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8 weeks after Scarf Akin bunion surgery

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Jan 1, 2012.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    As the title says I am 8 weeks post double scarf Akin bunion surgery.

    The surgery and recovery went really well. I rested and did everything I was recommended to do and my bandages came off 10 days ago now. I have noticed that my left toe is not as straight as I had imagined (compared to the before pictures it's amazing however) the right one is however fantastic. Should I be sleeping in a night splint as I was told it was OK to leave all bandages and support off after the surgery? I have started to use a night splint and on the left foot and have noticed an improvement in the morning but it returns to it's original position fairly quickly after I remove it. Is there anything I can do to maintain the straightness?

    I haven't really started to wear normal shoes yet - have mainly worn my hospital issue sandals apart from 2 occasions when I wore a pair of UGG boots. I am also still limping a lot and am very slow at walking - on other forums I have noted that people are claiming to be walking normally and back to driving fairly quickly after 6 weeks recovery. Again am I expecting too much? I still can't drive as I am unable to put my foot down on the clutch sufficiently yet. The kids are back at school next week and am not entirely sure I will manage the 10 minute walk to take them to school - I really had the impression I should be walking better by now.

    Thank you for any words of wisdom!
     
  2. Congratulations on a great recovery. Keep wearing the splint at night and do your stretching exercises. While your bones supposedly are fused by six weeks, if it were me, I'd wear the splint for at least 12 weeks. My doctor didn't splint my toe, and I'm paying for it with a repeat hammertoe issue.

    Regarding driving a clutch, please ask a friend to exchange their automatic shift car for your clutch with you for another month. A friend offered to do this for me and it made all the difference in pain and healing time. If you have an emergency stop and have to brake or accelerate quickly, research shows your response time can be affected because of your fear of pain and actual pain from pressing down so hard. It can also impact healing of bone and tissue if you have an emergency impact response.

    Yes, you are expecting too much, especially with a houseful of kids, and if you had surgery on both feet at the same time. :) (Did you do both feet at the same time?) I had a similar response that things weren't healing fast enough when I had my bunionectomy and hammertoe surgery on my right foot. The swelling didn't go down as quickly as I'd imagined. While I could walk on my foot after two months, I still had to keep it elevated and iced daily at night and even six months later, if I was too active, I would swell by the end of the day.

    Take your time, wear the splint at night, borrow a friend's automatic shift car, and have a great 2012.

    Mary
    Author, Bunion Survivor's Guide to Successful Bunion Surgery and Recovery
    http://bunionsurvivor.com
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Thank you so much for your reply.

    Yes I did have both feet done at once - my surgeon didnt give me the choice (UK NHS is not really about choice!) but to be honest I didn't mind - if I was off my feet then it may as well have been for 2 feet rather than recovering twice. Swelling has been minimal until now as managed to elevate my feet a lot over the first 6 weeks - I am finding I have a lot of swelling at the end of the day now and need to make the time to put my feet up while I work (I work from home luckily).

    I will keep the splint on at night and I think I will get some silicone toe separators as well - I threw them all away prior to the surgery!

    I am managing to walk the kids to school albeit limping the whole way and a friend then runs me home. My fitness is out of the window - I have no stamina at all.

    An automatic car wont be so easy to find as we mainly drive with the clutch in the UK but I will attempt a short journey this afternoon to take my daughter to her dance class. I am currently waiting for some physio but I am doing my stretching exercises most days
     
  4. Mary Harvey

    Mary Harvey Guest

    5 weeks after Scarf Akin bunion surgery and second hammer toe correction with a pin, I ended up getting an emergency appointment with a pod surgeon because the second toe became suddenly hot swollen and excruciatingly painful. The pin was due to be removed in 5 days. I had been diligently following post op instructions, and was walking a little in post operative shoe.Even tho it was painful when the wire touched the shoe as I tried to bend the foot I was afraid that if I didnt mobilise I would have limited movement later on. But Apparently walking bent the wire and could have broken a bone - the instructions related to the bunion but not to the second toe. He took out the wire but the toe is still extremely painful, my confidence has taken a bruising and even tho he said I should try a normal shoe Im now back to being cautious and want to keep the post op shoe on until the pain abates. I suppose this is just a warning to others - get clarification on post operative care in as much detail as you can as sometimes it can be a bit general and 'guessing' or assuming could be detremental.
     
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