How long to recover from bunion surgery?

Mostly due to genetics--thanks, Grandma--I have developed bunions in the last three years. They bother me a lot at times, not so much at other times, and it has become harder and harder to find shoes that fit, are comfortable (and are at least a little cute!).

So, I've been thinking about doing bunion surgery--either on one foot or both. I've heard both horror stories and success stories about this surgery. I'm a little apprehensive because my sister had a bad outcome; however, she does have rheumatoid arthritis pretty badly, so her joints are compromised anyway.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has had the surgery just how it went and how long before you were able to get around well enough to go about your normal living, exercise, and especially cruise!

BTW, I'm 64 and pretty active--(I'm doing the Thirty Day Shred, for instance, right now.) I've been putting off this surgery partly because I am afraid of how much 'down' time I'll have. If I have surgery this winter, how long before it's feasible to cruise?

We've met our deductible for insurance this year, so it makes sense to do it before the New Year, if I'm ever going to! Thanks for any help.

You have my sincere sympathies!!

I had a complication BEFORE the surgery when I broke my foot 10 days before.. that caused me problems.

I was able to get around just fine after about 3 days ..but I wore the surgical boot for 8 weeks. (some go longer some shorter but only about a week in either direction ). The broken toe did not heal correctly so I needed futher surgery on that.

I only had one foot done .. and I can't even imagine doing both at the same time .. but I am really glad I did and am planning to have the other done after I return from Alaska. It is worth the pain to get rid of the bunion problems !!!

I have had both feet done, 4 years apart. My left foot was fine, no problems. I used crutches due to hammer toe surgery. Wore a boot for about 4 wks. My right foot, done last year, by a different doctor, still frustrates me. I have calusous (sp) due to shifting of the foot. I did wear a boot for 4 wks. No crutches, although I had hammer toe on it.

I would really ask around. I will say, it is better than the discomfort I was feeling. Word of mouth will be your best resource. But everyone is different. Good luck.

I too need bunion surgery. I'm told that you should do one--recover -- and then do the other.

I too am 64, but my daughter (in her 40's) has had both feet done--about 6 weeks between each. She said it was very painfu, but worth it.

Therefore Mama (ME) is taking a long hard look at this.

I was so glad I did this surgery. I only had one foot that had a problem - it got to the point that I could only wear one pair of shoes and even they hurt.

It took me 8 to 12 weeks to get back to normal and return to work, I was afraid of the huge step on and off the train that kept me home that long.

When I went to the doctor, he looked at both feet because if the other one was bad, he would do both at the same time as he said I would never come back for the second one. Well, I was only in extreme pain for one day after the surgery (the first pain medication that they gave didn't work for longer than an hour) - but my foot swelled up so bad that I couldn't get a shoe on and had to wear the surgical shoe for a lot longer than I should have.

The one thing that I did and would recommend to anyone having the surgery is to go for physical therapy afterward. The doctor recommended three months of physical therapy - I really had to relearn how to walk as I walked on the outside of my foot to alleviate the pain of the bunion.

I had both feet done back in my 20s. Waaaayyyy back in my 20s. Did the worst (left) foot first, the when that recovered did the other. And then, when my doctor and I realized the first toe was starting to move back over, he redid the first. To give you an idea, I recently found him with an internet search, now living in Israel, and emailed him to thank him for giving me a life back. I love to walk for exercise and never could have done so without the surgery.

The recuperation time as far as actual discomfort (I never had anything near severe surgical pain) was short, the wearing of a boot was a few weeks. 100% back to normal is realistically almost a year, but you don't really notice anything after a couple of months. That's for full joint mobility.

Others may disagree, but please find yourself a good, experienced podiatrist for this surgery, NOT an orthopedist. Podiatrists get years and years of schooling, but all in the workings and repair of the foot. Orthos spend the same years, but learning about the entire bone structure. Podiatrists are licensed to do operate in hospitals and they always have an MD for the history and physical, and to prescribe medications.

I first had both feet done thirty years ago, by a doctor that didn't do it correctly. The bones went right back the way they were, and the pain continued. I should never have both done at the same time, I was literally crawling around, because couldn't use crutches with both done.

Eventually I got my mobility back, and worked for many years on a concrete surface, aggravating the incorrectly done surgeries. I went to a foot specialist, podiatrist who specialized in advanced foot surgeries. He said my left foot was really botched up and indeed the technique was ineffective. My right foot was 'usable' and not giving nearly the pain the left one was. He recommended NOt doing both at the same time, in fact not doing any unless they were painful. He said he couldn't justify doing bunion surgery for cosmetic reasons.

I also had a mortons' neuroma on the same foot he was going to do the surgery on this time, and so the foot was very painful. The surgery went well, the recovery was fairly swift. The first few days were difficult with some pain, but walking with the boot was tolerable even the first day.

Within a few weeks I flew to Atlanta with my boot on, and attended a convention. I was able to put a regular shoe on for only one event, other than that, I kept the boot on. I wanted to keep with the 'plan' of recovery. Your foot will swell up tremendously for awhile, and any kind of regular shoe will not fit. Usually the first ones they tell you to wear are a GOOD brand of tennis shoe with a stiff sole.

The Now, about 7 years later I have NO pain in that foot, it looks really good I think. The toes are not moving back. He did a slice wedge piece out of the bone, and put a titanium screw in, also had a rod in my foot for 6 weeks after surgery.

At least I have one foot that looks decent in sandals, the other one not so much. But now since I have little pain in the right foot, I won't risk having it done.

By the way, the one I had done 30 years ago, was without general anthesia, I was awake for it all....NEVER again!

This last one about 7 years ago, was done under general and I didn't know a thing. Less stressful.

I do not regret having this latest one done. Wish I had found a reputable doctor thirty years ago though.

Lady, I had a Morton's neuroma too, much more painful than the bunions, IMO. I also had the osteotomy (removal of a wedge of bone) and the screws, rods, the whole thing. A good doctor will do it right!

Thank you all so much for your replies and experiences. I am still so ambivalent about this surgery but at least I get the idea that doing both at one time is not to be taken lightly. I have read before that it should only be done if the pain is severe--which usually mine is not.

It sounds like 2-3 months is norm for getting back to mostly normal activities, up to a year for full recovery. How about aerobic exercise besides walking? Is jogging or other high-impact aerobics possible after this surgery?

Thank you all so much for your replies and experiences. I am still so ambivalent about this surgery but at least I get the idea that doing both at one time is not to be taken lightly. I have read before that it should only be done if the pain is severe--which usually mine is not.

 

It sounds like 2-3 months is norm for getting back to mostly normal activities, up to a year for full recovery. How about aerobic exercise besides walking? Is jogging or other high-impact aerobics possible after this surgery?

All activities are possible after complete recovery. I was able to to do far more after the surgeries than I was before. Unfortunately, since then, I've had three more surgeries on one foot (unrelated to the bunions, or the earlier surgeries) that really limited me, but are now improving.

I had this surgery done 8 years ago after years of foot pain that was affecting my whole leg and back.

To be honest, it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced and I was really worried that I had permanently disabled myself. I was off work 8 weeks and was unable to walk without a limp for 4 months.

HOWEVER- I am very happy that I had this done! After I finally healed, I have no more foot, leg or back pain and I can wear any type of shoe without discomfort.

I also run, walk, or bicycle 6 days a week and have no pain!

Your experience will hopefully be different as far as the pain is concerned, but it is best to go into this prepared for the worst. Even knowing what I went through, I would do this again because of the end result. I also agree that you should go to a podiatrist for this. Mine was excellent and didn't become upset when I cursed him for messing up my feet! I guess he knew I would get better...

So, if I decide to do this I'd better do it after the cruise we usually take in December and hopefully then I'll be ready to cruise again by April???

Again, thanks for all the advice and honest assessments.

Does being in my sixties make a difference as to recovery? I'm in good health and active and luckily haven't been in the hospital since childbirth--another reason I keep putting off this surgery.

I was so glad I did this surgery. I only had one foot that had a problem - it got to the point that I could only wear one pair of shoes and even they hurt.

It took me 8 to 12 weeks to get back to normal and return to work, I was afraid of the huge step on and off the train that kept me home that long.

When I went to the doctor, he looked at both feet because if the other one was bad, he would do both at the same time as he said I would never come back for the second one. Well, I was only in extreme pain for one day after the surgery (the first pain medication that they gave didn't work for longer than an hour) - but my foot swelled up so bad that I couldn't get a shoe on and had to wear the surgical shoe for a lot longer than I should have.

The one thing that I did and would recommend to anyone having the surgery is to go for physical therapy afterward. The doctor recommended three months of physical therapy - I really had to relearn how to walk as I walked on the outside of my foot to alleviate the pain of the bunion.

I know I walk on the outside of my foot a lot now because of the bunions. I was on my feet a lot today and the outer edge of my feet are very sore. So, this may be a problem I will have to face too.

Wow, talk about an opportune topic. I am going to Alaska Mon and had planned on having both feet done when I get back. My bunions are on the outside of my feet, bunionettes they call them. I'm not in much pain but I am limited as to which shoes are comfortable, not always the cute ones either. hehe. As I am in my 60's also, I think I will rethink this matter. Thanks so much for the question and answers.

Barb

I also had a bunionette (small toe) done several years ago and I was only on crutches for a few days and was able to wear a closed shoe after a couple of weeks. Your shoes will fit much better after having this done.

In reference to the "big" bunion surgery...I had mine done in October and was completely healed by my April cruise of the following year. I had alot of issues with swelling that made my recovery a bit slower than expected but in a normal situation, you should be good to go by April. Just stay positive during those first few weeks...it really does get better!

If you had a cruise planned for the next two-three months, I would definitely wait until after it, to get the surgery. The reason is that you will tire easily with walking on your foot for months, even though it will look and feel better, you will still 'favor' it and not want to spend hours on it. I am a retired teacher and went back to work 10 days after my surgery and sat on a stool whenever I possibly could...and put my foot up when I was home. You also have to watch out for people bumping into your sore foot, especially if you have a rod in it. I had a student accidently plow right into my toe with the rod sticking out.....I saw stars!

It was a few months to feel totally comfortable in any shoes. It was a good excuse to get new shoes too...haha. Show off those new toes! Seriously, you would be a little encumbered to have to walk long distances or up and down a lot of stairs right after surgery.

If you had it done this fall or winter, you will be in perfect shape for next spring's cruises!

Thanks everybody! I just need to bite the bullet and schedule surgery.

One thing to remember. If you want this done after a december cruise but before the end of the year for the deductible.. you should get on the schedule NOW. A lot of people want things done late in the year for that reason and it may be difficult to schedule if you wait too long.

I've never had problem with my feet and now I'm getting a bunion on my left foot . . . huh? Why? How? and How long do you wait until you get it operated on? At this point I'm just using a silicone toe spacer to straighten out things at night. As you can see, I'm new to this bunion thing. My doctor just said "Yes, you're getting a bunion" . . . sheer genius.

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

My doctor told me that I should get it done if it interfers with my activities and causes pain. We dance and it definitely was interferring as my foot hurt and I found it very hard to find dance shoes and even regular shoes that would fit over the bunion. Mine was so bad that my big toe was actually bent over the next two toes.

One of the reason you get bunions is hereditary and other causes are poor fitting shoes. Since no one in my family ever had bunions, the doctor thought it might have been caused by those pointed stilletto heel shoes that I wore in my late teens and twenties. Back then you wore them everywhere, even if you had to walk a distance - you didn't change into walking shoes to go to and from work like you do today.

My left foot had a "ball" on it the size of a golf ball! Boy did I have trouble finding shoes (and keeping them on my feet for more than a few hours). I called our family foot doctor and he suggested to have the surgery done before I had more trouble. (What was he thinking! I just wanted a little thing to put into my shoes to cure it!) Anyway, after I realized this was not going to go away and I was already hobbling around, I too decided to get it done.

It definitely wasn't pleasant and I think I complained for the first 6 months after surgery. The boot came off after 8 weeks and I found the most comfy shoes I could to weather the fall and winter months (Sketchers mary janes a size bigger than normal). After 6 months I was rejoicing and dancing around! The best thing I could have done for myself.

Today, 2 years out, I can wear any off the rack shoes I want - but you know what? After all my years of foot problems, I buy good shoes. Thanks to my surgeon for his wonderful work.

The only negative I can say I have is that when the weather is changing I do tend to know ahead of time - due to those little screws holding my bone straight!

Do it! You will not regret it.

I am the OP--from this thread 9 years ago! I have not had bunion surgery and probably won't, as my bunions, while still there, really aren't that painful unless I have really, really abused my feet with lots of walking. No, they don't look the best, but since I am now 73!!! and have gotten along ok all these years, I think I will just stay where I am at.

As long as shoes are rather wide across the toe area, I can wear them--it is a little tough as I have really narrow heels. I do lots of looking but do find some cuter shoes, as well as ones that are really comfortable. Merrell's, Sketchers and others, for example. Cheap shoes don't work.

Right now I am mostly just walking for exercise due to a broken (kind of) ankle last year, but again, it's not so much pain as some swelling. Thanks for all your advice and experiences!

Wow. Nine years later and an update.

That's great. :D

I've never had bunion surgery, it sounds painful, so I'll try and be careful with shoes.

Cute shoes that aren't comfortable are not in my closet.

OP, thanks for the update.

I will tell my experience for others who are contemplating bunion surgery.

I had it done over 30 years ago. I had one foot at a time. First the right foot because of course that would eliminate any driving. I was in a cast for about 7 weeks. I had a slight complication and they had to remove the pin. I work at Toys R Us at the time and I was a head cashier. Lots of walking and going up and down steps. I had caused the pin to dislodge.

I had the left foot done a few weeks later. No problems what so ever. For both surgeries I was out of work for just a week. After the surgery I was able to find shoes that didn't cut into my big toe, so more comfortable. I can now wear the proper length so better for my feet.

I had some pain after the surgery but only took the pain meds for a few days.

If you are having a lot of pain, I believe the surgery is worth it. But everyone has to make that decision for themselves.

I only updated because someone had posted on this today; not sure they realized how old the post was.

Thanks for your experiences. If the pain gets really bad, I might do it; but for now pain is minimal. Not worth weeks or months of recovery for cosmetic purposes. My feet are funny looking anyway, before the bunions!