Hi all,
I will be 8 weeks post op this Wednesday from right foot bunionectomy. I'm getting pretty discouraged at this point. I've been in a shoe for about two weeks, but am still limping & in pain when I walk. There are times, although not many, that I can move around pretty good without pain &/or favoring my foot, but most of the time, I am still "GIMPY1"!! I really thought by now that I would/should be alot better. When I read here about those of who who've had double bunionectomies wearing heels already, I just couldn't even imagine. I'm in a shoe about 1 size larger than normal & that's it--there's no way I could wear anything else without being in alot of pain. I would like to think it's age & that you youngsters (I'm 41) just healed up faster, but my mom had two of these surgeries done last year & she can't believe I'm still limping about. Am I being unrealistic?? I see my doc tomorrow & will be asking him about this, but am curious as to how the rest of you were/are at about 8 weeks. I'm ready to be able to do things like shop, extensive house cleaning, etc. & am not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel at this point. I can drive now, but it doesn't do me alot of good if the destination will involve walking, cuz I still can't for any distance!!
Also, while I'm whining---I've found that I can make myself walk more normally (without limping) for a short distance, but then I have major pain throughout my foot that tells me to stop! I then go back to not putting all of my weight on it & limping again. I guess what I'm really wondering is, is everyone else walking normally at this point (8 weeks post-op)??
I am 8 weeks post op as well and I still have limitations in walking (I am very slow - this is terrible as my usual pace is at a racewalk, now my mother can even walk faster than me; I still slightly favor the foot still, maybe out of habit that I am trying to get out of as I think that the foot will not heal well if you don't put a little weight on it) and it is especially difficult going down steep stairs. And my foot gets a little achy if I walk on it for a while. But it is getting very slightly better little by little.
I hope you are eating okay and getting enough calcium and protein to build up your bones and muscles, and doing some leg strengthening exercises and stretches to prevent atrophy and muscle weakness, as well as the rest of you (right now I am into yogilates, I really recommend that as there are many nonstanding exercises in it)
Hang in there, progress will be in inches not yards at this point, and sooner than you think, you will be skipping about in the spring!
Don't get discouraged!! Even though I wore heels last night, let me tell you....I sure wasn't walking very gracefully in them! The only time I walk even close to normal is when I am wearing my tennis shoes, and even then the incision area gets sore so I start slowing down in those too! The doctor has told me I can wear whatever type of shoes I want at this point...although I can't fit into any of my regular shoes yet. I have bought a few pair that are a size and a half larger than I normally wear! I probably shouldn't have worn heels last night. My feet are probably nowhere near being healed enough for the heels, and I am sure that's why I was so swollen last night and sore today! What procedure did your doctor do, I had the austin bunionectomy with permanent screws. (2 in each foot) I think it seems to take less time to heal when the screws are used versus the pins??? Please let us all know how your doctors appointment goes and what all he has to say! Take care of yourself and keep your chin up! I am still a long way from being completely healed too!! Mandy
Hi all,
I will be 8 weeks post op this Wednesday from right foot bunionectomy. I'm getting pretty discouraged at this point. I've been in a shoe for about two weeks, but am still limping & in pain when I walk. There are times, although not many, that I can move around pretty good without pain &/or favoring my foot, but most of the time, I am still "GIMPY1"!! I really thought by now that I would/should be alot better. When I read here about those of who who've had double bunionectomies wearing heels already, I just couldn't even imagine. I'm in a shoe about 1 size larger than normal & that's it--there's no way I could wear anything else without being in alot of pain. I would like to think it's age & that you youngsters (I'm 41) just healed up faster, but my mom had two of these surgeries done last year & she can't believe I'm still limping about. Am I being unrealistic?? I see my doc tomorrow & will be asking him about this, but am curious as to how the rest of you were/are at about 8 weeks. I'm ready to be able to do things like shop, extensive house cleaning, etc. & am not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel at this point. I can drive now, but it doesn't do me alot of good if the destination will involve walking, cuz I still can't for any distance!!
Also, while I'm whining---I've found that I can make myself walk more normally (without limping) for a short distance, but then I have major pain throughout my foot that tells me to stop! I then go back to not putting all of my weight on it & limping again. I guess what I'm really wondering is, is everyone else walking normally at this point (8 weeks post-op)??
Sorry to ramble on & thanks for reading this far.
Gimpy1
I second Sweetficus and Rileyroe. Don't get discouraged--you're almost there! My surgery was in late November, making me a little more than 3 months and I am here to tell you you're likely to feel much better in another month. Only in the last week has my gait started looking totally normal--especially when my foot is rested. The really good news is that at 3 months (not 5 or 6, as I was told), I'm waking up in the morning to minimal swelling and the pain from the stiffness diminishes greatly with each week that passes. This has nothing to do with age--I'm 55, so you don't have to be a youngster to recover well from this surgery. My bones healed almost immediately and the rest has been a matter of doing the exercises and breaking up the scar tissue. Because I still have scar tissue in there, my foot is not as flexible as it was and when I flex a lot I still have minor pain. I guess the bottom line is, as my doctor told me, the progress at this stage is measured week-by-week not day-by-day, and if you continue working at it hopefully you'll notice a real difference at about 3 months. If you need specifics about what you can do at this stage, just ask. Hang in there.
I'm at 9 weeks, and I definitely limp along. The yard work I did over the weekend about did my poor foot in. It feels like a stone bruise over the entire bottom of my foot. Also the muscles & tendons in my foot & leg ache like I ran a marathon. I think it's just from dis-use. I think you will see progress each week.
Pain STILL after almost 8 weeks 
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