was my bunion surgery a failure? - Foot Problems Message Board

footsiedee · 07-25-2008, 05:49 AM

hi all. it is 5 weeks and 2 days post op for me. when the doc 'wrapped' the foot first few weeks, he had the bandages deliberately set to hold the big toe away from the foot, and he said it would eventually move back in on its own. i do still have a bit of swelling in toes, but i am worried that because the big toe has moved back and is touching 2nd toe, that maybe the surgery didnt work. my toes had been 'crossing', so i had to uncross them several times a day.
Has anyone else experienced where their toes seem too close together at 5 weeks only to have it all turn out ok after the swelling is totally gone?? my toes seem close like before the surgery, so i am worried i will still get tangled toe. so i am hoping things look different when the swelling resolves. only my toes have any swelling now.
i absolutely love the orthotics doc made instead of doing neuroma surgery, from now on i wont go to a technician. i think it did my feet more harm. from now on, only doctors for the feet.
i had the pin removed july 8th, doc said i could bear weight "whatever's comfortable". i didnt think that meant full weight, so still walked on the heel. finally today i called drs. office and was told by all means go ahead, and if a shoe fits i can wear it. so today was first day without a crutch, and without the boot. from reading some stories here, i didnt think one could be weight bearing after 3 weeks!!??

Stitcher317 · 07-25-2008, 06:30 AM

Hello Footsie,

We are in about the same time frame, recovery wise. I had a Keller Bunionectomy and my Dr. did the same thing, wrapping my toe to help it heal in a certain position. He called it "splinting". At my 4 week visit last Tues. . he removed all bandages and instructed me on how to "exercise" my toe. Up/Ddown, 10X each position, one session a day. WOW, it hurts.....He also said I could begin trying on a wide sneaker for 30 minutes each morning before I get out of bed when the swelling is down. My problem now is that my foot seems more sensative and sore with all the protective bandaging off. I can barely put my foot flat on the floor. The surgical shoe has absolutely no support in it and I am finding I am walking more on the outside of my heel and that is starting to stress my ankle....

I will be 5 week PO on Monday and I thought I would be further along in the recovery process than I am. Is your foot still quite sore? My toe wasn't crossing over so I don't have that issue to contend with. I had Hallux Rigidus.

During the entire 4 week recovery period, I sat in the recliner quite a bit but also never stopped doing my usual around the house. I even managed to do all the grocery shopping.

I am wondering if this has delayed the healing process. I spent a lot of time on my computer as well, but since my foot didn't hurt at the time, I neglected to keep it elevated. It's still swollen. Since yesterday I have been elevating and icing again and have put the household chores on the back burner. Hubby is NO help around the house.....

Oh, almost forgot, I also got permission to drive! WHOOPIE! I have been practicing driving a few blocks at a time. I am very tentative when I have to but too much pressure on the brake....but, my Dr. said I cannot "undo" anything he did during the surgery. I had no pins and don't have any bones knitting together. Primarily, just soft tissue healing....another reason why I wonder why I don't feel better at this point in time...

Hope you have a great day. Off to "recline".....

debbie g · 07-25-2008, 07:57 PM

it sounds like your big toe should be where its at. try walking in gym shoes and if its ok with your dr, move that toe with your hands so it does not become stiff.

itsanewme · 07-25-2008, 09:17 PM

are you wearing a toe spacer so big toe doesnt overlap the next toe in?
I was given 2 big spacers and a little one and told they will be with me for a long time
When Im wearing my sneakers i wear the smaller one, when im around the house or in my crocs i wear the larger one

footsiedee · 07-26-2008, 12:58 AM

Stitcher..i had an extra 10 days with bandaging. at 3 weeks the doc went to take out the pin, but my family doc who took out the stitches bound it too tight, so curved part the doc is supposed to use to pull out the pin had been pushed back into the foot and healed over. so he had to cut my foot again to get at the pin. so another 10 days with a light tensor type bandage. actually i am glad, because i was out of town and had not brought my other shoe. having the foot wrapped helped keep the boot on as my foot returned to normal size. i dont have pain in foot, but then i stayed off it mostly for 4 weeks. at home i would hobble around on the heel and sometimes use one crutch only. but i probably was keeping it up on a pillow at night for at least 2 weeks, possibly longer, and icing it for two weeks. overkill maybe??
,,,,Debbie G, i am in shoes as of yesterday afternoon. i phoned the doc, and his nurse said of course i could be weight bearing. apparently i was allowed to when he took the pin out july 8th!!, but i didnt think they meant FULL weight bearing. on the 8th, doc did say NO PT yet. but i see him in 4 days, by then i should have my "legs back", so see what he says about exercises. i notice i cant curl my toe like the others.
,,,,Itsanewme , doc never said anything about a toe spacer and when i had asked him about the bag over foot to have a shower, he said they really dont work. but after the pin was out i bought a cast cover. no, it didnt work well, but enough so i could finally have a shower. but i only used it once. what a pain in the rump that was. it was basically held on with a tourniquet strap. but i saw the toe spacers when i bought the cast cover and asked about them. will try to remember to ask my doc. it is my second toe that climbs up over the first (big) toe. even though it isnt currently doing it, the 2nd toe still wont lay down flat and is higher off the floor, (just like the big toe) than the other toes. darn. because i have been using the corn cushions between my toes for years, because the 1 and 2 toes press against each other. now my right foot is doing it, and that worries me, because that is a different story all together. i dont have the strength in my left leg to carry me if my right foot is operated on, previous hip surgery. sorry, off topic. Itsanewme, did your doc say that by wearing those spacers your toes would eventually lay properly so you wont have to use them anymore??