedure was:
1) Evans calcaneal osteotomy - heel bone is cut and spread; a wedge-shaped bone graft is inserted to realign the bones of the foot and shift them over, helping re-create the arch
2) Debridement of the PT tendon
3) FDL tendon transfer, reinforced with horse heart tendon; secured with a hole drilled in the navicular bone

Good luck to you,
Deb

my daughter had surgery in both feet for flat foot. she had ankle pain for years and no one could figure it out. at 10 she could not walk/stand more that 20 mins or so. the surgery involved nicking the achilles tendon and placing a pin in the ankle to force the arch. the dr said that they used to do the surgery you describe but the pin is simple and reversible. we did both feet a few months apart and she now has no pain.

I'm just a few years older than you and have always been an active person. Not being able to run and be active, let alone walk, has been the hardest part of this.

I had surgery almost 5 weeks ago to repair the posterior tibial tendon and to do the Evans osteotomy (putting a bone block/chip in to lengthen/straighten the foot, thus creating an arch). My dr indicated that the osteotomy and bone block are quite successful and should be permanent. What I had done and what your dr is reccomending are a bit different though. Have you talked to your dr about your concerns? If he's done these procedures with others, he should be able to give you an idea of what to expect and what the success rates are.

I decided to stay overnight at the hospital, as I have had issues with nausea and keeping pain meds down following anesthesia before. I was on morphine for the first 24 hours, then went on to Percocet. That worked really well and I tapered it and stopped taking it after 3 weeks. It gets more sore than painful now. I'm sure the feelings will change when I start PT and walking again.

For me, one of the hardest parts has been having to rely on crutches or my "Turning Leg Caddy" and others. Everything just takes more effort and energy. I had a splint for 2 weeks after surgery, then had the stitches removed and a fiberglass cast put on. I have 1 more week to go in the cast, then will move to the boot (8 weeks NWB in the end). The caddy has been a godsend (also called a roll-a-bout)...I would encourage checking that out if you decide to go ahead w/ surgery. They can be rented from medical equipment companies.

Ask lots of questions of your dr, people on this board and reseach info on the web...it helps to be informed. Then it's a matter of taking the plunge...which is not easy, but if you can't do much, waiting doesn't help either (at least this is how I felt).

I would recommend the Posterior Tibial Tendon Surgery thread that deb mentioned, as others share their experiences and ideas on how to prepare for it. That was and is a huge help to me, in preparing for and recovering from the surgery. My family and friends have been a huge help too...no way I could have done this without them.

Good luck as you wade through all of this and decide what you're going to do.

Thanks to all for your thoughtful replies--it's very much appreciated. Darin, I would love to keep in touch as we go through this. I'm certainly not glad that anyone else has to have the same surgery I'm going to have, but it is oddly comforting to know that at least some other people are dealing with the same thing.
I'm still scheduled for a week from today, July 16th. The strange thing is that since I've scheduled the surgery, the pain has calmed down a lot! I'd almost rather it hurt much more so that I know I am doing the right thing...but still, every time I look down at the foot and see how it's totally not aligned with my ankle anymore, I know this needs to get done. It's not just about standing and walking, it's about being an active young person to me as well. I know the recovery is going to be hard, but here's hoping we both back on the slopes pretty soon!

I had the same problem. The inside of my ankle would touch the ground. That happened six years ago. Also, the end of my fibula was bone on bone with my heel. I had my surgery about seven weeks ago.

I can tell you that I am in physical therapy now. When the pt works my ankle, I do not have that "jamming" any more. I know that I did the right thing, I know that the recovery is going to be long, I know that I procrastinated about the surgery.

I can tell you that I am glad I had the surgery. I can tell already that I am going to be walking better because of it. I am very happy and thankful that I had it done.

I noticed that you live in NY. Are you going to have Mark Myerson do the surgery?

Thank you so, so much for posting that reply! With surgery only a week away, it's so reassuring to hear someone on the other side of this experiece with a really positive outcome. And if you're already seeing such a differece at 7 weeks, imagine how great you'll feel in 6 months!

I think I'm at a somewhat earlier stage of the problem than you--my ankle's not touching the ground yet, but I think in time that's probably what will happen. Hopefully with this surgery, I'll never end up feeling what that's like; I've already experienced enough discomfort to want this taken care of.

My surgeon isn't the one you mentioned--I have a guy I really like at the hospital for special surgery. Where did you have your procedure done?

Thanks again for your post!

I had the same problem. The inside of my ankle would touch the ground. That happened six years ago. Also, the end of my fibula was bone on bone with my heel. I had my surgery about seven weeks ago.

I can tell you that I am in physical therapy now. When the pt works my ankle, I do not have that "jamming" any more. I know that I did the right thing, I know that the recovery is going to be long, I know that I procrastinated about the surgery.

I can tell you that I am glad I had the surgery. I can tell already that I am going to be walking better because of it. I am very happy and thankful that I had it done.

I noticed that you live in NY. Are you going to have Mark Myerson do the surgery?

Rosinbertfoot,

I had exactly the same condition as you and had exactly the same surgery as you (except for the heel movement--it was scheduled but the doc decided that my heel was well aligned and elected not to move once inside). I had the achilles lengthening and the bone fusion. My surgery was a complete success. I am now 6 weeks post op and have been in a cast ever since the surgery. I have 3 weeks to go and have been told that when the cast is removed on August 9th, a soft shoe will be put on so that I can gradually reintroduce weight to the foot. Like you, my surgery was on my left foot as it was worse than my right foot. And, like you, I have had flat feet all of my life, however, the pain had become increasingly unbearable, especially around the ankle. I note that today was the day of your surgery, so I will reserve further comment until you log back onto the board. As this is my first time back on the board since my June 8th surgery, I won't be surprised if you take awhile to return (hopefully not as long as me).

Take care.

Hi all,

Thanks for your encouraging replies. I did indeed have my surgery this Monday, June 16. The doc ended up doing 5 things: moving the heel back over, doing a bone graft over my arch, lowering the big toe, achilles tedon lengthening, and a tendon transfer in the foot. So, a lot happened! All I remember is th anaesthesiologist putting the nerve blocker in the back of the knee, and the next thing I know I'm waking up in the recovery room over 4 hours later!

My surgeon, whom i like a lot, was really pleased with how things went. Since I was a "grey area" case and decided to go ahead with the surgery anyway (the condition of the foot was just impeding my lifestyle way too much), I was relieved to hear that things were a bit *worse* inside than the doc originally thought from the MRI. Specifically, the spring ligament had a lot of fissures in it, an early sign that things were definitely headed in a bad direction and the tendon probably would have worn out very soon too. So, i did the right thing by having surgery sooner rather than later--better chances for recovery.

First night in the hospital wasn't too bad, until about 5 am when my nerve blocker started to wear off--unbearable pain! But the nurses were pretty good at managing it. The narcotics in the pump made me very nauseated as well. But I was doing very well with the pain yesterday so they sent me back home to recover. It's a loooooong road ahead of me, I realize--let's hope it's really worth it! I'm mostly using the rollabout at home, since I suck at crutches and don't want to risk falling at all (although mostly I'm not even rolling about, just lying on the couch with my foot propped up on a stack of pillows).

Two questions for anyone who is reading. First, how long did you all have to take painkillers for? I have a 60-pill prescription of Percocet. I was feeling so good coming home from the hospital yesterday that I thought I might be off them pretty soon, but then the heel pain kicked in again yesterday and this morning it was even worse again.

Second, did anyone rent a hospital bed? I find that I kind of miss it--it was so much easier to keep my feet elevated above my heart and head!

Thanks, as always, for your replies.... I'm really glad I can turn to people on this board for advice and sympathy. :)

Hi there,

Wow, you had a LOT of work done on your foot. Glad to hear the surgeon thought everything went well. You do have a long road of recovery ahead of you, so be patient as the weeks roll on.

I was on pain pills longer than some other people. I took Lorcet, and my doctor also gave me a scrip for an anti-nausea med (phenergan?) since it made me very queazy. In the very beginning I was taking meds every 4 hours or so, then got down to 4-6 hours and then 6-8 hours. I'd say I was on Lorcet for about 3 or 4 weeks total. By the 4th week I was definitely needing something, but not as strong as the Lorcet. At my 4-week check up I was put onto Feldene, but only used that for a few days before switching over to Advil "as needed".

With the extensive repairs made to your foot, I would recommend laying with your foot up as much as possible. I know it's a pain and you'll get bored real soon, but it is the absolute best thing you can do for yourself for the first month.

Good luck to you,
Deb

Wow, you really went through a lot in surgery! Glad to hear that it went well and hopefully, eventually, you'll be able to say you were pleased that you went through it. I wanted a nerve block like you had, but they didn't have a "younger" trained anesthesiologist available to do it. Sounds like it was helpful in your case...until it wore off! That was one of my drs. concerns (had I gotten it)...that it would be 2am and the block would have worn off, leaving me in pain.

I was also prescribed Percocet, 60 pills to start (2 pills every 4hrs) and have had a number of refills since (1 pill every 4-6 hrs or as needed). I weaned off them after 3 weeks, but now that I am walking in the boot and doing PT, I am finding that I need them again. My dr told me to take a Percocet before PT. I also take Celebrex (have since before surgery) for inflammation and pain. The pain has changed over time...not so acute like it was in the beginning. It does get better! Take the drugs, stay ahead of the pain and just let your body tell you what it needs....you'll feel better and have a better recovery.

I never thought about a hospital bed. Just bought extra pillows to keep in my bed and on the couch, the two places I spend a lot of time! You'll get used to it...you could use a soft folded blanket or other things to make it more comfortable...I've molded things around my ankle to support it better.

Hang in there...it's a tough recovery...let your family and friends help you and support you...too tiring to try to do it all! ;) Keep us posted on how you're doing!

I pretty much had the same surgery as you did just about 6 months ago. I really never experienced a lot of pain, more an uncomfortable feeling. I was in the hospital for 48 hours and started on Percocet there. Once I was home I took it for only a few more days (only 8 pills) and then went off it. After that time I mainly took Ibuprophen or Tylenol as needed and that worked for me just to make it feel a little less achy at times. I managed to keep my foot elevated pretty well by living in my recliner chair and leaning back with my foot up on about three pillows. I thought this worked pretty well, however I have had more than normal edema that I'm still trying to get under control.

Best of luck with your recovery.

Rosinberfoot-

First off, congrats on a successful surgery!

I had your surgery way back in 1999, unfortunately, mine is a case of what can go wrong will go wrong but because of that I can give you ooodles of advice on what to do and what not to do.

First off... keeping that leg elevated... beg borrow or steal a microbead pillow or get your hands on a "knee pillow" (they are sold in stores and have a shape almost like an hourglass from the side and are made to place between your knees when you sleep) both of these will help keep your foot in the cast from rolling or shifting as you sleep. One of the best gifts I was ever given was a spiderman childs beanbag chair... keeps the leg up great!

Second... resist the urge to 'just let the foot rest on the ground' even when visiting the restroom... zero weight means zero weight, not even the weight of your leg!

Third... when you feel that your pain meds are starting to give out and there is an hour or so before you can take more eat some bread! (Bread is almost solid carbs, and pain killers in your system will bond with the sugar in carbs to be absorbed better)

Fourth... yeah it itches, but don't stick anything down that cast! (You could scratch yourself and cause an infection or unwittingly push foriegn matter close to your inscisions)

Fifth... freeze water in large ziplock bags over an empty 2 liter bottle in the freezer. (That will freeze the water in the perfect shape to form to the bottom of your cast, regular ice in bags for the top and wrap them in place with t-shirts. The cold will take time to sink through the plaster, but will make a world of difference)

Finally... take this time to pamper yourself and enjoy the things that an active life gave you little time for.

Best of luck and please let us know how things go for you.

Peny

Thanks Peny, Abicat, Sunny, and Deb for your thoughtful replies... I'm always so pleased when I log on here to see that other people have really taken the time to thoughtfully respond to my questions!

I hope you are all enjoying good results from your completed surgeries, and thanks for the advice on what to do (and not to do!) as I recover from mine.

My foot actually doesn't seem that swollen, luckily...maybe there's more swelling still to come. I took my first shower today since my surgery, with the aid of a shower chair, a cast cover, and a lot of patience! It was a pain, but good to be clean. I rested my leg on a chair outside the shower as well, very careful not to let it touch the ground or bear any weight at all. After the shower, though, I noticed that my toes had turned a little blue... which I know is a sign of a circulatory problem. It went away after a few minutes, so I guess I shouldn't be too worried. It's weird, though, because I thought having my leg down for just a bit would actually get a little more blood to the toes, not less! The cast isn't too tight, so it's not that... Any thoughts?

Again, thanks for all your support!

It's normal for your toes to turn blue/purple/blotchy for some time after surgery. Mine still do that if I have my foot down for a period of time and I am almost 8 weeks post-op. I asked a few knowledgeable people about this and learned that you need muscle movement to circulate the blood, which doesn't happen too well in a cast restricting all movement! Everything is so tied up in healing and muscles atrophy in the cast. It's good to wiggle your toes and keep your foot elevated. My foot got painful if it was down too long and when I was in the cast, it felt like my foot would burst (swelling). People noticed when the toes changed colors too...but as soon as it was elevated, it was fine (and the swelling also went down).

Showers definitely takes a lot of effort! Did you get a cast cover from your dr? That helped so much and it didn't matter if my leg got wet. I was able to rest my leg on the edge of the tub (so still a bit elevated) while sitting on a shower chair. I also mastered washing my toes and using a little exfoliating scrub on the toes (lots of dead skin) without getting the cast wet. It's crazy how much we can adapt when forced! ;)

Have a good weekend!

The purple and/or blue or red toes are completely normal. Remember that your doctor cut through a LOT of blood vessels and veins while making your surgical incisions. Those take a lot of time to heal, and that is partially why your toes are turning colors. It's also likely that your doctor used a tourniquet during your surgery, and that can do a number on your circulation.

I'm at 4 1/2 months post-op and I still notice that my surgery foot is more pink/red than the other foot... and the swelling comes and goes depending on whether I've been up and around a lot, whether it's really hot out, or whether I've been able to sit and elevate it. Yes, I still spend as much time as I can on the couch with my foot elevated, and I still use a flexible ice pack. What I found to be a really good (and cheap) foot "elevator" is one of those long body pillows. I can fold it in half or in thirds and can almost make it into a wedge shape to help take pressure off my knees.

I noticed that the "posterior tibial tendon sugery" thread has been closed, but there is a lot of good info. at the beginning to help give you ideas of how to cope while you're still cast-bound.

I'm starting to ramble now... but back to your original concern... yes, the pretty-colored toes are normal.

Happy healing,
Deb

Good to know that the occasional blue toe isn't something to really worry about... It's slowly getting a little easier to have my foot not elevated for short periods of time, but I still need to keep it up most of the time (and understand that this is what I'm supposed to do). I can't believe it's only been 9 days since my surgery... seems like much longer!

I had a scary moment earlier where I lost my balance getting up to get on my rollabout. I guess I've been getting confident doing this on my own, but I wobbled for a second and my operated foot touched the ground ever so quickly. I don't think I put much weight on it, it felt a little sore for about a minute afterwards in the heel but then was ok. So I doubt I did any damage...right? The cast is pretty thick, and I figure that my bone graft and heel *are* screwed in, after all... Still, a really good reminder to ask for help when I need it.

I fell twice my first week post-op, once I put my foot (cast) down really hard - holy cow, it hurt incredibly bad! No damage done, however. It was hard for me in the beginning, especially on the meds that made me so woozy. I learned to go slowly and ask for help more than I thought I needed to.

I'm sure putting your foot down lightly didn't affect anything, just remember to take it easy, go slow, and take all the help you can get.

Good healing thoughts to you!
Deb

I had my sutures removed today! And got my first peek at the foot... it really looks amazingly different. Yes, full of ugly incisions and bruised blotches, but that's not what I mean! The heel is back where it should be, and I can see an arch for the first time in a long time. So it looks like the end result will be good.

That said, having the stitches removed hurt a lot more than I thought it would! I had 5 scars and there was some fairly intense pinching and pulling. Got through it, and now I'm back at home having more pain than I've had since a few days after the surgery. I guess it's just the effect of having my foot touched and the stitches pulled, and also getting transferred from my cast to a boot (which I'm supposed to treat like a cast for the next six weeks while I'm still non-weight bearing).

Now I'm resting up and posting here.... Hope everyone is well!

Yes, your foot and ankle are probably feeling the effect of being moved around slightly while out of the cast and the tensing while you were gritting your way through the staple and stitches removal (I always hate that, it is never a pleasant experience)

Right now, try to resist the urge to rub your leg and ankle... that skin is thin and fragile right now... that and keep it clean... wash it a few times a day with warm water and a mild soap to help remove that peeling skin and promote healing.

It sounds like you are well on the road to a good outcome!

Hey Rosinberfoot (and all others)! Wow, you are moving along quite rapidly to have had so much done. You are barely 3 weeks post op and already your cast has been replaced with a soft boot? You go, man!! As I believe I noted weeks ago, I had the exact same surgery as you except once inside my foot my doc decided my heel didn't need to be moved. I am now 9 weeks post op and still in my cast. It's scheduled to be removed this Thursday. It will be replaced with a soft shoe for slow reintroduction of weight. I can ditch the crutches, though. Hallelujah! I can hardly wait as the overall disruption to the lifestyle has taken its toll. I'm ready to get back in the gym and do some leg exercises. All in all, everyone has been so very supportive. And, I completely agree with all of the previous remarks concerning the toe color changes, the foot swelling, etc., etc. It's nice to have a support system such as this. Keep us informed.

wow, I wish I had found this messageboard a year ago!

I too had reconstructive surgery on my left foot in Aug. 06. My experience has been a mixed bag so far. I am a 36 yr old male and lead a very active life. I play hockey, baseball, golf and workout ~5 days a week at the gym so being off my feet for so long was incredibly frustrating for me. I have been post op for almost a year now and am still dealing with some nagging pain.

My surgery involved fusing 2 bones in the midfoot to create an arch, cutting and shifting the heel, lengthening the achilles tendon and inserting an MBA implant in my ankle to aid in ankle alignment. The implant and the screw in my heal were removed about 4 mos after the surgery. I was in a hard cast for about 10 weeks, a boot for another 6 or so. Was playing hockey again 5 mos. after the surgery but with a great deal of pain and my strength was almost non-existent. I am still trying to get back to playing at the level I was before and these lingering problems are the only thing holding me back.

Anyway, I too went through a great deal of pain for about 2 weeks after surgery. Mainly due to the fact that you just can't find a way to lay your foot where the cast isnt pressing on a wound or sore spot. Forget about sleeping. The doc gave me darvoset, percoset, you name it but they didn't make any difference.

I am generally happy with the outcome. for years, playing hockey masked the pain of my fallen arch (my right foot is totally fine, its just my left foot) because my feet were very strong from skating. But after the 05-06 season was over, I took a couple of mos. off from playing and all of sudden my left ankle started hurting all the time and I started limping alot. I went to see a podiatrist about it and he basically said surgery or orthotics. I stupidly signed up on the spot because I wanted to have the surgery as quickly as possible so I wouldn't miss too much playing time the following season. Big mistake. While I think the surgery went ok and i'm happy with how I walk on the foot and my balance has been corrected, I think I could have possibly gotten the same result without having the heel moved over and the implant caused some problems. Plus, I just didn't really think through how this could affect me for the rest of my life if it had been really messed up.

I have 2 lingering problems that would make everything great if I could get the corrected. one is the pain on the spot where the fusion was done and on the top of my foot over the balls of my feet. I only have this pain is when putting all my weight on the ball of the foot. The doc did an MRI and said the fusion was good and he sent me to another doc last week for a 2nd opinion and he thinks the screws in my midfoot need to come out. That's pending. The other problem is that I have very little soft tissue in the bottom of my foot and it can feel like i'm walking on bone when in my barefeet, especially the heel. This causes 2 problems, first, I have no stability in my heel area. In other words, it feels like my heel rolls when I put weight on it and its sore all the time. Thats not really a problem when I have shoes on. The other problem is that since there's no padding down there, my foot doesn't quite "fill up" the shoe so it feels like my foot doesn't stay secure in my shoe and shifts around. not really a problem but its extremely annoying when i'm training and skating. I just want it to feel the same as my right foot and i'm sadly coming the realization that it probably won't. If anyone else has experienced these issues and what you did to fix them, i'd appreciate the input. I think my doc is a little perplexed.

Anyway, sorry for the long post but for this whole year, I haven't had anyone else to talk to about this. My wife got tired of it about 6 mos ago :)

Hi all... Sorry to have not checked my own thread for a little bit; I've just been resting and relaxing and watching a lot of movies, and trying *not* to think about my foot 24/7 for a change!

uncgrad: Just to be clear, I haven't been switched to a soft boot so soon after my surgery--I guess "boot" was misleading. It's an air cast, really, but a nice, shiny, relatively comfy one... comfy, that is, compared to the awful plaster cast and splint that I was not enjoying for the first weeks right after surgery! I will be in this, and totally non weight bearing, at least until mid-September. Can't wait to be in your position. Congrats on making it so far! Looking forward to hearing how your physical therapy is going, and I hope you are up and running very soon, back the gym, etc. I'm missing exercise (not to mention getting out of the house) a lot as well.

hockeyplayer: Sorry to hear that you're still having some residual issues with your feet. I do hope it all works itself out in time. I noticed on another thread that you posted that your doc said you'd be doing all your sports soon after your physical therapy ended. I wonder if perhaps he didn't create too high an expectation for you? I say that only because my surgeon was pretty clear that, while I'd be walking again within a few months, it might be up to a year, even year and a half, before everything feels really good and normal and I can really judge how successful the surgery is. So hopefully there's still some improvement left for your foot as well. I can't say too much about the specifics of what you're feeling, as we seem to have had somewhat different surgeries. (Instead of the implant and fusion that you had, I had a bone graft put in to help create an arch--which is different than a fusion--and my big toe was lowered as well. I also had the heel moved and tendon lengthened, like you.) I do wish you all the best though, and let us all know how it's going. I know my friends and family, though usually patient, are also totally sick of hearing about my stupid foot too, so it's great that we can talk about it here!

My biggest worry at the moment--at least until I get to physical therapy next month and have to deal with actually putting pressure on it again--is that my OTHER foot (the right one) will give way and need surgery at some point too. It still has a little bit of an arch, but it feels like it could be collapsing too...and I SO don't want that to happen. It is taking 100& of my weight right now when I'm on crutches or my rollabout, so I guess now's not the right time to be judging how it's doing. Oh well, we'll see... one thing at a time...

Hello everyone,
I am so glad there is an advice and sharing page for this painful surgery. I am in my 3rd week of recovery and in alot of pain still. I do not sleep at night and my whole body seems to be hurting now. Hopefully it is just from the lack of sleep. I go back to the doctor on Aug 23rd. I am praying he removes this cast. The doctor put gauze pads around my stitches and I believe it has fallen down underneath my arch. How long does it take for the burning sensation to go away? My foot feels like it is in a ring of fire all the time. I only had the right foot done and the doctor wants to do the left foot as well. I just don't think I can deal with the pain all over again. I am 37 years old and my mother was told when I was a child to have this surgery done. A week after surgery the doctor put on a plastic cast and told me my foot had to move up to a 90 degree angle. Has anyone had both feet done? Any advice to give me on how to fall asleep and stay asleep? I sleep for one hour at a time.

Char

Hi Char--

Sounds like I had my surgery just a week or so before you did... Sorry to hear you're struggling with pain and sleeping. I can relate of course, though it does seem like you're having a tougher time than I am now. I've been off of pain meds except the occasional Tylenol for some time, and I'm sleeping throught the night ok. (Though I'm not used to sleeping on my back with my foot up, of course, and I do wake up with some back soreness.) What are you taking for the pain now? Is it just not doing the job?

Also, if you think the gauze may have moved and it's really uncomfortable, I wouldn't shy about contacting your doctor. You could ask about the pain management too... that's what they are there for, after all. Do you still have your stitches in after 3 weeks??

I'm worried that I might have to get my right foot done too, but I'm hoping it just holds up well enough for me to do all the things I want to do. Its always been better than the left so maybe it will be okay. Anyway, I'm trying to just focus mostly on the healing I have to do now!

Best wishes with your recovery...

Hi Char

I'm now almost 7 weeks post op. I agree with Rosinberfoot, please go back to your doctors about your cast. If the pads have fallen down they could be changing the position of your foot aswell as being uncomfy. The casts do tend to feel hot, i used to position mine near a fan and let the air blow up it from my toes end. Sounds mad, but it did help. As for the sleep thing, i also still wake up several times a night! I'm not sure how to stop that, so if your tired try and cat nap whenever you can.
I know its hard right now, but it does start to get better quite quick. I had cast off and boot on last week, and almost had an emotional breakdown. I wanted it to be so much better than it was....but just a week later i'm walking a reasonable amount in the boot, and its not all that bad.

This surgery is very hard on most people, so dont feel alone. I hope you'll statr to feel better really soon!!

Goodluck to you and Rosinberfoot.

Mazzie

Char,
Although I had a different foot surgery than you, I was in a cast for 6 weeks, and I even had a terrible contact dermatitis with blisters, which they had to put a cast over again anyway because they didn't want to wreck my foot alignment after surgery. I too could only sleep for an hour at a time, having to sleep with my foot propped up on two pillows with an ice pack under my knee and it was miserable. I got some Restoril from my primary md, and I really do not like to take medication, and I certainly didn't want to become dependent on sleeping pills, but I used the Restoril sparingly when I was really desparate for sleep and it helped me fall asleep. My foot did not like to dangle for long, it would throb, so I tried as best I could to keep it elevated, even at 3-1/2 weeks. It will get better in time. Try to hang in there and know that you are not alone, others have gone through the same misery.

Hi all,

Rosinberfoot,
I am in your exact postion. I'm 5 months post-op from having my left foot done and all is going fairly well. The right foot has "issues" as well... it severely over-pronates and the arch has dropped significantly. That being said, the posterior tib tendon is still healthy and I don't have any pain. So my doctor doesn't want to mess with it. He precribed custom orthotics that I've been wearing with new shoes I bought designed specifically for over-pronators and they control mid-foot motion which also helps. The orthotics help support the foot that was repaired and hopefully will help the foot that was *not* repaired so that the tendon will stay healthy. I cannot imagine having to go through this again. It's been a very long and painful process (and it's not over yet!). So I would check in with your doctor as to the specifics of your right foot. Is it painful? Is your tendon still healthy? Have you done an MRI on it? If you don't have pain, an the MRI checks out ok, I'd see if you can get some custom orthotics to help it stay healthy as long as possible.

Char,
When I was still in my cast I had a lot of discomfort and had trouble sleeping as well. Some nights the only way I could fall asleep was to take my heavy pain medication along with a prescription anti-nausea medication that made me very drowsy. Hang in there, it will get better. I think I was on pain meds longer than some people on these boards, but my doctor and I had good communication about it and when I did come off of them, it was fine. Every person is different and has a different response and tollerance to the pain. You spoke about feeling as if some of the gauze had shifted. It is possible, but more than likely what you're experiencing is sensations from the nerves being damaged during your surgery, which is also why you experience the burning sensations. At about 4 or 5 weeks post-op, I would wake up at night feeling LITERALLY like someone was burning me with a cigarette butt or something. It was awful - but it did go away! The nerve pain does strange things, and many people have feelings like there is a tight band across the bottom of their foot - perhaps this is what you're feeling? There is a long thread on this board called "Posterior Tibial Tendon Surgery" where many of us have posted along our journey of surgery and recovery. There is a lot of good information on there you may want to check out.

Good luck to you both,
Deb

Hello,
Thank you all for all of the great advice. I am taking Extra strength Vicodin for the pain and it seems to ware off every few hours. I do have a lot of pain in my left foot (which has not had surgery yet) and I am afraid of my ankle giving out on me. I want to try and wait another year before I go in for the Left foot. I have had alot of surgeries in my life but this the worst. I get really upset at night when I cannot sleep. I had to stop myself a few times from going in the garage and getting the saw out to cut this cast off. I guess I do not deal with pain very well. I will take your advice and give the doctor a call and let him know about the gauze I feel underneath my arch as well as not sleeping at night. Hope everyone is healing well.

Char

Hi everyone,
I've been having some issues with my good/non-surgery foot too...more flat and some aching, which is how the other one started. I was told that there is no tried and true way to prevent PTTD from happening, as evidenced by the fact that various methods were tried and surgery was still the end result. So, in other words, if it's going to happen, it will. Not what I wanted to hear! I don't want to go through this again! I haven't had it checked out, but may if it continues to bother me. And I'm going to talk with my PT tomorrow to see if there are some exercises we're doing for my surgery foot that can be done to help my other foot.

Sleeping can be so hard given the position you're forced to be in and the way the cast can dig in. And the rest of the body sure takes a hit. I had some tough nights of sleep too and the meds were definitely what helped. Well, then again, so did the fact that I was absolutely exhausted at the end of the day from putting so much effort into everyday tasks. The nerves do cause a funny feeling when they're "awake", which happened a lot at night for me. Still does actually!

Char, hang in there and talk with your dr about that cast and pain/firey feeling. It does get better...though it feels like it never will when you're in the middle of it!

Krista

Hello everyone,
I am so glad there is an advice and sharing page for this painful surgery. I am in my 3rd week of recovery and in alot of pain still. I do not sleep at night and my whole body seems to be hurting now. Hopefully it is just from the lack of sleep. I go back to the doctor on Aug 23rd. I am praying he removes this cast. The doctor put gauze pads around my stitches and I believe it has fallen down underneath my arch. How long does it take for the burning sensation to go away? My foot feels like it is in a ring of fire all the time. I only had the right foot done and the doctor wants to do the left foot as well. I just don't think I can deal with the pain all over again. I am 37 years old and my mother was told when I was a child to have this surgery done. A week after surgery the doctor put on a plastic cast and told me my foot had to move up to a 90 degree angle. Has anyone had both feet done? Any advice to give me on how to fall asleep and stay asleep? I sleep for one hour at a time.

Char

man, can I relate to that. I didn't get a good nights sleep for at least 4 weeks after my surgery. The best thing I found at that time was to find a comfortable spot to lay, then absolutely keep your leg motionless. after a few minutes it would basically go numb so I couldn't feel it unless I moved it, even slightly.

I really feel for you having to have both feet done. I was lucky and only had to have one. I couldn't imagine having to go through that pain again. good luck and remember, you've come too far to turn back now!

I have been reading this thread as my 9 year old son has severe pronation; surgery may be an option.

You all seem to have been having a terrible time of it; I hope it is just the recovery period and all will be well.

The podiatrist told me he has the worst case of pronation he has ever seen in a child. He has hyper mobility of the joints, so it cetainly makes it worse.
We had seen an orthopedic surgeon several years ago who told us to never get surgery, as it often causes more problems than it fixes.

However, at 9 years of age, he has a terrible time walking for any length of time. Even with orthotics and shoes designed for overpronation, he can not do things like other kids. He no longer does any sports and we can't go any
place where extended walking is required.

For those of you who have this problem and have lived with it for years, would your recommend this surgery for a child? I have read more horror stories on this board than success stories, so it is hard having to be the one to make this decision for him.

Thx so much,
lori

hockeyplayer: Sorry to hear that you're still having some residual issues with your feet. I do hope it all works itself out in time. I noticed on another thread that you posted that your doc said you'd be doing all your sports soon after your physical therapy ended. I wonder if perhaps he didn't create too high an expectation for you? I say that only because my surgeon was pretty clear that, while I'd be walking again within a few months, it might be up to a year, even year and a half, before everything feels really good and normal and I can really judge how successful the surgery is. So hopefully there's still some improvement left for your foot as well. I can't say too much about the specifics of what you're feeling, as we seem to have had somewhat different surgeries. (Instead of the implant and fusion that you had, I had a bone graft put in to help create an arch--which is different than a fusion--and my big toe was lowered as well. I also had the heel moved and tendon lengthened, like you.) I do wish you all the best though, and let us all know how it's going. I know my friends and family, though usually patient, are also totally sick of hearing about my stupid foot too, so it's great that we can talk about it here!

My biggest worry at the moment--at least until I get to physical therapy next month and have to deal with actually putting pressure on it again--is that my OTHER foot (the right one) will give way and need surgery at some point too. It still has a little bit of an arch, but it feels like it could be collapsing too...and I SO don't want that to happen. It is taking 100& of my weight right now when I'm on crutches or my rollabout, so I guess now's not the right time to be judging how it's doing. Oh well, we'll see... one thing at a time...

well, I absolutely think he was a tad over optimistic. He was truthful when he told me i'd be skating again by that Xmas but what he neglected to tell me about was that it would hurt like $%*&! He told my wife after it was done that "I would hate him for a year but after that I was going to love him" I'll say I don't hate him but i'm sure not loving him...yet anyway. I had a CT scan on Fri. afternoon so he can make sure my fuse is solid and look for anything else that might be causing my problem so we'll see. thanks for the encouragement!

I sure hope you don't have to have the other foot done. I couldn't even imagine having to go through this again. I guess about all you can do is make sure you wear some good orthotics to give your right foot the support it needs while its bearing all of your weight. and yes, putting weight on your left foot will suck and it will hurt like $%@# for awhile. but hopefully it will get strong quickly and you can put it all behind you.

Lori,
I don't know if you've read the Posterior Tibial Tendon Surgery thread, but it has a lot of good information as well as some differering experiences. There is some variation in the procedures we've had done...do you know exactly what your son's doctor wants to do? It is a good idea to find out and that way you can do a little research online. There is a wealth of information. One common thread for all of us, and correct me if I'm wrong everyone, is that the recovery is long and can be tough. Being in a splint, cast and walking boot for 10 weeks and then doing PT gets tough. I think I read that kids' bones heal faster, so maybe it wouldn't be as long for your son. There is a whole new foot after the procedure and one has to learn how to walk on it, build strength, balance, etc., so that takes some time. But, from some of the reading I've done, it seems like this is done in kids with success. I find it pretty amazing that my foot actually supinates now (walk toward the outside of the foot vs the inside) and that I have an arch! I was told that I'd be able to do average Joe types of things, never any extreme sports or activities, with my new foot. That was fine with me; better than dealing with the constant pain and instability. And the full results won't be seen for about 1 year. At this point, as long of a road as it has been, I'm glad I did it (I was 29 when I had it done). What does your son think of having it fixed? Is he really missing playing sports and being more active? Does his doctor think the procedures will be successful in his case, given the severity? I'd ask a lot of questions and learn as much as you can before going forward...this is a good place...it's been a huge help for me! Good luck!
Krista

Spima3 speaking from experience with having this as a child and my mother and father were told to fix the problem while I was young. My mom feels really bad right now seeing me go through this pain and wished she would of corrected it when I was little. Let your son go through the pain while he is young. He can cope easier while he is young and heal alot faster. Thank God My four children were not born with foot problems. But if they were they would be having it corrected now.

Hey everyone. Well, I am now 12 weeks post-op, and I must say that I am encouraged and, overall, extremely pleased with my recovery. Upon removing the cast from my left foot (and leg) on August 9th, my x-rays and overall healing looked so good that my doc told me I could simply wear tennis shoes for the next 3 weeks and engage in "crutch assisted walking" to help ease the weight back onto the foot. Nice concept--didn't work. The pain of re-introducing weight to the foot was excruciating and it made my foot swell. It was so swollen that I could not put any shoe on it. After a week of this, I went back to the doc who examined my foot and concluded that the bone fusion was fine; the pain was coming from the joints surrounding the fusion. My doc made me wear a bulky velcro boot. It was the answer for me. Within a day, I had ditched the crutches and have not turned back. In fact, today, I went to the gym and drove for the first time without the boot, even. 2 weeks ago, my foot could barely support my weight, now it is not an issue.

Rosinberfoot, hi buddy! You say you had bone grafting done to create an arch. Are you pleased with the arch? How much of an arch did it create? Sounds like we had the same surgery done except I did not have bone grafting or the heel shifting (although that was the original plan). I am supposed to have my right foot done too, however, it's going to have to wait at least a year. This has been far too disruptive of my (and my family's) life.

Hockeyplayer70, welcome aboard. I can relate to your claims of heel pain. Now that I am so far post op, I can tell that the alignment of my left has changed. Whereas most of my weight was formerly support by my fallen arch, now I feel most of the weight squarely on my heel, and it has become painful. I will be asking my doc about that during my follow up this Thursday. If you find an effective solution please share it.

Take care all.

Hi UNCgrad,
What did you have to have done? PTT debridement and repair? Are you still in the boot now or are you walking in regular shoes? Is your dr having you do PT? I'm 13 wks p/o from PTT repair and an Evans osteotomy (bone graft version) and got out of the boot on 8/6 (10 wks p/o). I've been doing PT since mid-July and am improving...but have a ways to go! However, I now have an arch and actually supinate instead of flopping right to the middle on the arch. It's pretty cool...and I bet it'll be even better once I have much stronger muscles to support my foot, whatever I'm doing. Right now, balancing is hard work/quite painful and adjusting to not having solid ground underfoot is hard. It'll be worth it though. I know what you mean about how disruptive it is...can't believe how long of a recovery this involves! Good luck as you continue to heal!

Rosinberfoot, how are you doing? It's been awhile!
hockeyplayer70, have you scheduled your next surgery?
Krista

I have a consult scheduled for next week when we will set the date.

the plan is to go in and remove the screws and see if the fusion is solid. if it isnt they are going to a graft I guess. he explained it as they would either take bone from my ankle, use cadaver bone or the fake bone stuff and put it between the 2 bones that were fused and screw it back together or my original surgeon said they would staple it. I don't know, both surgeons are giving me slightly different takes on how the surgery would be done so hopefully that will be clarified next week.

Hi everyone (uncgrad, sunny, hockeyplayer)! Good to hear how you're all doing. I'm at 6 1/2 weeks post-op here, feeling fine in general (no pain anymore), but obviously still totally non weight bearing. My next appointment with the surgeon is on Sept. 10; at that point, he'll take more x-rays and check up on everything, and if it looks good he'll clear me to start physical therapy. I'm looking forward to moving on to the next stage of recovery...although also anxious about the physical therapy, because from what I've been reading of everyone's experiences, it sounds like that might be a difficult time as well.

unc-- Glad that you're happy with your progress so far! My foot looks pretty good. I mean, I haven't ground-tested it yet, but just from looking I now have a pretty reasonably-sized arch (whereas there was NONE before), and my heel is back over where it should be. This foot used to be about a full shoe size larger than my right one, since it was so flat, and now, with the arch, it's actually the smaller of the two! Pretty wild. So, I look forward to seeing how it works soon....

At the moment I also have developed a weird patch of red, very smooth skin on the sole of my foot (not where I had any surgery at all). I'm sort of surprised... I thought the time for funny colors had passed. I think it might just be some sort of large callous, but it's worrying me a little. The feeling there is slightly deadened as well, like it is around my scars.

Otherwise, I'm just waiting things out. I haven't mentioned this before, but I'm recovering at my family's house, which is a little difficult because I'm 28 years old and used to living on my own. It's also the time of year for me when I should be applying for jobs (I'm an academic), and it's hard to concentrate and do the best I can while lying down with my foot up most of the time, away from my library, colleagues, etc. I'm trying to make the best of it, but it's also trying my patience, I must admit.

Hockeyplayer-- Best of luck with your upcoming surgery; I hope it solves what's ailing you. Definitely keep us updated here.

Good health to all!

Spima3 speaking from experience with having this as a child and my mother and father were told to fix the problem while I was young. My mom feels really bad right now seeing me go through this pain and wished she would of corrected it when I was little. Let your son go through the pain while he is young. He can cope easier while he is young and heal alot faster. Thank God My four children were not born with foot problems. But if they were they would be having it corrected now.

I want to thank those who responded to my initial question. I requested an app't w/ a pediatric surgeon and will see him next week.

Our podiatrist does not believe in surgery on children IF it is at all manageable w/ orthotics. He has only advised it 5 or 6 times in his career and he's been at it a while.
Our first consult w/ a pediatric surgeon was when our son was 4 1/2 and he advised against ever having surgery either.
yet, I have since run into two families, (message boards) who are being advised to have surgery. Yet, their kids issues are no where near as bad as our sons. ??

This is a tough problem to deal with, surgery often seems just as bad if not worse than the original problem. Our podiatrist did say the problem is generally easier to correct in an adult than a child. I wonder if that is really true.

It is very difficult to find any good information on kids, I have looked. Even here, the posts are from adults, but it is still the best info I have found to date. Hard to believe that in a world where they can transplant a face, foot problems seem to be so common and yet so hard to correct.

lori

Just a quick update from me: I saw my surgeon yesterday, the foot looks good and he's cleared me to start physical therapy! Any advice on what I should be expecting? I've been pain-free for a while but I know that's going to change as I start to put weight on it again. Basically he said that the next 2 weeks I go to therpay but don't do anything differently at home; every week after that, I put 25% of my body weight down, so that after 4 more weeks I should be fully weight bearing. At that point I should get out of the boot and into some sneakers!

Hope everyone's doing well.

lori, has your son had his consultation with the orthopaedic surgeon yet? I know it's scarely to contemplate surgery for a child, but based on what you say about how's it is impacting his life it does sound necessary. I am happy with the results of the surgery so far, and while many of us complain here, it does seem that most of us are really, truly glad to have had the surgery in the long run. Best wishes to your son.

Rosinberfoot,

Congrats on a good report from the doctor! The first visit or two at physical therapy they'll most likely take it easy on you, but from there on out, it will be hard work. You can expect some pain and probably a moderate amount of swelling. If you're still NWB (sounds like you are), they will probably have you sitting down doing some strengthening and range-of-motion exercises. They might get you on a bike to get some motion through the foot, too. Your therapist will do some manual work on you (massage, stretching, range of motion), and depending on the clinic, you may also get muscle stim, ultrasound, ice, and/or heat therapy.

I'd suggest that prior to your first visit you take some ibuprofen (or a pain pill if you're still on them). After you get home, it would be a good idea to elevate your foot and put ice on it for a while.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted on your progress!
Deb

Rosinberfoot,
Isn't it a great feeling to be given the go ahead to DO something, as hard as it will be, after not being able to do much for weeks?! My dr told me to take a pain pill before PT because they tend to do a lot of stretching and massaging initially...helps break up scar tissue and get ROM started. All of the things they do and have you do have the goal of breaking the scar tissue so you can heal...and it can be painful for sure, but the results over time make it worth it. One thing my PT emphasized is that I was learning to walk on a brand new foot and it was not used to supinating or working the way it has to now. I was out of the boot for much of the time in therapy and was encouraged to walk without it at home, as long as it was a short distance. It feels so weird and takes a lot of getting used to. You may find that you don't follow the 25%/wk weightbearing that your dr said...it's different for everyone. Like Deb said, elevating and icing is helpful after being worked. As time goes on, your PT may have you NOT ice, which mine did. Swelling isn't all bad, as it brings blood into the areas, helping clear the bad stuff and heal everything. With this explanation, I was left "warm" as PT moved forward. Sorry if this seems a bit random...hopefully it makes sense! But above all, congrats on making it to this point...get ready to work and make progress!
Krista

Hello everyone,
HELP!!! I went back to the doctor on 9/12 and he removed the hard cast. It has been 2 months since surgery. I am now in a walking boot and For one more week I am non weight bearing. Next week I can start putting alittle bit of pressure on the foot and then the following week start walking without the crutches. My problem is the doctor told me there are times he has to go back in and move the heel over. Has anyone else had to do this surgery after having the foot reconstructed? I cannot see going back in for more surgery on the same damn foot. I am so mad. The doctor did not say one thing about physical therapy either. I have to start moving the foot up and down and the ankle around in circles when I am sitting or laying down. This is very painful. The back of my leg where they cut the tendon hurts alot when I try to do the exercises. Please advise if any of you have had to go back in for more surgery on the same foot.:(
Thank You,
Char

Char,
I'm so sorry to hear that you might have to undergo a second surgery on the same foot! What procedures did you have done already? Did you doctor indicate that your alignment wasn't good or where he wanted it to be when viewing the x-rays? Did you bring up PT since he didn't? Seems strange that he didn't bring it up, unless he thinks rehab wouldn't be helpful if you have to go through another procedure. I'm sure you were shocked in hearing what he had to say. If I was in your shoes, I'd make a list of questions and put a call into the doctor, or make an appt, and find out more about what he's thinking. It leaves you in a difficult position to not know...and it's stressful! I'm possibly going to have to have the same procedure done on my other foot, but it wouldn't happen until December...that's hard to imagine after going through the rehab and non weightbearing, etc. Hang in there and keep us posted!
Krista

Hi Krista,
I am not sure what he really did. I do know he cut the tendon in back of the leg and brought it around to underneath the foot to make an arch. Surgery was suppose to be 2 hours long but it was worst than the thought when he started and I was in for 5 1/2. Recovery was an additional 2. I also have to have the other foot done. I am not looking forward to it. I go back in 3 weeks and I am hoping that he tells me it has begun to heal right & I will not need further surgery on the rt foot. He mentioned that The heel might need to be moved over. I know the doctor mentioned he had to use plates and screws and fuse bones together in order to fix the problem. I hope your second foot goes well. I am going to try and wait a year befor getting the left foot done. I am having alot of pain in the heel of my left foot now. I go back in 3 weeks and will have to write down alot of questions to ask him. It is hard for me to get back to see him right now. Due to starting back to work. I can't wait to start driving again. Take care.

Char

I am in a similar situation,i have arthritis is the foot but now i am waiting surgery as the arch collapsed and my walking is awfull i walk with a limp,is it possible you have arthritis maybe it sounds so much the same,but they are going to give me a total ankle replacement but i am now going to go and have a second opinion as reading about you,i think its the foot thats collapsed whats the problem can u tell me what were your symptoms thanks teresa.

Teresa,
I had arthritis in my feet. It was so bad that I could not walk up or down stairs. I had no choice but to have the surgery. I was told my feet would get so bad that I would not be able to walk at all. I would get a second opinion. Good luck.
Char

shifting over the heel is a big deal. If your doc was just trying to save you the hassle of going through that if you didn't need to then you should probably be thanking him. Sorry that you might have to have it done anyway but its better than having it done when you might not have needed it. I had it done last year and while the bone is strong, it is still uncomfortable to walk on at times because the soft tissue in the bottom of my foot has not come back like I had hoped. But I know those things can take time so i'm trying to be patient. and the scar on the side of my heel, even after 13 mos., still is very sensitive to the touch and hurts somewhat when I do calf raises.

but like you, I have had a complication from my first procedure that I am having a followup surgery on in about 2 weeks. I am not looking forward to having my foot cut on again but if it relieves this pain, then I'll happily do it all again. this will be my 3rd surgery in a little over a year, but the 2nd was just to remove screws and an implant and hopefully, thats all this will entail but they won't know until they cut me and see if my fuse is solid.

It's hard to remember all the right questions to ask and even then doctors will sometimes paint too rosy picture and don't always tell you everything that could go wrong. even with great odds, theres always that 1 person out of a 100,000 that has a bad experience and none of us want to be that person.

good luck and let us know how you are doing. btw, my doc never said anything to me about PT either but in retrospect, how could I not know I would need something like that :S

Hello,
I got a few questions. If my heel needs to be shifted and I have not been aloud to walk on my foot yet, will I have problems when I do try to walk? Does anyone know if that is the reason within the last few days I have tremendous pain in my heel? I am so scared next week to try and put pressure on my foot. That is with the help of the crutches. I'll have to talk to the doctor on Oct 4t about physical therapy. I know I will need a note from him in order for the insurance to cover the cost. I am suppose to have the same surgery on the left foot and after going through one I know I dont want to do this again. I don't deal with pain very well. I appreciate everyone's advice and look forward to hearing from everyone. I hope everyone is doing well.

It's hard for me to really say what your heel will feel like. One thing you need to remember is that everything in your foot is going to hurt at first. Your surgeon will be able to tell if the heel is aligned correctly but you are going to have to give it time to see if the pain is just post op pain or pain from the heel not being aligned correctly. That might take awhile too.

Hockeyplayer70,
Thank you for responding to my questions. I hope you surgery goes well. I started putting alittle weight on my foot today and you were right it is very painful and is swelling more. My feet don't look alike now. The one I had surgery on is a dark red & purple color. I did notice that when I sit it down on the floor everything is very cold. I feel like I am placing my foot on a sheet of ice. I hope that feelling will eventually go away. Did the doctor cut you on both sides of your foot? I have a 3 inch scar on both sides of my foot as well as one on the very top and one on the calf. The doctor never told me he had to cut in so many places. The only thing the doctor warned me about is blood clots. He never mentioned I might have to have more surgery.

quick update. Had the surgery last week to fix my mid foot fusion. turns out that the fuse was really soft he said so they went ahead and put a wedge in there and then put a graft on it and then a plate. the pain hasn't been real bad, just a little soreness. looks like i'll be on crutches for another month then a walking cast for a bit after that. so we'll see I guess. I sure hope this fixes my pain.

Hi everyone, I just discovered this board and it has been a great source of information. I am a 44 year old male who has been very active athletically all my life. Recently, I began to experience pain in the left foot after any kind of running activity. I was diagnosed with an advanced flat foot deformity with resulting arthritis. I had surgery a week ago yesterday. I had what I believe is called the Evan’s procedure along with lengthening my Achilles and a fusion on the right side of the foot where arthritis was starting. I am very happy to find this board, while I like my surgeon he is very busy and hasn’t been a wealth of information as exactly what to expect during the recovery period. My recovery started well, I was off pain medication by the fifth day. I have become somewhat concerned the last couple of days. While I am athletically active I can something of a klutz which has resulted in two accidents with the crutches. The first was when going up a small set of porch stairs. I guess I was over confident and instead of going up on my butt I just used the crutches. Needless to say I fell backward and landed on my foot. I cushioned the blow by grabbing the railing and it hurt but nothing unbearable. This was while I was still in the splint, the pain subsided after a while and I felt no ill effects the next day. I went to the doctor that day for a regularly scheduled appointment and told him about it. He wasn’t happy but he examined the foot and said no damage done, he also said if I had damaged the surgery I would know about it pain wise. He then put me in a hard cast, and the following day was virtually pain free. Thursday morning one week after the surgery I woke up and immediately noticed that foot hurt more than the day before. I got up to go the bathroom and had my second accident. Somehow, I was still half asleep, the crutches slipped in mid stride and caused me to fall forward land on both feet with full weight. It scared the hell out of me but there was no immediate sharp pain. However, over the last two days since it happened there has been considerably more pain than the prior two days. I am concerned that I may have damaged something. Having read this board, the pain I am in now does not seem unusual. In fact, reading about people who have told of similar surgeries is seems pretty mild as I am 8 days from surgery and while uncomfortable I haven’t felt the need to use anything stronger than Ibuprofen. Is it normal to experience more pain later in the healing process? I am thinking that it is. Also, I saw at least one post with people who have accidently fell on their surgically repair foot with no ill effects. I would think this is fairly common crutches aren’t the easiest things to get around on. My thought is that I will wait to my next appointment on Thursday and see how it goes. Anyway, thanks to everyone who has posted. This isn’t a real common surgery and it nice to read post from those who have had similar experiences.