so the recovering process changes, right? - Foot Problems Message Board

itsanewme · 06-19-2008, 08:58 AM

Now Im starting to feel little jolts of electricity (nerve tinglings?) in the bottom of my toe every once in a while
I went through the foot numbness
know the toe will be numb for quite a while
now the nerve tinglings at 4wks
what else should i be expecting? (I know I find out more here than the doc says)
thank you

Bearsnumber1 · 06-19-2008, 09:46 AM

Those jolts suck don't they. For me I had them for about 6 months before they started calming down. I have been told that nerves are reconnecting and thats what causes it. The numbness can stay for up to a year or so unfortunately. Hopefully not that long for you.

Bearsnumber1

dncergrl53 · 06-19-2008, 09:48 AM

My PT said the jolts are the result of swelling around the nerves. I am 2.5 weeks post and am still elevating my foot about 22 hours a day, sometimes quite high. Like right now I am lying on the couch and foot is on a bunch of pillows higher than my head. No jolts, bruising is going away, great ROM, and no pain. I do some weight bearing every hour (stimulates bone growth), as well as some gentle, but regular range of motion exercises.(Then elevate high to drain foot of swelling.) I am also gently massaging instep and outside of foot (where there is no incision) upwards toward ankle to encourage pooled blood under bruising to dissipate. Actually I hold foot in the air and massage downwards toward ankle - I figure gravity can help. I wiggle toes, try to separate toes (with foot muscles) and do ankle rolls regularly to keep things moving. I am also doing leg lifts, etc, to minimized muscle wasting. June 2009 = My Month of the Foot!

dinkles · 06-19-2008, 11:16 AM

Oh yeh the electrical shock sensations are fun aren't they - NOT. I've had those since the 2nd week. Normal. Painful spasms/twinges where the incisions are and away from the incision site are also normal. Numbnesss is also normal. I had all of it and continue to have intermittently all of the above and doc told me last week that all are normal sensations to have following foot surgery. I still take my pain med at night cause that seems to be when all my weird sensations are worst. Hope yours get better soon.

chic43 · 06-19-2008, 11:46 AM

I'm 5 months post op and the zingers (electrical shock type sensation) and the toe numbness are gone for the most part. Every once in a while (very very rare) if I step oddly/wrong then I'll get a zinger. But, nothing like what it was for the first four months. I think I experienced the zingers the most at the three mark. I have heard the numbness could last a year, but luckily mine is gone now. Maybe with the more you move the foot and walk on the foot the numbness goes quicker? I know the stiffness, pain, and swelling have diminished more since I use the foot more.

And, you are right. You DO get more info here than what the docs will tell you...and it is firsthand info which is better anyway.

Let's see...what else might you expect....for me I have more upward movement than down and it will probably be like that from now on. I was not made aware of a slight loss of flexibility when moving the toe down. At first, I was upset. But then I think I had OVERLY flexible toes and maybe that contributed to my bunion problem...so maybe restricted movement will actually be a good thing?

I also had cramping (charlie horse) in my foot and calf on and off. And, I had tendonitis in both feet as I was trying to get back to normal walking. The tendonitis was helped with Celebrex for a few days. The cramping is helped by stretching and lots of water.

My toe is the stiffest in the morning first thing. I bought some elastic sleeve type thingeys from Walmart that I slip on my feet first before I step out of bed. This helped a whole bunch. After a few minutes I take them off and all is fine.

Continue doing the ROM exercises...they help.

If I think of anything else, I'll post.........