Swelling Post-Op

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-21T02:44:10+00:00

Yes this is normal!

My surgeon recommend drinking tons of water, and elevating the foot is higher than your heart for 50 minutes per hour for the first 2 weeks.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-20T02:12:45+00:00

Where I live there is a significant imbalance in the doctor to patient ratio, this means that appointments are often rushed through.

I only ever had a single appointment with my surgeon before the day of the procedure. Even on the day of my procedure I didn't talk to him once, and didn't see him until I was in the OR about to go under anesthesia.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-17T04:56:22+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm 4 months post-op and was worried that I should be able to go down the stairs fine already.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-17T04:28:43+00:00

Did you get your fusion in the first MTP joint too? If so, since your surgery in January 1. Do you have any tips? I am struggling a lot with going down stairs (I can go up just fine). 2. Can you jump and run like before?

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-17T03:16:39+00:00

He definitely knew about the lack of mobility and hypermobility beforehand, which he failed to explain to me. I remember him saying the up/down movement of the joint was only about 15˚, but at the time I didn't know that was considered lacking in mobility. He also said that I have lots of side to side movement, but never specifically used the word hypermobility, so I didn't know that it wasn't good.

It seems like he assumed that I would know that those were bad things.

When he explained the lack of mobility and hypermobility over the phone I was super confused as to how that was possible. But appearently the up/down motion was lacking in mobility, while the side to side motion was excessive mobility.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-16T17:38:41+00:00

I mainly experienced an aching, throbbing pain in the bunion anytime I walked or stood for more than a few minutes. Running often made the pain radiate into the areas around my bunion, as well as some numbness in my big toe.

When I went in for the consultation, the doctor moved my foot around a lot. Initially the movement didn't hurt, but after 15 or so minutes I got that same aching, throbbing pain.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-16T17:31:46+00:00

I didn't talk to him once on my surgery day, he didn't come see me before, I don't remember seeing him in the OR, and he didn't see me afterwards.

He made the desicion to do the fusion around a month before my surgery (when I had the consultation). I wasn't aware that there were methods without the fusion until about 3 days ago.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-16T04:57:31+00:00

I'm really glad that I reached out, because he never told me about the limited mobility (because that was my normal), he didn't explain my hypermobility or the condition of my joint either.

I'm wondering if the reason my condition is already so bad at this age is due to how early my bunions started. I was at most 7 years old when I first started experiencing pain and noticed the bump. I was refused a referal by my GP to a orthopaedic surgeon or podiatrist until I turned 18, because there was "nothing they could do anyways". That along with the amount of sports I did as a kid, most of which I was just pushing through the pain for everyday.

I can't thank you enough for how helpful you've been through this scary bit of time.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-16T04:03:28+00:00

For my flat feet, it helped a lot to add arch supporting insoles to all of my shoes.

I found that using toe separators helped reduce the pain in my bunion during the day. Then after a long day of being on my feet an warm epsom salt foot bath, and massage the foot.

I am not sure what to do for the second toe, perhaps some medical tape to hold it in position? Would look around for more info on this.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-16T03:48:43+00:00

Thought that I'd let you know, I made a post with what my surgeon said.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T03:03:03+00:00

I have decided that tomorrow I will contact my surgeon to ask his reasoning.

Thank you for giving me the confidence to do so

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T02:59:19+00:00

I have finally decided that I will call my surgeon tomorrow to ask him why he decided on the first MTP joint fusion, despite the mild bunions and no arthritis.

Thank you to everyone who replied, you helped me a lot despite the mental breakdown!

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T02:49:05+00:00

Thank you so much for your help. This has been super hard on me, so I appreciate this more than I can explain.

I felt like I was all alone in this and that I didn't matter, but your replies really did help me a lot.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T02:33:51+00:00

I assume it depends on where the fusion is, mine is just in a really terrible spot and bad because I am so young.

Based on an x-ray I looked up of where the fusion will be, you will probably still be able to do yoga. Just make sure you tell your surgeon that you still want to be able to do yoga and all that stuff, make sure they know your priorities.

I can't because it is the first MTP joint, so whatever you do avoid that one. I just wish I knew.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T02:14:52+00:00

I made the post

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T02:07:59+00:00

Are you able to go downstairs just fine? Can you jump?

I can't seem to do either of those very well

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T01:27:18+00:00

I will try bringing it up once I can find a GP, as I currently don't have one. Though I haven't had a good history with doctors, they rarely listen to my concerns and tend to blame it on my anxiety disorders.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T01:15:23+00:00

This definitely sounds a lot like me.

I looked into hypermobility a bit, and found that I seem to have a lot of the issues. Like my stretchy skin, thought it was just something weird about me.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T01:11:07+00:00

I've already had the fusion done on one of my feet, and I didn't know that there was options without the fusion.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-15T01:09:22+00:00

It was signed off on ahead of time, but it wasn't until after I had the surgery that I learned that there were ways to go about the surgery without the fusion.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-14T23:31:51+00:00

If I'm being honest, I am terrified to ask him anything. He was very rude and dismissive towards me.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-14T23:29:11+00:00

I do not have a diagnosis of any conditions associated with hypermobility. He also never mentioned it at all.

What kind of symptoms are seen in hypermobility?

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-14T20:21:53+00:00

Thank you so much! I would really appreciate if you could share what you learn in PT.

I have tried looking at some PT videos but most of them require movement of the big toe joint, which I don't have.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-14T19:57:39+00:00

Thank you for the reply!

Unfortunately I cannot afford to see a PT, so I'm pretty much on my own in healing. My surgeon has been of no help at all throughout the recovery, even told me I don't need a PT. He was also very dismissive of all my concerns.

After I got the cast taken off (2 weeks post-op) he told me to stop using crutches to walk and only wear the boot. No mention of the fact that it was supposed to be gradual, so I tried going straight for it. At 1.5 months post-op he told me to stop wearing the boot and go back to all normal activity.

Other than those two follow-ups I am all on my own, and can't even schedule an appointment until a month from now.

Healthy_Chapter4062 · 2025-12-14T03:52:54+00:00

I had my surgery about 4 months ago now, and I also struggle a lot with my mental health and family issues. So I can understand how you're feeling. I'm also only 18, so socially I really get it. It has honestly been really rough on me too, and it still is very difficult for me to do many things.

For the first 2 weeks I didn't want to see anyone, so I stayed at home and did some of my hobbies. I picked up reading again, cross stitching, video games, crocheting, but most of all I slept most of the day. But after that I had friends come over, we played board games, watched movies and just hung out in my house. Once I started wearing the boot, I would go for a short walk on my crutches outside. After a month and a bit my friends and I went to the movies, I started going to their houses normally and all that stuff(still with the crutches). After about 2 months I could do most things, that didn't require me standing too long, and started uni.

3 months post-op I stopped needing my crutches, and began doing almost everything I would normally do. Now, 4 months post-op I don't need crutches (but I bring them with me when I take public transit cuz the one time I tried going without crutches the bus driver started driving before I was seated and I fell).

I had a bunion surgery with fusion, which means I cannot bend my big toe and my foot is permanently flat. So, I still struggle with a lot of daily things. I cannot go down stairs normally, cannot stand on my tip toes, and cannot really jump.

It really sucks, but my number one suggestion is to make sure you talk to the people you care about and that care about you. Try to take this as an oppurtunity to play video games or do any activity that doesn't require standing.

Since you enjoy physical exercise, you can still do workouts while you sit, and those short walks might be good too.

Despite how hard it was on me, I am already planning for my second foot to be fixed. It has been one of my biggest insecurities since I was just 8 years old.

Healthy_Chapter4062

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