Cast placed two days ago after PTTT/calcaneal osteotomy - Foot Problems Message Board

mjjenner · 06-18-2008, 05:03 PM

I had my cast placed two days ago (12 days post-op) and I am going nuts. It throbs. It hurts. It is driving me nuts. I do better if it is propped up on four pillows but when I am on the couch or at a desk with my leg up on another chair or whatever, it gets sore soon after. I just want to chop it off. Anyone else have cast issues? This is worse than how I felt post-surgery!

janewhite1 · 06-18-2008, 09:32 PM

It may just be too tight. Call your doc and ask. If it's fitted properly, you'll just have to keep your toes above your nose a while longer.

emmie54 · 06-18-2008, 09:37 PM

I could not put my foot level for at least a month after surgery. It has to be above your heart to reduce swelling. If I had to work at my desk I had to have it ON the desk while I was slumped down in my chair. You have to be rather acrobatic :=) to perform this little feat but that is the absolute ONLY way I could work at my desk for a couple of months after surgery. My surgeon's nurse told me upfront to keep it above my nose a minimum of one month without exception so I was prepared but still had a little skepticism until I found out for myself that she was right!

You can get away with a little "cheating" while in the splint because there is some "give" and also you are on stronger pain meds immediately post op so you don't feel the pain as much. There is no give in a cast so it forces you to behave properly!

mjjenner · 06-18-2008, 10:32 PM

I keep wondering if it could be too tight - I guess I could call them tomorrow. How do I know? Taking pain meds is the only way I can get some sleep. Did you really keep it elevated nearly 24/7?

emmie54 · 06-19-2008, 07:31 AM

For the first month to six weeks, yes. I gradually began putting it down more and more toward the end of that time frame but still could only tolerate short periods of being down up to two months. But I know everyone is different but since the nurse threw out the one month comment I figured that I was falling into the normal range. It is very possible that the cast is too tight, though. It does happen. I would think the key would be if you do have it elevated above your heart and it still feels too tight then it's too tight. If you can get relief by doing that then it's probably not. It has to be somewhat tight to keep the foot from moving. By the way, I also propped it on several pillows at night so that it was still above my heart. I did this for a couple of months then went to one pillow.