hi every one, I am now almost 7 weeks post op. I am still really sore and most of my pain is in my heel now that it is post op I am still in almost the same pain as I was before it has subsided a bit. i have this pain that feels like it is stoping and going. and it kinda goes up my leg the pain. some times I have swelling in my leg and it goes up into my knee. I was wondering if this was normal for any one else that had this surgery and this is what I had done I went to the doctor and he fixed the tendon and aligned the heel and he put in a donated bone in my foot to help fix the arch. I am having alot of pain still and Most people say that they are not in this much pain post op. my doctor said in papers that he sent home that I may need a air cast after this I was wondering what the likley hood of this would be as I go in next week to get my nwb cast off. please respond thanks... I would also like to hear how other people are ding that had this same surgery...
thank you in advance.
Hi sportgirl,
I am almost 5 weeks post op from a flat foot reconstruction surgery (cadaver bone wedge put into the heel with a plate and 4 long screws, calf muscle lengthening, and navicular removal with that tendon re-tacked down). I am completely NWB and I have very little foot pain. I keep it elevated most of the day and I ice my foot or behind my knee at least every 2 hours. I'm also in a removable air boot not a cast. I do have Tramadol 50 for pain but I usually don't take it. My swelling is almost gone except for a little right around the outside ankle bone. Do you think that your cast maybe too tight? I haven't heard any on these boards get the swelling up the leg. I wish you the best of luck. Please keep posting your progress. Are you taking pain killers?
Hi Sportgirl,
Have you had x-rays and new casts after the x-rays during the seven weeks post-op? I'm wondering if something is irritating your heel since the last casting, or if the screw is bothering you. Are you doing a lot during the day and keeping your leg down without periods of icing behind the knee and elevating? I did not have the heel osteotomy, but I have a bone graft with the evans osteotomy. I also had two other incisions and now I'm at five weeks and in relatively little pain. My swelling comes at night and subsides overnight and with icing and elevation as needed but I don't need to do that unless I've kept my leg down for a long period doing stuff.
I'm not sure how to respond to your inquiry but I would call the doctor's office and just ask about your swelling up your leg. Is the cast too tight since the last one. Hoping all this just resolves when the cast is removed. All the best. You'll likely feel better just talking to someone in the office.
hi every one again, I am keeping my foot up and yes i am still taking pain meds if i dont then my heel and the outter part of my foot start to hurt pretty badly. and I cant stand being in pain that much. no i did not have an xray at my last appointment. but they are going to take one at the next appointment which is next week when I should be getting this cast off and i am guessing an airboot put on.. I am really sore scence surgery I thought that I would be in less pain.... but I guess I am not... I mean i thought that I would be in way less pain after surgery and to anwser your questions I dont think my cast is too tight beacuse I can fit my fingers into the cast some times. my foot turns blue when it is up is this normal????? thank you and good luck with your guys recovery.
Hi Sportgirl,
My foot does not turn blue when it is up. Better to err on the side of caution. I would call the doctor and ask your questions. Good luck with all phases of your healing!
Hi,
I agree...your foot should not be turning blue when it's up!!!
My surgery sounds similar to yours, and I'm almost 8 weeks post-op. I'm in a removable boot and my foot still turns dark red/purple/blue when it's down. From everything I've read on these boards, the funky colors go away when you get those "toes above your nose". It works for me.
Talk to your doctor ASAP. Thanks for sharing and let us know how it all works out.
hey kinder carol.
I have a question for you, did you just recently get your boot that you have on your foot. I am going in for my eight week tomorrow. yes I keep my toes above my heart. but when I call the doctor the nurse usually calls me back and says put your foot up higher. soon my foot is going to be above my head haha. um well My foot is still sore but it feels like it is a shock going up my foot that is really strange. how long have you had the boot so far and how long do you have to keep it on for? I had my surgery on january 21st when did u have yours? I am going to the doctor for my eight week post op appointment tommorrow morning so hopefully we can talk more about what is going on then what we can on the phone. I have alot of heel pain and not arch pain but on the other side of the foot I had surgery on my right foot. It is still really painful and my toes still swell up really bigger then the other foot. well thank you for your concern and I will catch up with you guys tomorrow after my appointment.
I had surgery on January 18, and got the cast off and the boot on at 6 weeks. I don't know how many weeks/months I'm supposed to wear it. My surgeon told me I can take the boot off for showers, bed, and whenever I have my foot up. He also told me to put 50% of my weight on the boot. I do not think I'm at 50% yet. I hate putting the boot on, because it hurts to pull on the sock, and it hurts to put my heel against the boot's foam liner. Also, I think it's hard to flex my foot enough to get it close enough to my hands to pull the sock on. Hope you understand what I mean.
The back of my ankle hurts the most, and the bottom of my heel hurts too. The good news is the rest of my foot is feeling less numb, and I'm able to move it more than a fraction of an inch. I will be 9 weeks post-op on Monday, and am going back for new x-rays on Thursday.
I'm supposed to go back to work at 10 weeks (only 1 more full week off), but I wish I'd taken longer. My job is teaching fourth grade and it is constant motion all day.Do you work? How long did you take off? I'm also supposed to start PT at week 10. I am looking forward to that.
I wish I knew before the surgery, what I've learned on this board. I never would have thought about going back to work this soon. I'm impressed by those of you who go back to jobs mere weeks after this surgery.
My biggest improvement has been keeping my leg down the past week or so. Yes, my foot swells by nighttime (especially the back of my ankle), but I can tolerate it being down while in the car or sitting at the dinner table. I no longer have to take pillows with me everywhere I go to prop up my right foot.
I had those shooting pains almost felt like a shock for awile. It started around 6 weeks post op & my MD said it was common & they didn't know why. But at 13 weeks I no longer have them...mostly now my foot feels tired not really pain unless itis swollen. I have been out of the boot for 2 weeks But they told me to put it on if I get uncomfortable so my foot is immobilized. Well luckily I haven't worked yet so we'll see when I have to do an 8 hr. shift as an RN how I do. My foot color is bluish when I have my foot down for a long time. my doc said that will get better when I am walking more & get the circulation pumping better. Have you noticed that. my surgery was Dec 15. my other foot hurts a lot more , it has the same problems...
Hi All,
My foot also turns very purplish when I leave it down. I'm a lot more comfortable leaving it down at this point. The first 2 months it was just too painful.
How long before you go back to work as a nurse, Mammymim? I finally called my principal this morning and told him I'm not ready to come back at 10 weeks.
I still have such a hard time putting weight on my booted foot. Sometimes, I think I'm not trying hard enough. I'm almost 9 weeks ost-op. I'm 53 and was quite active until the flat foot pain stopped me from working out about a year ago. Do you think there's any way to know when to "push it"? Thanks.
Hi Kindercarol,
I am up and moving around a lot more chaufferring the kids and stuff and it is hard to be 2 hours with my foot down. I started wearing a compression sock and it has helped with the discomfort immensely when I know my foot will be down for a while. I only wear it when I'm out of the house and I let my foot "breathe" at home when it's elevated. It is hard to put the sock on. I usually ice down my foot around the heel and ankle then I carefully pull the sock on in increments. The socks I wear at home are great and I wish I could remember wear I got them. They are very elastic so they stay up but they feel very loose because they are extra soft and plush. I cut the toes off of the pair and I wear them both on my one foot so that the boot is comfortable. I noticed that if I don't wear two thick socks then the boot chafs or I just can't seem to be comfortable in it.
My foot turns purple too when it's down... kind of freaks me out so I try not to look to hard in the shower and stuff.
I got the green light yesterday to go PWB in the boot and I was very surprised how much it hurt. I also wonder if I need to push a little harder. I'm not a big fan of pain and I don't want to mess anything up but on the other hand it won't heal correctly if you don't start PWB right? All the conflictions in my head... I'm taking it real slow.
hey every one.
IM walking with a little bit of pain my foot is still aching alot and I am still taking medication. but i am walking on it which is a huge improvment. I have about a month left out of school and stuff. which is a good thing. because I get tired just by doing things around the house. so that is what is happening now. I am having alot of trouble going up stairs is any one else having that problem? I know that it stinks.. but i love being able to take a shower no baths or pools yet the doctor said as the insisions are not fully healed. but soon enough can not wait until this summer thanks for all your guys help this far.
cant wait to hear how you all are doing.
Hi Kindercarol,
I am up and moving around a lot more chaufferring the kids and stuff and it is hard to be 2 hours with my foot down. I started wearing a compression sock and it has helped with the discomfort immensely when I know my foot will be down for a while. I only wear it when I'm out of the house and I let my foot "breathe" at home when it's elevated. It is hard to put the sock on. I usually ice down my foot around the heel and ankle then I carefully pull the sock on in increments. The socks I wear at home are great and I wish I could remember wear I got them. They are very elastic so they stay up but they feel very loose because they are extra soft and plush. I cut the toes off of the pair and I wear them both on my one foot so that the boot is comfortable. I noticed that if I don't wear two thick socks then the boot chafs or I just can't seem to be comfortable in it.
My foot turns purple too when it's down... kind of freaks me out so I try not to look to hard in the shower and stuff.
I got the green light yesterday to go PWB in the boot and I was very surprised how much it hurt. I also wonder if I need to push a little harder. I'm not a big fan of pain and I don't want to mess anything up but on the other hand it won't heal correctly if you don't start PWB right? All the conflictions in my head... I'm taking it real slow.
hey every one.
IM walking with a little bit of pain my foot is still aching alot and I am still taking medication. but i am walking on it which is a huge improvment. I have about a month left out of school and stuff. which is a good thing. because I get tired just by doing things around the house. so that is what is happening now. I am having alot of trouble going up stairs is any one else having that problem? I know that it stinks.. but i love being able to take a shower no baths or pools yet the doctor said as the insisions are not fully healed. but soon enough can not wait until this summer thanks for all your guys help this far.
cant wait to hear how you all are doing.
Stairs stink! haha. I can do them but they zap my energy! I crutch up them carefully and usually hop down them on one foot. I haven't tried to 'walk" stairs yet using my surgery foot. I am definitely not at that stage yet.
How many post weeks are you? What was your surgery?
Stairs stink! haha. I can do them but they zap my energy! I crutch up them carefully and usually hop down them on one foot. I haven't tried to 'walk" stairs yet using my surgery foot. I am definitely not at that stage yet.
How many post weeks are you? What was your surgery?
hi sarah luke. yes stairs do stink I am still having trouble with them. I had my surgery on January 21st 2010. so its been about 10 weeks post op... now.. I had a donated bone put in my foot I had a tendon releced and I had my heel put in the right postition and I had the tendon fixed. I was in a cast for two months. I just recently started walking with out a cane stairs are the worst. what stage are you post op? and what did u have done? my surgery was really painful. and it is really hard to start walking again on it one thing is I have not taken my shoe thingy off.
Hi, stairs are tough, I finally gave up after crawling up twice & sliding down on my butt & decided to do spit baths in the sink downstairs & also to wash hair there too. So Ididn't stink.I got my air cast at 6 weeks & then started going up to shower but again not every day but soaked foot in a basin set on the floor downstairs. crutches on stairs are a recipe for disaster.At 12 weeks when i could start weight bearing, i started sleeping upstairs & showering ..within a few days my leg got stronger so the stairs were not sucj a problem. i am now 15 weeks out & am cleaning a room & will attempt to paint it witha roller on an extension...The pool really helps me fpr strength as well as comfort. hope you do well. PS I used the knee walker to get into the bathroom/shower sat on the shower bench & took off airboot, then swung into shower on the bench & sat to shower .
Hi Sportgirl,
I had the Evans Procedure which is a wedge of cadaver bone put into the outside of the heel to lenghten the outside of the foot and force the instep to pop up into an arch. I also had an accessory navicular removed, the tendon tightened and tacked down, and a gastroc release on 2/4/10. I have a plate and four long screws into the side of my heel.
So far I am doing very well, painwise, I think. I take 1 Tramadol 50 a day and as long as I wear a compression sock if I am out and about and raise it up when I get home I am fine.
I moved into our downstairs guestroom with its own shower and I love it. Everyone once in a while I make my way upstairs to sleep with my husband but I am sleeping much better downstairs with a closer bathroom!
Today I went to the pool for the first time. It was awesome. My doctor said I could go in my a naked foot and I was too apprehensive to do that so I went in with an ankle lace-up thing that I had from before. It was great. The cool water felt GREAT on my foot. I walked around carefully in shoulder/neck deep water and I swam a few laps letting my foot trail behind me. It was so freeing. I did actually do some light flutter kicking just to see if I could and that was good too. I would love to get my thigh a little stronger my swimming.
I just started wearing a thick "toe sock" (remember those from the 70s??) and it feels really good on my toes which like to swell up a lot when my foot is down. I know it sounds weird but it feels really comfortable to have my toes a little bit spread out.
I also started to go through the walking motion on my crutches a little more this week. I should do it more but it is so slow. It feels ok doing it as long as I have taken my Tramadol for the day and I can do about 40 pounds of pressure max (tested by walking on the bathroom scale).
My doctors appt last week showed that the bone graft isn't fusing as fast as he would like but he said to go by how it feels rather than the xray.
Hi Sarah,
Glad you are doing well and enjoying the pool. When I first read your post I thought I had written it because the experience is so similar, with the downstairs bedroom, closer bathroom, tramadol, and so on.
I see my doctor tomorrow and hoping that I will be out of my cast (the third one) and onto the boot to begin pwb. I have been nwb for nine weeks. I hope the x-rays will show enough healing of the bone graft that I can begin the pwb. Been using the bone stimulator everyday.
What shoes are you wearing? Do you wear your compression socks everyday? Are they Jobst? I don't know how you manage to get them on. They must be so tight!
I just wanted to let you know, I'm 14 months post op - PTT with Arthrodesis - which I later had reversed. I'm still in considerable pain. I'm currently in an Arizona AFO, and waiting to see if that helps. still taking 5/500 Vicodin 2 or 3 times a week as well.
The Pod who did the surgery thinks my pain is resulting from the joint, but my new Ortho thinks its still soft tissue. I'm going to another Pod next week to see if I can get a tie-breaker answer.
Hi Mandy,
How did you appt go? Are you cleared for PWB yet?
I just came back from the pool. My doctor wrote me a script to start cold laser therapy this week with the words "Evaluate and treat as necessary using any modality you see fit". So now I am reading all the websites of the PTs in the area trying to find one that specifically mentions foot surgeries. I only found one and it is farther than I wanted. The vibration from the car irritates my foot so I don't like to drive too far.
My foot has been hurting more in a specific spot rather than all over like it used to. I guess that is an improvement. Now it hurts pretty locally right over the plate/screw area and sometimes it is a sharp zinger out of the blue.
The other day my foot hurt a lot all day much worse than usual and I couldn't figure it out. Ice and elevation didn't help. When I went to bed I found out why it hurt -- my morning tramadol was sitting right where I left it that morning! I forgot to take it like usual and all day I was thinking "I really don't want to take a second pill!" Oh well. It did make me laugh when I figured it out. Now I know that the tramadol really makes a difference and that I really do need it!
I'm still doing my walking motion while on crutches and in the air boot but I'm not putting much weight on it. At the rate I'm going I really can't imagine ever walking normally. My ankle does not bend past 90 degrees. I am wearing the running shoe called Brooks Beast with a custom orthotic in my "good" foot. I HIGHLY recommend this shoe for pronators. The Beast model is the men's version and there is a women's version but I don't know it's name. The Beast was more comfortable and supportive for me. Before my surgery I was wearing custom plastic hinged AFOs on both feet and calves. Since I have been crutching a lot more lately I am close to going back into the AFO for the "good" foot. I really didn't want to do that with summer here but you do what you have to to function. My "good" foot has enjoyed and needed all the rest I've been getting since the surgery.
I do wear my compression sock every day and I take it off in the evenings when I ice and watch TV. It's not a JOBST but it is just like it. The first few days I couldn't get it on at all. Then I started icing my foot down before I pulled it on. It took 5 minutes and it wasn't comfortable pulling it over the incisions but it is definitely worth it when it is on. Now they feel almost too loose. I'm wondering if the sock stretched or if my foot is just thinner now, or if I am just used to it. If your are not using one I highly recommend you freeze your foot and go for it!
Do you have a problem with your other foot too? Will you have surgery on it if you do?
Re: almost 7 weeks post op pttd surgery 
