dismama
07-25-2008, 12:03 PM
I'm 32. I was wondering of my recover will be easier and quicker than some other people have posted since I am young. My bunion is moderate but the dr said I should get the surgery since it was only going to get worse. Bunions run in my family.
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kristian85
07-25-2008, 12:17 PM
recovery when your young usualy is better then when your older... but it all depends on how healthy you are and how severe/complicated your problem is.
I'm 23 and I was told that my foot would heal fast because i am young... but were they ever wrong. Its been over 3 months since my injury and i still have another 2 months to go by the time surgery and healing time are over with. Who knows it could be longer if they keep screwing up.
But on the other hand my fiance had surgery on his hand and was back to full function after 6 weeks. So i guess it ll depends on the case and the Doctor
I wish you luck with your surgery and I hope you have a speedy recovery
I'm 23 and I was told that my foot would heal fast because i am young... but were they ever wrong. Its been over 3 months since my injury and i still have another 2 months to go by the time surgery and healing time are over with. Who knows it could be longer if they keep screwing up.
But on the other hand my fiance had surgery on his hand and was back to full function after 6 weeks. So i guess it ll depends on the case and the Doctor
I wish you luck with your surgery and I hope you have a speedy recovery
dancergal19
07-25-2008, 03:34 PM
I'm 25 and had bunion surgery one year ago. I healed very well but the recovery process is lengthy no matter how old you are. But yes, generally the younger you are the faster you heal, as long as there aren't any complications.
My Pod told me 6 weeks on crutches, 4 in a walking cast and 2 in a walking shoe. Well I didn't realize that I would still need physical therapy after the walking shoe and would still have some swelling and other minor issues to deal with.
If your doctor tells you you'll need 12 weeks to recover, add a few more weeks on to that total. I was able to start exercising and doing 'normal' things once I got out of the walking shoe at 12 weeks but my foot wasn't completely back to normal until 8 or 9 months post op. I still had minor swelling, scar tissue, and range of motion issues up until around 9 months.
I don't mean to discourage you, because I am VERY glad I had the surgery, but it does take a long time to recover from foot surgery. Also, you should really only have it done if you're in pain.
My Pod told me 6 weeks on crutches, 4 in a walking cast and 2 in a walking shoe. Well I didn't realize that I would still need physical therapy after the walking shoe and would still have some swelling and other minor issues to deal with.
If your doctor tells you you'll need 12 weeks to recover, add a few more weeks on to that total. I was able to start exercising and doing 'normal' things once I got out of the walking shoe at 12 weeks but my foot wasn't completely back to normal until 8 or 9 months post op. I still had minor swelling, scar tissue, and range of motion issues up until around 9 months.
I don't mean to discourage you, because I am VERY glad I had the surgery, but it does take a long time to recover from foot surgery. Also, you should really only have it done if you're in pain.
debbie g
07-25-2008, 05:28 PM
of course the younger you are, the quicker you heal. is the bunion too painful for you? surgery at any age is not great. if you are not in pain, i would not do the surgery. if you go ahead, find the best dr you can and ask a lot of questions.
dismama
07-26-2008, 10:43 AM
I am in pain not just when I walk but also just randomly when I'm not moving around. The dr said that it would be 6 weeks in a shoe. No crutches. Pins out at 5 weeks and full activity at 8 weeks. Is this unrealistic?
debbie g
07-26-2008, 01:55 PM
you should have the surgery. i dont agree with 8 weeks for a full recovery. i say it would be around 12 weeks.
dancergal19
07-26-2008, 01:57 PM
yeah, debbie is right. It'll probably be around 12 weeks for a full recovery. You'll probably be able to wear normal shoes at 8 weeks but you may still have some minor swelling and discomfort as your foot heels and gets used to it's new alignment. Good luck!
dncergrl53
07-26-2008, 03:32 PM
It depends on how you define "recovered". The site where the bone heals forms a callous that is weak and unstable at 4-6 weeks and requires some kind of fixation ( cast, pin, etc.) Eventually the callous ossifies bit by bit and turns into what we think of as bone. The bone takes 3-6 months to reach adequate strength. The bone site needs to be protected until it reaches the density required for what you want to do with it. The foot bone requires more strength for standing and walking then sitting and more strength for jumping than walking. It needs the most strength for jumping on one leg. Lot of people get by in life with weak bones but break easily with falls, etc. If you want to jump in ice skates on it, that is another story. Personally, I want to dance at a high level and I think it will take me a year to do the steps that will stress the foot the most. But I want an uber strong foot.
footsiedee
07-27-2008, 10:40 AM
well actually , i was not in pain from my bunion. but the second toe was crossing over on top of the big toe,and was starting to look like it was broke. so i was worried about the tendons being torn etc. doc said the bunion surgery is more predictable than neuroma surgery so i got it done. i also did overkill on staying non weight bearing til just over 5 weeks. at 4 weeks i did use the heel to get around the house, as doc said i could. so far its great. but the angle seems close to what it was before, so if the second toe starts crossing over again i will be so discouraged. ....dncergrl, the time frames you mention sound very reasonable, on the conservative side which is good. at least from what i have read here. dismama, good luck on your decision. i know it is a serious thing to consider. since my toe was crossing over i felt it would mean inevitable damage to the toe if i did not have the surgery. but everyone is different. Dee