Degenerative Joint Disease Support Group

I'm wondering the same thing - I'm about to have surgery for hallux vulgus ... id est they're cutting off the side of my right big toe and putting a pin in the middle of the one next to it, cuz it has buckled. I'm also awaiting knee surgery - so... i dunno... my ortho told me that i would actually be WALKING on my foot after surgery with either some kind of orthotic device or a shoe with the toe cut out. I'm a little nervous about the whole thing - what are YOU doing so far? Can u wear a regular shoe? I already walk with a cane. I'm doing constant research as this is coming up soon - so when I find out something more useful from the doc/surgery/my own recovery/reaction, I'll be sure to let you know. To me, a YEAR would be a reasonable amount of recovery time, making SURE that weight is kept off the foot in those first eight weeks.
Feel Better. Tessa

Maybe check out Back Pain member 'PamelaE'. (Hope you don't mind, Pam). She has had extensive toe surgery and has posted some pics. They are kind of scary looking, but I think the surgery worked well for her. Good luck.

I have been told I need a toe joint replacment operation for hallux rigidus.Has anyone else had this op?

I've had 4 foot surgeries by the same dr and each time the recovery period was far longer than he anticipated! Let me just say, that regardless of what you have done, the longer you stay off of it the better your results will be. The first one I listened to the dr, the rest I listened to my own body! I still have trouble with the first but none from the rest. I kept my foot up longer than he said, wore the shoe longer and didn't get in a hurry to get back into reg shoes. I think that applies to any kind of foot surgery as each of mine was different. Good luck and just use your own common sense and you'll be fine.

My Moms friend had toe surgury and its way over the 6 weeks and shes still having problems and she got infection in foot from walking on it too soon..I think if she would have stayed off her foot it would have healed better..So i'd do what the dr tells you to do..Good luck

Foot surgery is one of the most painful surgeries you can have. My ortahpedist and podiatrist explained that the foot is the furthest from the brain so it takes the longest for signals to reach the foot.

I have had two foot surgeries. Each time I swore never again. The first was in high school (1980) for corrective foot surgery. This killed about 6 months out of my life and I would not let them touch my other foot!
The second surgery was in 1990 for fractured metatarsal bones (jumping too much in step class). It was not as bad but the first surgery but it was massive pain killers and benadryl to try to sleep through the pain. It was a long recovery as well.

I am having a double cheilectomy next week. I met someone yesterday who had the same thing three weeks ago and she is now out and about, albeit in the special shoes. She intimated that the worst of the pain is over after 10 days, but that she had very strong painkillers for it. I was told she is a Dr herself, so I guess she knows what's what.
I'm not sure seeing her actually helped me though because we have the same surgeon and I absolutely hate the special shoes he gave her.She was still all bandaged up in them-it looked dreadful to me and so I shall be saying home for some time!

I have had multiple foot surgeries and the rule of thumb is usually to put as much weight on it as you can tolerate. Using it helps it ment properly.

(I also use an ice pack for the inflamation and swelling, it helps)