Recovery after foot surgery

You will get back to normal but our feet bear all our weight which means it does take longer to recover from something like you have had done.
I was and still am a walker so do know how you feel as I have had two long periods of time when I damaged my ankle and later had an operation on a toe and which took so much longer than I expected to heal.

After any surgery or illness it takes a while to get back to how you where . As we get older it takes longer for our bodies to heal. 6 weeks isn't long . Inforced activity has knocked your confidence. Try and do one positive thing to day. Read 2 pages of a book..then tomorrow read 4 pages and so on.
I take it they gave you exercises to do after your operation have you been doing them everyday and for as many times as they say. If not do them .
I always try and find a positive from a negative it can be something as silly as a cloud that .

Months back the grief of my husband dieing in 2004 was overwhelming and had a good cry my eyes hurt and where sore. I looked out and a wooden pigeon and it's mate where on my fence the male went to hop on its mate and missed and was on my lawn . He flew back up and moved towards the female she looked at him and moved away he moved again . In my mind I thought she said are you kidding me you missed and then she flew off. But it made me smile . It was very silly but made me feel better .

Writing how you feel is a positive thing because writing things down I have found helps me hence my rambles . But I only talk about things I have experienced.

In 2020/2021 found out I was born with a hole in my heart after a echocardiogram and bubble echocardiogram. I had to laugh when my cardiologist told me as I have had 3 major operations and 2 minor ones. All with a dicky heart. But I am lucky it's in the side of my heart and it's small . The connections between the chambers of my heart are intact and have strong heart function. So another positive from what could have a major negative. I have PAF but on medication for it.

I hope this helps you find a positive from a negative. 🤞💐

My neighbour had surgery to correct a bunion. I was surprised at how big an op it was and that she had such a long recovery. She's very fit usually and out and about a lot. However, she took her time on recovery and that has worked well. She's now back at her volunteer job and has just got a contract for a new part time job which she never expected.
OP you're probably feeling a bit down right now but life is out there waiting for you when you're up to it. This too shall pass!

I wonder what recovery time you were advised to expect? In my experience orthopaedic surgeons are particularly over optimistic about recovery times. A few years ago I had surgery on my heel to shave off a Haglands bump. I was told I’d be back to normal after 6 weeks and even had a shoe in my bag ready to pop on when they removed the stitches at my follow up appointment. I took one look at my heel and realised it’d be a while before any shoe would be going anywhere near it! In fact it was months before I could tolerate wearing anything others than crocs. At times I wondered if I would ever walk properly again but in time I did.

I think as we are older and have this sort experience we worry that’s how life is going to be from now on. That’s not a cheery prospect for anyone and very disheartening. Could you set yourself small but achievable goals for every day, increasing them gradually as you begin to feel better? All the while reminding yourself that given time things can and will improve. Wishing you well with it all

I hate to say it but some foot surgery can take up to a year to return to normal. I hope you are elevating the leg whenever you sit down.

Try and do one positive thing each day. This advice from Whiff is spot on. It doesn't matter how small a thing it is.

Another way of looking at that approach is this from Alice Morse Earle: “Every day may not be good… but there’s something good in every day.”

Six weeks is not long. You are healing. Hang onto that

It's not possible from what you say to see what type of foot surgery you've had.

I know I've literally just finished recovering from foot surgery myself (ie an ingrown nail on my big toe). I think I'd read to expect about 6 weeks recovery time - but it took me about 9 weeks and I had to have a visit to another person (as the first one hadn't done the job as well as they should have). Fortunately the 2nd person put it right for me - whilst busily telling me what he thought of the 1st person.

So yep....it has been 3 weeks longer than I expected it to be to recover (and that visit to the 2nd person). It is frustrating - but all one can do imo is basically wait it out/keep taking any painkillers you need to whilst waiting.

I think there is possibly an element of being older and so maybe age makes it take longer too. I've had ingrown big toenails seen about before - and certainly the guy I had then was way better than the first person I saw this time!!!! But, as far as my memory tells me (ie I think it was about 40 years ago?) it barely took me a week to be "up and running as per normal" back then and it was no big deal at all that time - hence gobsmacked at how much of a nuisance it's been now (in my early 70's).

Meanwhile - you might as well catch up on things that don't involve much physical activity, eg reading books you've bought, catching up on interesting tv programmes on Iplayer and the like.

LaCrepescule I hope when you wake this morning you feel able to something positive today . But starting this thread that was a manger positive thing. Don't think you realise that . You talking about how you feel after your operation will make people who have any sort of operation know they are not alone in feeling as you do . Hope you feel proud of yourself as it takes courage to admit you are struggling. 💐

What lovely posts and I appreciate the time you’ve given me so much 🙏 I had a big toe fusion (they break the joint and fuse it together with metalwork) for arthritis and they also removed a large bunion. They told me I’d be moreorless back to normal in 6 weeks! As I’d had the same procedure on my other foot 14 years ago and recovered quickly I believed them (I’m 67 now.)
Whiff I do feel more positive this morning and I’m so glad I posted.
I’m very much a glass half full type of person and rarely complain so this has knocked me but you’ve all helped me see it’s because my expectations were unrealistic. I thought it was because I was being a wimp and actually it was quite a big thing.
And it’s made me appreciate how important our feet are! Walking is so important to me and not being able to do that has really affected my confidence.
But it just needs a lot more time than I thought.
Hopefully anyone who’s considering this procedure and who might have read this will find it helpful. It needed to be done and in time I’ll be reaping the benefits.
Thank you again lovely GNers ❤️

I have recently decided against my big toe being fused as I was very nervous about it, so am interested to hear about your progress Lacrepescule, do keep in touch and all the very best and hope you can go back to walking sooner rather than later. I know how much I miss it if I can’t,

I’m glad I did it silverlining48 as I do believe I’m on the slow road to making a full recovery. But as I’ve found out, forewarned is forearmed!

The procedure BTW was a straightforward day surgery case although I felt nauseous after the GA which took a while to settle. I had an Xray earlier this week which showed that it’s fused nicely.

Hang in there ! All will be well eventually. Surgery as we age does take longer to recover from . There have been so many kind responses to your thread and I sincerely hope they have lifted your spirits. 💐💐💐

I don’t have any experience of your situation thankfully but can understand how you would feel depressed.
The only suggestion I can make is to look at chair exercises on you tube. There may be something there to help your fitness and cheer you up a bit. Joe Wicks definitely has a video of chair exercises for seniors and there should be plenty more.

They have Shelflife. It’s a lovely community we have here 🙏

When I was 13 I had surgery to restitch a partially severed Achilles tendon and was off school for a term so I guess 12 weeks is not out of order for foot surgery. I had to walk with an improvised cane for several weeks before I could take the weight on the repaired foot. The NHS offered no physio and took my crutches away after 3 weeks - too soon for me.

Grantanow

When I was 13 I had surgery to restitch a partially severed Achilles tendon and was off school for a term so I guess 12 weeks is not out of order for foot surgery. I had to walk with an improvised cane for several weeks before I could take the weight on the repaired foot. The NHS offered no physio and took my crutches away after 3 weeks - too soon for me.

Crikey! That's shocking care (or lack of) from the NHS. How many years ago was that? - as I can only imagine they're even worse now....

But I do remember being shocked that the NHS offered my mother no physio whatsoever after she'd had a hip replacement operation. I got told she needed it by a noticeably younger-than-her work colleague who had had a private hip op and then physio - and promptly sent my mother off for several visits to a physio privately and didn't tell her I was covering the cost for her.

I notice you had a GA for the surgery. Hiven your very active life before the surgery any slowdown will be really noticeable. Also the seasonal change may be affecting you too, not the best time to feel trapped indoors. The GA may have been playing a part in how you have been feeling though I notice from your further posts you are feeling more positive. All the Best for a full recovery.

Try one of the “seated” exercises…. download a “lazy fit” app

Just had dental surgery this week with a GA. Really surprised how it knocked me back, I am fit and active and expected to bounce back within two days! Still feeling a bit down and miserable but each day I aim to do a little more. Ten minutes, yoga, ten minutes walking, stand every hour etc etc.
I think we underestimate the effect of surgery even if it is a day surgery. Hope you soon feel better xx

Query damaged my knee last week. No help from GP minor injuries or NHS24. Contacted osteopath have 3appointments with him. This was private and at a cost. Also thinking will I ever get going again!! Exercising and following all given instructions. I have been on the orthopaedic waiting list for 6 weeks now.There is a waiting time of 39 weeks to see an orthopaedic surgeon. Then after that who now's. So keep hanging in there.Alll the best.

You WILL get back to normal, I promise, as long as you work hard at physio and are strong and determined.
In February 2018 I slipped on the first day of a walking trip on Harris and Lewis.
I smashed my left ankle to smithereens!
I had KEYHOLE surgery in the wonderful Western Isles hospital in Stornoway .
I had lots of wire and a couple of big screws inserted to hold the various slithers of bone together.
I was discharged home with instructions to not weight bear on my left foot for 12 weeks.
Back home in Hull I was told this was a very poorly ankle which required extra surgery and that I was looking at permanent disability.
I kept weight off the foot for the whole 12 weeks. Despite standing only on my right leg giving me terrible sciatica, my left foot did not touch that floor once in 12 weeks!
Once I was able to touch the floor I worked so hard at my physio that the physio shook my hand on discharge. He wished everyone was so keen to follow instructions.
I had been told a " normal " ankle fracture won't be fully recovered till at least a year after surgery.
I was thrilled that, by 11m , despite all the doom and gloom, I was back in my walking boots.
Now ,almost 7 years later, the only issues I have is that my left ankle , once so very trim , is now wider than my right and I have a tiny scar from surgery.
A miracle and a lot of determination.
Keep working hard.
You can and will get there but it's slow recuperation.

As many have mentioned, you will definitely feel better after the foot has held.
I tripped on a pothole that broke a bone in my ankle so had my foot in plaster for 6 months. However, the following year my big toe started to move to outwards. I couldn’t understand the reason as surely if the toe had also been broken it would have shown up on the X Ray I had the previous year. To cut the story short I had to wear awful surgery shoes until I was away with the family in Africa where I was envious of them all in summer shoes. When I returned,, now my toe had gone around to 4’0clock, so I decided to go ahead with the operation.
At first the foot was swollen but it was wonderful to at last not have to wear the awful surgical shoes.
Now, I am SO pleased I went ahead with the op

I had foot surgery a few years ago. Fusing big toe and removal of a bunion. The doctor told me that it could take up to a year before I was back to my normal activities. It did take me almost a year to feel I could do all my normal activities and more.
Are you able to rent or borrow a knee walker so you can get out a bit.?