Timing of foot and Achilles surgery, both legs

03-31-2014, 08:56 PM

I have had issues with my left foot for as long as I can recall and never new it could be fixed. I've also been overweight since my early 20s and over the last few years lost 50 of 120 lbs I needed to loose. In 2012 I started training for a 5k and started having issues with my right ankle. Within a few months I noticed a lump at the back of my heal and had that lovely morning after pain the day after a run. I tried to ignore it, rested a bit, changed things up. Decided to try training for one of those muddy obstacle courses and was well on my way to being able to get all the way through a mudderling work out! Then one day my ankle just said, nuh uh, you do that again and I'll take you out!

So, off the the dr I went and was told retrocalcaneal bursitis, no exercise and off to PT for a few months. Stay off, no exercise, til no pain. At best we got the pain to a bearable level and I started back up with my personal trainer. Then I experienced swelling of my right ankle and this time the doc said oh, bone spur not bursitis. This is supposed to be a podiatrist. Decided to follow his conservative treatment again, stayed off ankle again for two months. Swelling went away and original pain got much better and was cleared to resume routine. Pain started right up again.

This time I looked up orthopedic surgeons, found one that looked promising. So far so good. I've been reviewing the boards here and will ask more info about experience. I have three bone spurs on my right foot, two by my achillies. Those two will need to be removed, my achillies detached and then reattached with screws. And a gastroc recession. Minimally. I still need to schedule an MRI so she can determine what other procedures I may need. I also have a bunion on that foot but it does not bother me at this time. She also mentioned my flat left foot, which every doctor and physical therapist I've seen can't believe I'm even standing on. I had no idea I could get that fixed too, always thought it was just something I had to work around.

So, now I'm planning to have the surgery on my right ankle/achillies first and then get my left flat foot done. Has anyone else had surgery on both? If so, how far apart did you have the procedures? I'm really really really hoping I can go back to training and/or running post procedure. It was helping significantly with my weight loss and I miss it. Right now even low/no impact training causes pain.

04-01-2014, 06:49 PM

Hi! I've had surgery on both feet now; no Achilles surgery, though. I had two total flat-foot reconstructions, about 9 months apart. This is very unusual, and my first surgeon said she wouldn't even consider doing my second foot within a year of my first surgery. (However, I was feeling fantastic at 6 months and my second surgeon was a bit less conservative than the first.)
There is really no magic time-frame to determine when you'll be ready for a second surgery. A lot of it has to do with how you manage pain, how hard you work once you start PWB/FWB, your health, your age, your surgeon, and about a million other things. The most important part is to take it one step at a time and focus on the long-run; you're not going to be doing yourself any favors if you rush a second surgery and don't take the time to heal appropriately.

04-01-2014, 10:12 PM

Hi I had Achilles tendon recon in 08. Ive also had planters facilities and neuromas done and they were nothing compared to the achilles. You will be nab for 6-8 weeks. Then you start PWB for a few weeks and that is in a camwalker boot. Then you're moved to regular shoes but its slow like an hour or two a day at first.

You'll have pt and I STRONGLY recommend someone who has a pool. It really helped me. Get water shoes to protect bottom of feet.

I can't imagine getting both feet done. Be sure to keep a good tennis shoe on the good foot after surgery because you will be bearing all your weight on it. And please watch out for your knees when pivoting.

Cathy

04-02-2014, 07:30 PM

This is what I know about the right ankle so far. Insertional achilles tendinitis with enthesopathy. Over time bone spurring formed within the tendon causing prominence on the back of the heel. I also had tightness in the heel cord itself. Surgery involves detaching the tendon, shaving down the bone spurs and reattaching the tendon with absorbable screws. MRI recommended prior to surgery for additional assessment.

I plan to get MRIs of both feet and ankles next month. Then will go back and ask questions about experience, other procedures, etc. Pretty sure the left foot will require work on posterior tibial tendon and an osteotomy.

Going to be an interesting year or two!

Timing of foot and Achilles surgery, both legs

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