Post-bunionectomy still have stiffness and a bump - Foot Problems Message Board

CA Patient · 11-29-2003, 12:38 AM

I'm seven weeks past an Austin bunionectomy and sometimes I wonder about my progress. After surgery (until I started walking on it) my foot looked narrow and had hardly any bruising or swelling. Now I can walk but I have constant swelling at the bunion joint and I can't bend my toe downward very far (also can't bend the toe all the way up, but it's closer to normal motion that direction). I'm doing exercises and even going to a physical therapist, but I don't see much progress. My doctor is this silent type, so I can't get much out of him. He's planning to do some procedure to break up the scar tissue in a couple of weeks when I go in for the second surgery. That's supposed to help the stiffness but I couldn't get any details. He doesn't have a thing to say about the swelling, not even an estimate on how long I'll need to wait.

Help, I am a little paranoid about my bunions coming back, so the swelling at the bunion joint makes me wonder if it's the start of a new one! On the x-ray the foot looks reasonably straight though. Did anyone else have this? Any ideas on how to fight the pesky stiffness?

Maya49 · 11-29-2003, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CA Patient

I'm seven weeks past an Austin bunionectomy and sometimes I wonder about my progress. After surgery (until I started walking on it) my foot looked narrow and had hardly any bruising or swelling. Now I can walk but I have constant swelling at the bunion joint and I can't bend my toe downward very far (also can't bend the toe all the way up, but it's closer to normal motion that direction). I'm doing exercises and even going to a physical therapist, but I don't see much progress. My doctor is this silent type, so I can't get much out of him. He's planning to do some procedure to break up the scar tissue in a couple of weeks when I go in for the second surgery. That's supposed to help the stiffness but I couldn't get any details. He doesn't have a thing to say about the swelling, not even an estimate on how long I'll need to wait.

Help, I am a little paranoid about my bunions coming back, so the swelling at the bunion joint makes me wonder if it's the start of a new one! On the x-ray the foot looks reasonably straight though. Did anyone else have this? Any ideas on how to fight the pesky stiffness?

Hi CA,
The swelling for me did not go down. go away.. until I was almost 4 months post-op...I noticed the difference when I started walking in reg shoes...well, I should say New Balnce walking shoes...it was not until then that I noticed the biggest improvement.
I am now 4 1/2 mos post-op..and for the first time I do not pay any attention to my foot..which means that I have truly healed and am not "paying attention" to it all of the time..the focus and energy is now finally off of the foot!

mom2chet · 11-29-2003, 10:15 PM

I don't think your swelling is abnormal. My fourth doctor explained to me that lots of new capillaries are made to carry blood to the region of surgery. That is the cause of the swelling. He assures me that it will go away in time. For the present, I still have a swollen foot, also.