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How long is accessory navicular surgery recovery and what are the stages?

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Feb 18, 2009.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    I hate to sound like a broken record, but I too was just diagnosed with Accesory Navicular Syndrome.

    Instead of trying out different non-surgical options, my doctor recommended that surgery was the only way to rid myself of the pain once and for all.

    To share my current experience with the others: I have set up an appointment with our local Orthopedic surgeon, and I've also scheduled a second opinion with an Orthopedic surgeon in a larger metropolitian area.

    Foot doc: Thanks for listing the questions to ask. I know it sounds funny, but asking your doctor their experience in performing the surgery is a valid question. My husband had a unique hip surgery 5 years ago and I'll never forget going through my list of questions and appologizing to the doctor when I asked how many times he had performed this sensitive surgery. I about fell off my chair when his response was "never". (This also happens to the doctor that was recommended to me, which is why I'd like to schedule a second opinion).

    I appreciate everyone's comments about post-op expectations. Fortunately, I have a desk job, so I should be able to return to work with relative ease, but knowing that this is a real challenge means I'll be able to explore this issue with my dr. prior to surgery.

    Thanks again, everyone, for your insight and experience. Good luck to you all. Brandy
     
  2. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    i had the surgery 4 months ago but im in the army and just got moved to alaska so i am now still in pain had xrays done on my foot again and now i have bone spurs i dont know what to do becouse it may be a month or two before i will be able to see a doc
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


    Look i understand your concerns but the internet has helped many people deal with things in life. Outside of the internet they have support groups for things so that people can talk about their experiences, what makes this any different than that. Instead of your negativity we could probably use more people in this world who have the credentials to give their advice without charging hundreds of dollars an hour.
     
  4. tammi

    tammi New Member

    I have been following this thread for several months. While I sought "professional" advice from my doctors, I found comfort in knowing that there were so many others out there with the same foot issue and the same insecurities. I feel like I need to add my experiences to the ever growing list.

    I sustained a foot injury this summer - painful area in my arch, a large swollen area with significant bruising. I visited an orthopedic surgeon (upon referral from my doctor) and discovered that I had a navicular accessory...which needed to be removed. He referred me to a foot specialist and I had the surgery on September 24, 2010.

    I was in a soft cast for the first four days after surgery then moved into a cam walker boot. For four weeks I was completely non-weight bearing. The doc hooked me up with a knee walker - essentially a push scooter that you put your knee on while pushing with your good leg - as an alternative to crutches. It made life a lot easier - I would recommend asking about one of these. I want back to work (special education teacher) ten days after surgery. I was able to use the scooter to get around school but had to sit and have the foot elevated most of the time.

    After four weeks I was given the all clear for weight bearing - with the cam walker - as I could tolerate. I still used the scooter for "distance" for the first few days but within four/five days I was walking full time. I was walking in the cam walker full time for two and a half weeks. I progressed into tennis shoes kind of slowly because I had to adjust to a new shoe orthodic (I can't remember the name of it - the kind that is really thick and cups your heel). I went back and forth from the shoe to the cam walker for about a week.

    I started physical therapy on November 23rd - two months after surgery. Initially the therapy consisted of ultrasound, passive and active stretching, and balance activities. I also had iontophoresis treatment. Over the next few weeks, the therapist added steps, therapy bands, the NuStep machine, and a variety of additional stretching/balance tasks. I continued in this fashion until two days ago when I was discharged from physical therapy. My foot is certainly not healed to 100% but I have regained a normal range of motion and I am able to complete all of my regular daily tasks. The therapist says that I am basically at a plateau and I need to allow my foot to heal some more before I advance into strength training. She thinks I will likely be back for more advance physical therapy in a month or two. In the meantime I have a home program that consists of a lot of stretching and balance tasks. I will see the foot doc again mid-January.

    That is my experience in a nutshell. I found that the emotional part of the surgery was MUCH harder than the physical. I mean, yes - at times the pain was incredible. However, the emotional stuff was much more difficult. It was hard to be a mom who couldn't take care of her kids and a wife who couldn't cook dinner (cooking is my passion and my favorite part of the day). At work it was very difficult to allow others to help me do tasks that used to be simple. It was depressing and there were several times when I broke down completely. Thankfully I have a very supportive family and friends that I can count on.

    -Tammi
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I'm sorry, Tammi. I'm in the same boat: wife and mother who's wondering how I'm going to get everyone to school and properly fed. I'm supposed to have my accessory bone removed by my regular podiatrist. I'm curious if anyone has an "educated" opinion about whether or nor to let my fabulous podiatrist operate. I have a lot of faith in him as a person, but everyone says get a second opinion from an ortho.
     
  6. Foot Doc

    Foot Doc Guest

    "Faith" in one's doctor does not necessarily equate to results but generally means that you like his personality. If you are like most patients, you have little or no real medical basis for judging how "fabulous" your podiatrist is, or for that matter, how competent the ortho whom you choose for the second opinion might be. Before you rely on either your first or subsequent opinions, make sure you have properly checked out the doctors for MEDICAL competence.

    FOOT DOC
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Will i be able to go to school the same week of my accessory navicular excision (removal)?
     
  8. LoniAtron

    LoniAtron Guest

    How long is accessory navicular surgery recovery and what are the st

    I can recommend to come on a site, with a large quantity of articles on a theme interesting you.
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    anything that would help.
     
  10. Kristin

    Kristin Guest

    I am a 30 yr old woman and have know about my acessory navicular bones in both my feel for almost 20 years. My mom and I decided to put the surgery off until I was done growing, teen years, and then see how I was doing. Well obviously college got in the way. Anyway, I have lived with CHRONIC TERRIBLE foot/ankle/lower leg pain my entire life. It is now time for the surgery. I went to one doctor and after an MRI of just left foot, that shows a very large accessory navicluar and marrow edemas all over, I have decided to get a second opinion and then decided which doc I like best to do the surgery. No matter what, it is being done. But I am truly concerned because the doctor not only needs to remove the extra bone and cut/reattch the tendon, but he also has to take tendon from my big toe and also has to go in through the outside of my foot to fix those marrow edemas and to rebuild my arch with possible bone graphs from my knee area and insert plates and screws. I am scared to death! The doctor explained that I will be out of work for at least 3 months and all of the pros and cons, but I am still petrified! Did anyone else have this extensive of a acc. navicular surgery? My second opinion is in two days so thats a relief. But I feel like even though I asked all of the questions I could think of, I still feel like I don't know enough. And to top it all off, I broke my back when I was 19 and had spinal fusion from l5-s1... and who knows how this is going to affect the perm. pain I have from that. Will the crutches make my back worse? If anyone has any advice, especially on easily forgotten questions that I should ask the second doctor, please answer this!!!! Thanks for your support, I hope you are all doing well. (God am I glad I found this forum!)
     
  11. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Just got the news today I have to have this surgery.

    FootDoc,
    I want to know WHY DPM has to cut the tendon in half to get to the bone? Why can't he cut a small sliver of tendon over the bone and dig/cut it the out? That would seem to be the easiest thing to do and provide the least amount of tendon damage?

    -Worried
     
  12. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I used a knee walker instead of crutches after my accessory navicular surgery. Google it, it is quite a thing. I named it "Nelly"
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I had this surgery done five years ago. It was a long recovery but it went so well I had my other foot done. About three years ago I started having pain in my ankle on my incision spot. It would flare up for no reason and I would not be able to walk on it for a couple weeks and would be back in my walking boot. Unfortunately I live on the west coast now & my surgery was done in the Midwest. When I finally made it back to see my surgeon it turns out my body was rejecting the permanent sutures left in my ankle from the first surgery. Now that those are removed my feet feel amazing! Non surgical treatments don't work for accessory navicular problems, once they bother you it will not stop. I recommend the surgery to anyone out there in pain
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I have a pain in my foot and there is a lump there near the ankle. My doctor said that it might be an extra bone but didn't specify. It is underneath the ankle and I am starting to think that it is accsserory navical. I also have very very flat feet. She recommended surgery but I am scared during the surgery it will hurt. Wil the surgery hurt? Please give me some answers!!!
     
  15. rdizzy1223

    rdizzy1223 New Member

    Every individuals recovery time is different due to peoples bodies variables. When i had a fasciotomy i was supposed to be able to go back to work less than a week later, and didnt end up being able to work for over 3 months because it took forever to heal. Just take whatever your dr tells you as a general average.
     
  16. rdizzy1223

    rdizzy1223 New Member

    Yes, all surgery will hurt unless you have some type of crazy pain tolerance, of course its going to hurt.Not while actually in surgery due to you being so out of it. Definately afterwards though. They are opening your skin with a scalpel, etc. That alone would cause pain. But they almost always give you pain meds so i wouldnt worry about it.
     
  17. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    thank you for those responses
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2011
  18. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    So after reading these and paying attention to the foot doc replies I know everyone is different in healing... With that being said today marks one week of my surgery. Minus being violently I'll from the anestesha and possibly the pain Meds I feel good. Stopped all the Meds Monday and have been keeping the foot up as much as possible. I was sent home wrapped and in a walking boot. My directions say partial weight baring... What does that mean? I go back in a week to get stitches out, any ideas as to how long walking boot? Also think but can't remember (but no or minimal tendon repair) thx
     
  19. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Especially as you say that you have read the foot doc's posts I would think that since you've already invested time, inconvenience and pain in this surgery and wouldn't want to screw it up now, that you would know that he would tell you that a call to the doc who gave you these directions would give you a much better chance at getting exactly what he meant by partial weight bearing than getting a random answer from someone here who may not know exactly what your doctor had in mind. Ditto for your question about the boot.
     
  20. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I am having this surgery tomorrow, and my surgeon/doctor told me that when you get off of the crutches, you are in a walking cast for two weeks.
     
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