Hi Jamie, I had calcaneal osteotomy, FDL tendon transfer, and metatarsal fusion 4 weeks ago....expected recovery for me is 16 weeks. The calcaneal osteotomy is the procedure with the longest recovery of the 3 I had. Good luck.
I also had a calcaneal osteotomy (along with four other procedures) last August. Since they were all done at once, it is hard to say exactly how long the recovery for just the calcaneal osteotomy was, but overall my recovery followed the following timeline:
After that I was full weight bearing, but I had an air cast to wear in my shoe to support my ankle for many months. I am not our of that completely, but I am still finishing up physical therapy to get full range of motion and strength back into my ankle. I will have having the same surgery on my other foot again in August, so I need my first foot to be 100% functional, which it will be.
It sounds like a long recovery, but I promise it is manageable. Also, I am currently 20, but I had to have other foot surgery when I was 14, and age definitely helps with the recovery.
My biggest piece of advice is just to try to stay positive about the whole thing as much as possible. Myself, and others I have talked to, had times where you feel rather depressed throughout the process. You are forced you rely on other people, and I know I really missed my independence, and at times you don't progress as fast as you would like to which is frustrating, but it will all work out in the end. And in my opinion, the surgery was totally worth it!
If you have any questions, myself (as well as anyone else on here I am sure) would be more than happy to try to give you some answers!
Best of luck to your daughter with her surgery!
Aryn
The Following User Says Thank You to UofMGimp For This Useful Post: adbow (06-29-2011)
Hi Aryn!
Nice to hear that you are doing so well in recovery. I read some of your posts from early on...then got side tracked....but I enjoy hearing/reading from people who have been through this! I know ...warped...
I'm 8 and 1/2 weeks out from surgery - calcaneal osteotomy, debridement posterior tibialis tendon, transfer flexor digitorum longus tendon to navicular, and gastrocmenius . A week ago today I got my cast off and was told I could start weight bearing in my boot. I can have the boot off when I'm on the couch or in bed. My foot has swelled and hurt more this last week than it did before... And I think I over did it on monday...I'm walking with crutches...I walked 12 houses and then at the grocery store..(I had planned to use one of those electric carts but they were all busy). Anyways, my outside ankle is swollen - looks like a baseball mound under and around the incision site...and I think that has a blister also...I'm not touching it. 8-)
but yes...I think the hardest part is that this takes so long.
Hi-- I am 3 weeks post op today, and I have to say, I'm pretty uncomfortable. I get shooting pains every now and then and it feels like I have pins and needles in my foot 24/7.. this is making it very hard for me to sleep and walk. my doctor suggested that i be up and walking 50% of the day now. 2 days ago i went to dinner and a movie but i haven't been doing well since then. this recovery hasn't been easy for me.. i'm 19 years old and i feel awful relying on everyone around here to do stuff for me. the lack of sleep has been driving me and my family crazy. i also been having terrible back pains from being in bed most of the day. in 4 weeks i'll move to a boot. at the end of august i will be returning to school in a boot and i hope i wont have too much trouble getting around. also.. has anyone been to the beach in their cast? or even been outside when its sunny?
The beach may not be a good idea. I couldn't imagine how horrible it would feel to get sand in the cast. It is so not worth a few hours on the beach to deal with a few weeks of sand in the cast. Even if the cast is well protected, you still can get sand in there
..but I enjoy hearing/reading from people who have been through this! I know ...warped...
And I think I over did it on monday...I'm walking with crutches...I walked 12 houses and then at the grocery store..(I had planned to use one of those electric carts but they were all busy). Anyways, my outside ankle is swollen - looks like a baseball mound under and around the incision site...and I think that has a blister also...I'm not touching it. 8-) 
