swelling after hammertoe surgery

Join in and write your own page! Recovery doesnt always need to be painful, so some patients dont need medication to deal with the pain. I am limping along still in my neoprene surgical sandal. It was very painful but after awhile it went away. about laying down on sofa or bed with my feel elevated. Dactylitis is a symptom that is most often seen in patients who have inflammatory Psoriatic or Rheumatoid arthritis, which are auto-immune diseases. I don't think that would be helpful for healing, since we've had major work done on our bones and I don't want to ruin that. But when an underlying condition such as rheumatoid arthritis causes a hammer toe, doctors may recommend treating that condition first. I try to do some flexing but then I get shooting pains at the bunion and hammertoe location. I was so excited to be able to put weight on foot and start walking but it's so painful and my foot gets swollen if I walk too much. I cannot walk down the stairs or up, without help. I'm finding that for me this procedure has been an emotional journey as well as a physical one. I would like to know.When you have excessive swelling,why do your toes look shorter? Also the skin on top of my foot and also sole, toes is very thick and hardened and now peels like crazy. thank you for your response. It was a good thing I brought a sock at my visit. My doctor said that I could walk in soft wide tennis shoes. Usually, doctors start worrying if the swelling doesnt go down about a month after the procedure. We avoid using tertiary references. Custom orthoticscan also help to support correct alignment in your foot. Surgery can often be done with a local anesthetic that only numbs the toe, so the person remains awake during the operation. You may need to wear splints on your treated toes for up to six weeks and you may benefit from physical therapy to improve flexibility in your foot and to keep the muscles strong and supple while you heal. A broken pinky toe can cause swelling and pain. The surgery is performed to lessen pain and/or improve flexibility when the muscles in the toe can't stretch and straighten. It may not be advisable, I fear.So now, I feel worse than I felt before my husband got it into his head that it would be better for me without those tiny strips. I had hammertoe surgery on 4th toe 14 months ago and I still have swelling. All that you need is a piece of tape. Swelling after an extremity procedure is common. My feet peeled like crazy too. All my toes are now straight and I was getting used to the new wider, chubby looking toes until I had the right foot done a week ago. In some cases, you may end up not being able to walk without an assistive device like a cane. Keloids are more likely to occur in African Americans. A surgical site creates a wound, so there is the small possibility of developing an infection afterward, according to Premier Podiatry. Recovery Time The amount of time it will take you to recover from hammertoe surgery will vary depending on the type of surgery performed, but generally, you can expect the following: Bunion Surgery: Joint resection can help with a fixed hammer toe. After about 2-3 weeks, your doctor will remove the stitches. Andrew had an osteotomy bunionectomy and a hammertoe correction with a plantar plate repair. Locations The surgery should not hurt. Ice packs (or cold packs) can also help reduce swelling. It may be necessary to wear a special shoe or a shoe insert to support the toe following the procedure. I had bunion & second & third hammertoe,surgery aug 16th, pins were pulled Sept 27, 5 days ago, third toe, looks like it is curling down ward & is very swollen still, is it possible the bone fractured on removal of the pin, it didn't hurt too bad to have pins pulled, but the next 2 days after were bad, did a lot of icing & elevatingIt seems my ankle, calf & across top of foot is still swelling a lot when on it for more than an hour. The initial post-operative periodusually between 24 and 36 hours after surgerymay require constant or prolonged elevation to help wounds heal and bleeding subside. This pulls the toe into a straighter position, compensating for muscle weaknesses and improving the toes appearance. Patient aims to help the world proactively manage its healthcare, supplying evidence-based information on a wide range of medical and health topics to patients and health professionals. The reduced space in the toe box causes your toes to bend to fit in the available space. what is your take on this & can you recommend some other therapies for me to try I would ask my surgeon myself, but I am vacationing 2,200 mi. just started antibiotics today, but im super worried and just want ti be back to normal. While these untoward results can occur, they are unlikely if both the surgeon and the . Immediately after your surgery, the operated toe will be red, a bit swollen, and maybe even stiff for a while even though the deformity was corrected successfully. I want myself back! At my drs request I stretch my toe up and down daily and curl my toes to start stretching the ligaments. I was lucky it was summertime. Last medically reviewed on October 1, 2017. Your foot will be bandaged, and the doctor will remove it on their own or instruct you how to do it at home. I am practically under house arrest. How did it go? It is suggested that cancer may surpass CVD as the number one cause of death in older diabetics. Hammertoes are common in women who wear high heels and children who wear shoes that are too small. It takes a long time to get back to normal. This can eventually cause the joint to become deformed. After surgery, you may need to wear a special type of shoe or boot for 3 to 6 . It's very painful. My doctor, voted best in my state, did not put any permanent hardware in my foot and he also does not believe in physical therapy. One of the most effective ways to reduce swelling is to ensure you get enough rest. You expressed it well - "I know there is light at the end of the tunnel but how long is this tunnel?". A compressive dressing is used until the sutures are removed 10-14 days after surgery. I was told the steri strips would eventually come off by themselves. Thank you for your very interesting and informative site! He is a doctor, pediatrician and he thinks it is better for wounds to heal with nothing on. i did 4 toes 2 on each foot. When I returned with pain he said it looked fine and to give it more time. My 4th toe is still swollen and hurts 6 months after hammer toe surgery. Andrew worked the entire time after surgery and had absolutely no pain or need for pain medication. I can't do any of that, and so now don't get that regular social exposure to my gym and dance friends. Swelling is a reaction of your tissue to that trauma, which means that having absolutely no swelling after a surgical procedure is not realistic. Use life-giving positivity to put the breaks on your negative thoughts and negative life-draining negativity. And I cannot stand up and cook either. Removing a toe can change the way a person balances on their foot. Bunion Correction Surgery. Bunion removed 12 yrs. Try our Symptom Checker Got any other symptoms? After having a hammer toe corrected through surgery, there is the chance that the deformity will return 1. Pain killers will be prescribed for the same. Once the anesthesia wears off, you'll feel pain and swelling, which can be regulated with painkillers and antibiotics. The pin remains in the toe for 4-6 weeks. Hammer toe is a deformity of the toe, in which one or both joints bend abnormally into a "C" shape 1. The hammertoe correction before and after hammer toe surgery is significant, but the healing process can be uncomfortable. Its very frustrating to still be so swollen. She was co-founder and editor of the professional magazine "Footsteps" and began writing articles online in 2010. I guess patience is KEY! Swelling could last up to a year, but the pain should subside fairly soon after the operation. I also interviewed a lot of doctors. Hi Simona, I feel your pain!!! And that open toe surgical sandal. My question is about the boot the surgeon sent home with me to begin wearing - 25% weight increasing to 100% over next 2 weeks. I'm not sure if this is normal. Simply click here to return to. 5. A 2005 study of 12 older adults who had toes amputated found that the procedure could alleviate pain, and people were typically very satisfied with surgical outcomes. Note: The recovery for hammer toe surgeries depends on each visit and may vary. I had to laugh at your description of your husband ripping off the steri strips but ouch! Tendons attach muscle to bone. Osteomyelitis needs to be treated in the hospital with an extended course of intravenous antibiotics, followed by another course of oral antibiotics. Every doctor will tell you to elevate your leg after hammertoe surgery, and the reason for that is simple elevation will help with the lymphatic drainage and ensure the swelling goes down quicker. Note that there is very minor bruising at this point and swelling is minimal. Again, I want Get plenty of rest and keep the foot elevated while sitting or lying down. The fingers or toes may also be warm and difficult . What is the long-term impact of toe fusion surgery? We link primary sources including studies, scientific references, and statistics within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Home treatment, including changing shoes and toe exercises, often work. There are two distinct types: In the early stages, the joint is still movable. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, Complications From Arthroscopic Knee Surgery, How to Increase Flexibility in My Big Toes, Complications of Spinal Fusion With Harrington Rods, FootDoc.ca: Complications of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Podiatry Today: "How To Address the Complications of Hammertoe Surgery" by Molly Judge, DPM. There is also the chance of developing a flail toe, one that does not sit flat on the ground. After traditional foot surgery, you can expect to leave the clinic with a surgical boot, crutches, or even a knee scooter. I wish I didn't have the surgery. The swelling has really gone down more - my foot looks normal from the top (well few scars and a funny colour and some bruising still) but it's still swollen when you look at it from the side, so I couldn't yet put my foot into most of my shoes (even if I was allowed). I went out and purchase a pair of soft cloth shoe in a size bigger. I think your website is the most informative site I have found when researching foot pain. Or should I check in with my dr. I guess I keep doing so. Most patients are back on their feet and participating in normal activities within three weeks of minimally invasive hammertoe surgery. Patient does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Some possible complications are: Pain or swelling Stiffness Nerve damage Infection Weakness in toe or toes Bones may not heal properly Blood clot Hammertoe reoccurrence Recovering From Hammertoe Correction I can only wear flip flops right now, my 2 middle toes are sore & swollen & are constantly getting bumped or stubbed. so I have had both feet done now the first one I had done last year September 2019 my foot was swollen quite big I would say for around four months and then after that the more I walked on it the more it was swollen this was on and off through the whole of the summer we are now in December 2019 I would say the Welling stopped probably the end of August beginning of September my foot is completely normal.