swelling after hammertoe surgery

I thank you for putting together this incredible website. "The most common complaint is stiffness and swelling of the toe, which can last for a few months," says Dr. Botek. how are you now? Obviously, I cannot do anything like that. This is called amputation. All rights reserved. The isolation, frustrating swelling, lack of activity, plays havoc with my emotions. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions before the procedure, so lets see how you can reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation. I had to laugh at your description of your husband ripping off the steri strips but ouch! Rarely, the pain and swelling can become permanent. my toes (the 2 in the middle) got twisted going down a step & now it's worse! Walking is actually good for you after minimally invasive hammertoe surgery. The first steps toward healing start right away. There have been cases in which 2 months after surgery, although the recommended treatment has reduced swelling a bit, the dense fibrous tissue has given a fusiform (tapered at both ends) appearance to the toes. Sometimes it feels good to just have my foot exposed to air around the house. After picture taken immediately after surgery. I am practically under house arrest. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Use comfortable pillows to make sure your foot is securely elevated. Bunionectomy After image taken six months post surgery. It is possible to treat flexible hammer toe without surgery, often by simply switching to better shoes. Appointments 216.444.2606. They rarely persist after the first six months post-surgery. I lived in Orange County between 1983 and 1990. A Hammertoe, also known as a claw toe, is a deformity that gradually causes your toe to bend downward. We commonly utilize the Silipos or silicone hammertoe pads. I am in constant pain. As tlw described, I do the toe curling and also a stretching exercise with my 2 affected toes on my left foot - the doctor said twice a day - but the infection in my right foot has meant I couldn't exercise that toe; it's quite stiff by comparison. Once the anesthesia wears off, you'll feel pain and swelling, which can be regulated with painkillers and antibiotics. For this surgery, a doctor cuts ligaments and tendons to help straighten the toe and may also remove a portion of the bone. im so depressed , i need to hear there is a light at the end if the tunnel. This article, Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Holiday shopping on Amazon. It takes a long time to get back to normal. Depending on the type of surgery you had, your recovery time can vary if youve undergone a minimally invasive procedure, it will be about 4-6 weeks. Patient is a UK registered trade mark. Sometimes, nerve tissue can become trapped, creating a painful scar called an adhesion. Elevating the foot can speed up healing and reduce pain. Always beware of the possible side effects of over the counter supplements. Note that there is very minor bruising at this point and swelling is minimal. During the procedure, the surgeon made an incision (cut) in your skin to expose your toe joint and repair the toe. He was ambulatory right after surgery and back in a shoe at 6 weeks. After your procedure is complete, your trusted podiatrist closes the incisions with a stitch and applies compression dressing. If you have minimally invasive surgery to correct your hammertoe, the procedure is completed in an outpatient setting with a local anesthetic. I was prescribed antibiotics but 2 days later (a Sunday) I wasn't improving, the seeping and pain was getting worse, so I went to the Emergency dept. I wonder when I'll be able to go for a walk and not end up limping and hobbling because my feet have swollen. You are to . I live in Southern California so I can at least sit outside and don't have to deal with weather. Notes on 6 weeks after bunion/hammertoe surgery - foot quite swollen, https://patient.info/forums/discuss/6-weeks-after-bunion-hammertoe-surgery-foot-quite-swollen-722059. Hammertoe surgery is a procedure to correct a deformity in the second, third, or fourth toea bend at the middle joint that makes the toe look like a claw or hammer. Best food forward: Are algae the future of sustainable nutrition? The boot is TOO hard and heavy for me to walk! Those first two weeks I was diligent (most of the time!) All rights reserved. During a tendon transfer, the surgeon pulls a tendon near the hammer toe across the top of the joint. Patients with hammertoes often have other toe problems, such as bunions or corns. This is why I had to have another surgery.I injured my 3rd&4th toe in the shower while shaving my legs. This happened 2/4/2017. You will need to wrap the tape under the big toe, over the hammer toe, and under the toe next to the hammertoe to help keep it in a straight . If you don't elevate, fluid may collect in the foot and cause additional pain. A doctor may also. Hammertoe surgery may be the best option for patients who are still in pain after trying non-invasive hammertoe treatments. So, yesterday I was 6 weeks after bunion and hammertoe surgery. My doctor said that I could drive when I can wear normal shoes. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek I am limping along still in my neoprene surgical sandal. In some cases, a keloid scar can form. Not what you're looking for? You may have some minor pain and swelling that lasts as long as 6 months to a year. The second, third, fourth or fifth toes are affected most often and the deformity usually develops over time as a result of chronic inflammation arthritis, ligament injury or wearing poorly-fitted shoes. Depending on the success of the surgery and recovery rate of an individual, this condition of swelling could remain for one month to one year. I still have pain and swelling 7 weeks after hammertoe surgery. Copyright 2017-2023 Nagy Footcare. Since you will need to rest a lot the first few days after your foot surgery, elevating your foot will significantly reduce swelling. I also interviewed a lot of doctors. This straightens the toe and can help reduce pain. Do chronic wounds need to be dressed daily? The next day I ended up going to UC. so I have had both feet done now the first one I had done last year September 2019 my foot was swollen quite big I would say for around four months and then after that the more I walked on it the more it was swollen this was on and off through the whole of the summer we are now in December 2019 I would say the Welling stopped probably the end of August beginning of September my foot is completely normal. Swelling could last up to a year, but the pain should subside fairly soon after the operation. Blood vessels in the area of the cut begin to form clots that keep you from losing too much blood. One of the most effective ways to reduce swelling is to ensure you get enough rest. My husband is a pediatrician who works very long hours. I know that it does not offer enough support but there is no shoe of any kind that I can put my foot into. I was told that it will get better and the swelling will go down within time. How? Last wk. Posted Constipation often happens after general anesthesia and surgery. 31st Oct 2018. It is also known as "Sausage Finger" or "Sausage Toe" because of the localized, painful swelling that causes digits to look like sausages. For the correction of flexible hammertoes, soft tissue release is often used and this will maintain the structural stability of the toe. My toes were extremely swollen, but I was told this is normal and would decrease gradually. An ingrown toenail can usually be treated at home. A person with a history of hammer toe is at risk of developing it again, even after surgery, so it is important to wear comfortable shoes that fit and to follow a doctors recommendations for protecting the joint. I want to wear something on my feet that doesn't hurt and that makes me feel normal. The recovery period could be painful and difficult, especially in the initial stages. My Steri strips cam off at about 3 weeks (actually removed by dr. ) and he used Neosporin and gauze with ace bandage until 6 weeks when pin removed. I will never wear normal trainers again, I'll only buy wide ones. The typical recovery duration after bunion surgery is 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the amount of soft tissue and bone affected. Get Plenty of Rest To Promote Healing After Foot or Ankle Surgery. At present I wouldn't be able to walk to the end of our street without having to hobble back like I'm 100 years old. Before having hammer toe surgery, the surgeon will test the circulation through blood tests and vascular studies, but delayed healing can still occur in some patients, according to FootDoc.ca 3. These pins can be removed a few weeks after the surgery. The problem is that my foot is too swollen and too frozen in place to be able to fit into even a wide, larger soft shoe. This happens more often in smokers, diabetics and those with metabolic diseases. When you continue to wear shoes that cramp your toes, your toes rub against the inside of your shoes, creating calluses and corns, which can exacerbate your hammertoe. After hammer toe surgery heals, it leaves a small scar that becomes less noticeable over time. Initially, you should change your shoes, switching to shoes with a wide toe box. Fortunately, advances in medical technology have led to aminimally invasive approach to hammertoe surgery. Weve explained all the options in the text below. Seabrook, NH 03874 My pin was pulled out at 6 weeks minus one day, my foot was unwrapped and only some steri strips were left at the sites of incisions, that is a few such strips over the former bunion, a few strips at the base of the second toe (formerly hammer toe) and a vertical strip along this second toe. I was looking forward to my hammertoe pin removal and clearance to begin weight bearing but its just such a battle of swelling and pain. Any advice would be appreciated. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery recently reported a meta analysis of outcomes in 1583 Scarf bunionectomies that met their inclusion criteria. My question is about the boot the surgeon sent home with me to begin wearing - 25% weight increasing to 100% over next 2 weeks. This causes your toe to curve into the shape of a hammer or a claw. My husband and I have readjusted in every way possible! After surgery, it is important to avoid wearing high heels and to get well-fitting shoes that give the toes plenty of room, to lessen the chance for recurrence. Andrew had an osteotomy bunionectomy and a hammertoe correction with a plantar plate repair. So now the other foot was done on the 19th of November although it was the same surgery completely different experience I was up and around after five days although my foot was sore it was mostly in the night it would wake me up the swelling is minimal I have to be honest its the 14th of December 2019 and I have my sneakers on although when I do walk I have to walk quite slowly but sometimes I dont sometimes it slightly swollen sometimes its not so I think really and truly how are you can recover has a lot to do with your body and how it works what I would suggest is taking vitamin di vitamin see and high-strength visuals that is the difference this time to the last time I started taking these six weeks prior to having my surgery I really do believe they made a difference but remember youve just had a massive Surgery and trauma to your foot so just try to keep it elevated as much as possible doing lots of fluid and take supplements that are naturally sourced to help with your recovery you will not regret it in the end you will have a lovely feet I am so happy.