bunyion surgery

I'm about to have bunyion op in 3 weeks....I usually run around 20 miles a week & although this may not seem alot, running is my sanity. Naturally I'm worried how long it will take me to get back running again. Has anyone got experience of this type of surgery and how was the recovery?

Comments

  • I have had bunion surgery and I was off work for 6 weeks. I wasn't into running at the time so cannot say how long until you can run



    I had pins in my feet going through the big toe so I was unable to do anything whilst they were still inserted as I couldn't wear shoes I was supposed to be in crutches for the duration, but found it easier to walk around the house without them



    After the pins were removed I had to have physio to make sure I walked properly after being off my feet for so long.



    I had both feet operated on at the same time.
  • Thanks for your reply, Schmunkee. So, I assume you have no problems running now, having had surgery in the past?  ....If so, that is reassuring! I'm only having one foot operated on but am feeling rather nervous none the less!!

  • Hi, I hope your surgery went well! ?

    I am 9 weeks post op from having my bunion removed and big toe straightend... It was only last week that I felt that I was walking more naturally.. which was a great relief, I was told by the hospital that following surgery and once I returned to work , 20 mins walking would be ample , which it is ; and that it would be at least 3 months before i could run. I am normally very active, I  commute by foot and public transport to work which meant that I did at least an hours walk a day on top of any other exercise I would do i.e. running, circuit training, spinning and then long walks on the weekend etc. I hope to build my fitness and stamina back up by spinning and swimming and gradually building up the time on my feet before I feel comfortable enough to run and hope to be able to do a short gentle run by mid / end of Feb all being well - I think I will find this the hardest part of recovery as I want to do the stuff I enjoy ...

    Would be good to hear how you are doing !

  • Hi

    I have just been referred for surgery on both feet as I have had bunions since I was a little girl. Even walking is painful now. Is it really 6 weeks until I will be recovered? I can't imagine being out of action around the house for that long! Bit nervous as to how much pain I will be in.  I am not a competitive runner, just for pleasure but I do like to keep active.

  • I am a nurse on an orthopaedic ward and 3 months is normally quoted for this kind of op
  • Hi Fiona

    I think the pain is an individual thing, there were days when I was uncmfortable but you kind of got used to it and it was the days when it didn't hurt too much that I noticed and was good. It is about listening to your body and realising when you have done enough. The first two weeks I just sat with my foot elevated and iced it 20 mins on 20 mins off ( which is what my doctor had told me to do !) ..

    Three months post op I was starting to notice that i was feeling a little normal again , I had gradually added a little more walking into my day I returned to circuit training but not doing anything that really impacted on my foot and I was starting to feel like I had turned a bit of  a corner in recovery, I was still having to ice it occasinally on an evening, but by  the four month mark - I really noticed a big difference in how I felt, I wasn't iceing it as much which then cam to a stop and could tell that I was ready to try some gentle short runs and felt positive about having the operation.

    I am just about to have my other foot done just this week and feel more positive about it as I now know how my recovery was on my other foot and can plan ahead , although I did slip and fall when we had some black ice in December which I don't think helped , but this time round I am hoping with no falls I may even recover quicker !!!! Fingers crossed. 

    And although it is frustrating not being as active fora few months long term it will be better, and I can't wait for September knowing I truly am on the road to getting my fittness bacdk to what it was and start planning ahead for some adventures!!! 

    Good luck with the operation!!

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    What sort of operations have people had?  Didn't think they did pins through the toe anymore? When my feet were done (one at a time) I had osteotomies in which the first metatarsal was broken and joined back together in a new alignment.  On my first op they also tried something with the big toe joint itself but it wasn't successful.

    Didn't run at all for 2 1/2 months after each op and it took about 5-7 months to fully recover.

     

  • Thanks all! The recovery does sound like a slow process but I am glad it was for the best eventually. I'm not sure I could bear doing one foot at a time though, why did they decide to do that? They may well say the same to me. Wow Christine, I hope your op goes well this week! How much time do you need to take off work! Luckily I work at a college so get the summer holidays but I can't imagine them allowing me to be signed off at all so need to be back on my feet ready for the new term.  T Rex, my mum had the pin through the toe op but that's going back a few years. Half of me wants to back out of this as the thought of such a long recovery scares me but I know it will be worth it in the end! 

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