metatarsal fusion 3 months ago and still swollen

debbie g

i also had toe fusion. i knew i would be swollen, but i could not believe how long it took for the swelling to go down. belive it or not it actually took 2 years for all the swelling to go away. you have to be patient and i know its hard. buy wide shoes and maybe a half size larger. as each day passes so does the swelling. get a compression sock-that really helped.

vze1n9v2

I just had this done I hope it doesn't take that long to heal its been about 5 0r 6 years before I had it done in the first place.

shell4

I had my surgery on 20 November 2008; I had so-called 'forefoot reconstruction' for RA foot; the operation involved fusion of 1MTP joint (2 screws), and osectomy of all lesser toes MTP heads. I was in a hard cast, NWB for 6 weeks, then, I was allowed weight Bearing on the heel 'as tolerated' in the post-op shoe. It is nearly 3 month since the operation; I am still wearing my post-op shoe and nothing else. (I cannot even imagine putting my foot in any footware at this stage!!!) I am still on crutches. My foot swells a lot; toes look like cocktail sausages; I also have pain in the big toe in the base and top of the big toe and I can hardly step on the foot. I am very very disappointed as I couldn't ever think how long the recovery time will be (and it is only if everything goes fine with the fusion! otherwise ..... you may end up in the cast for a number of months...) Last week I had my post-op followup with my surgeon; he was quite abrupt; by looking at x-Rays he said that fusion looks as it should look at 12 weeks post-op. He said that I have to see Physio Therapist to improve Range of Movement; well, I complied. And how much I regret my visit to the Physio!!! During the session Physio THerapist decided to streach my midfoot tendon(?) by pressing over the midfoot AS WELL AS OVER THE FUSION AREA!. I didn't have much pain during the PT session, however, coming home and until now, I am in pain, my big toe is swallen and it is not sticking up as much as it was prior to the session. I can hardly step on the foot at all. I am back to painkillers and I cannot see any end to all this nightmare. Could the PHysio Therapist break anything there?? Can he break 3 month's old fusion By pressing on the fusion site?? It looks like I am back to where I was 12 weeks ago...
Iused to be a very active 46 yrs old female. I used to wear fashionable shoes, some heels; now my life has completely changed; I dont even think about fashionable shoes, all I want is just to be able, one day, to wear some sort of 'normal' , off-shelf shoes and just to walk without crutches, even if i have to limp forever!!

Kind regards,
shell4

LeeLee077

Hi everyone, i had a really bad fall in July 2008 which resulted in a upper left torn quad tendon(ouch)Anyhow during my physical therapy a few months later(Sept 08) I was involved in a major car crash which resulted in me having a deep cut on my right heel down to the bone. I had to have surgery and i was a non-weight bearing status for 3 1/2 months. In Jan of 2009 my doctor removed my stiches and my heel was really swollen. My doctor told me to keep my foot elavated and to wear support hose. Well here we are in Feb about to go in to March and the heel is still swollen. Not as bad as before but it feels like its taking FOREVER for the swelling to go down. And not to mention its very hard to walk on it. My legs are very weak from all of the sitting and the heel is still swollen. Does anyone out there have ANY ADVICE on bringing the swelling down? I'm just emotionally exhausted from all of this.

endangeredearth

I'm really pleased I found this thread. I'm very weary of reading them due to mis information that can be given. I had a fusion of the Great Toe 1stMTP three weeks ago this wednesday. Its taken almost 4 years to get sorted after a RTC in 2006.
I'm glad I've had it done but have also been concerned about some of the reactions since the op. Hence looking on these sites.

However reading all other responses I feel better. 3 weeks is nothing in time but when given a 6 week recovery period you doubt that things will recover that quickly.

Except for the pain all felt like it was going well untill having the stitches out then the foot started to swell and swell. The pain got worse. Then cleared up.

I find the more the foot is elevated the more swollen it gets. The more the foot is down the more red and painful it gets.........you can't win. Evening time is worse. both swelling and pain no matter what position your in. It feels like someone in pushing against the end of you toe, shoving the bone into your foot and sometimes puling the toe upwards past the point it should go to. It feels like the skin is going to split down the joint side and across the top of the toe where cut.

I can't see me being at work within 3 weeks. Typical as I've been out of work since the accident 4 years, finally able to get a job the week before having to have the op. I just hope I'll be able to start in 3 weeks. Again so many differing sites and info. Not sure if I've made much sense......limited sleep at the moment.