Post hammertoe surgery recovery

short · Newbie Joined: 20 Apr 2005 Posts: 12

Hello,
I have a question and need advice. I am 45 female; hammertoes are family propensity and I am also at the specific position at work where I have to wear high- heel shoes. Next month I am planning a hammertoe surgery. I already talked to a doctor, but I would like to talk to someone, that has already experience this surgery. Doctor explained me the process of surgery, but I read somewhere that Post hammertoe surgery recovery is quite long-lasting and also painful. Anyone here with experience of post hammertoe surgery recovery? Need advice! Is it true what they say?

kissie · Silver Member Joined: 28 Jun 2001 Posts: 218

Hi,
Two years ago I had this operation and by my opinion the surgery and Post hammertoe surgery recovery isn’t as painful as are painful hammertoes itself.
I won’t go into details of hammertoe surgery, I shall describe you post hammertoe surgery recovery.
After the operation and before you shall leave the hospital, your toes shall be wrapped in bandages to hold the toes in place. You will receive instructions on maintaining these. And you will have to wear a special post-surgical shoe to protect your foot. You might also have to use crutches for a few days, since you will have to avoid putting weight on your foot- on contrary- your foot will have to be elevated for most of the time (as much as possible) and treated with ice for several days.
Your stitches shall be removed in a couple of weeks, but you will have to use the bandages and special post- surgical shoe for foot protection for 8 weeks (maybe even longer)!!!! So, yes, Post hammertoe surgery recovery is relatively long- lasting, but not as painful as not having an operation.
Anyhow, you shouldn’t wear high heels shoes (if you will wear them there is a greater chance your state shall worsen) but athletic shoes or soft leather shoes for several months once your bandages have been removed. You might be prescribed exercises for improving the motion of your toes. This exercises shall include picking up light objects…
As you said, you are at the position at work where you should wear high heel shoes. You must avoid them!!! Since your hammertoes are family propensity there is a bigger chance of their return! Your toes shouldn’t be squeezed or pinched in the toe box!!! While standing there should be a half inch of space for your longest toe at the end of each shoe.
Wear shoes with less than two inches heels!!! You must forget high heel shoes, since they shift all your body weight onto your toes and they tremendously increase the pressure on your toes and their joints.
You must wear comfortable shoes or even orthotics to correct mechanical movement problems in order your Post hammertoe surgery recovery ends well.
I wish you all the best with your surgery and recovery!

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Hammertoe Queen · Newbie Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

Hi,

I am a 42 year old female and just last week I had the hammertoe surgery. The surgery was done on my left foot this time, 3 years ago I had it done on my right foot. The surgery is less painful after several days, and you should be able to walk around on crutches after a while. I would limit the amount of walking that I do. Also, having had the surgery in the past, I was unable to wear a "normal" shoe for about 2 1/2 months. I wouldn't sugguest that anyone think that they will start wearing heels, this will take quite some time. Anyway, good luck with your surgery, you should be pleased with the results.

dawn26 · Newbie Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

Hello all, I am 36, I had hammertoe and corn removal surgery on my 4th and 5th toes of both of my feet. The surgery was done just 3 weeks ago (June 22 - Day surgery). I was given anesthesia during the operation so I was asleep. When I came to, I was shivering, feeling so cold.

Few hours after the operation I felt nothing. It was wonderful. The next day there were some swelling and some pain but bearable pain. I must say that on the scale of 1-10, one being nothing and 10 being most painful, the scale was 3. The pain was really manageable throughout.

I was able to walk around in crutches after the first 48 hours. The ice bags the hospital gave helped a lot in alleviating the swelling and the pain. The pain killer that was prescribed to me (Vicodine) made me so dizzy it made me vomit often so I stopped taking pain meds and managed the pain. I continued taking all the anti-biotics until it was time to stop.

12 days after the surgery I had to travel for business, you see I travel a lot for my business and being out of commission for so long would put my business in jeopardy. So 12 days after the bid day I was flying on my way to Denver. I wore the post-surgical shoes, bandages, and walked with crutches throughout. The people at the airport were very polite and helpful, so were my clients in Denver.

This morning, 11th of July, 18 days after the surgery my doctor said my feet were healing phenomenally. But he was still unable to take the stitches off. He set my feet free of bandages though.

One thing about bandages, they can make your feet smell. Because you're not suppose to wet those feet while they are healing any perspiration you have stays in the feet. Also those surgical tapes the doctors use to put bandages in place they can get really itchy on the skin.

To relieve the skin of my feet from itching too much, I would clean my feet with warm soapy towel, and I washed the cloth bandages that were installed there by the doctor for external protection.

On Friday, 20th of July, I am scheduled to go back to my doctor to remove the stitches. I have to fly for business again on the 25th and I am hoping I'd be able to wear better open toes shoes by then.

I am sure how much longer should I wait before being able to wear normal shoes again.

Oh by the way... does anybody knows of a platform post-operative shoes? I mean, one that have just a little bit more of a heels? or something thicker like the ones worn by diabetic?

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I had hammertoe surgery on both my 5th toes 16 days ago.
I had my stiches taken out on day 8 and on day 14, the doctor said I was healing extremely well and that I could wear shoes other than the post-operative shoes as long as my toes didn't hurt. Hah! I went to go try on other shoes and guess what? I'm still wearing my post-op shoes because frankly, unless I'm wearing sandals with nothing at all touching my toes, I feel pain. And, since it's winter, it's hard to even find sandals in the store.

Also, my toes are painful. Although the surgery went well and I stoped taking pain meds on day two (the nausea from the Vicodin was worse than the foot pain!) my toes feel bruised and tender. I'm came online just now to see what I might expect in terms of how long until I wear normal shoes again, and it looks like I've got a ways to go. Either way, I'm glad I had this operation and also glad I healed quickly (so far!) I'm almost 42 and in great health, and I have to say, all the care I've given to my health since I was in my 20's has paid off. I'm a big fan of preventative health! Good luck!

barbjoey · Newbie Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 2

Hi, I had hammertoe surgery on my second toe 16 days ago. I guess I was lucky, because I had virtually no pain. I took ibuprofen as recommended, but never needed the special pain medication they prescribed for me. I stopped the ibuprofen after about 12 days, and haven't missed it. I used my crutches just twice, when I had to go out and navigate through the snow. (My doctor had said their use was optional.) I didn't like the fact that my feet were at different heights when I used the special shoe and any of my other shoes on the other foot. However, I found that after about a week I could wear my Birkenstocks in the house if I kept the middle strap loose. This seems to help prevent the twinges in my back I was getting from wearing shoes of different heights. I've been able to do normal stretching exercises and even some weight lifting I do regularly for my knees (the doctor gave me permission, just saying, "It's okay if you're careful.") I have to use the special shoe outside and put a plastic bag over my sock to keep the foot dry, but have been able to go out for a short, careful walk each day. I should mention that at first I had a pin in my toe. After the doctor took it out, my toe was floppy. He said that's because some bone was removed and that lessened the tension on the tendon, but that it would firm itself up. It has, and I no longer have that peculiar floppiness of that toe.
I'll be getting the stitches out next week, and think I may be able to stop using the special shoe after that. So far, I'm amazed at how easy it's all been. However, I would agree with the others that you just should not wear high-heeled shoes. There are attractive lower shoes, and wearing high heels is just asking for more foot trouble.

dorothy215 · Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2008 Posts: 2

Hi, I am a healthy 44 year old woman who rarely gets sick and heals easily; that is, until my surgery on October 18, 2007. I had surgery on 3 hammertoes, my bunion, and my pinky toe, which needed to be straightened. My doctor does not believe in fusing bones, so the hammertoes were straightened by removing bone, eliminating the corn, and no pins. Thank God my doctor talked me out of getting both feet done at once! The healing process has been long and painful. The bases of my 3 post op hammertoes are fat and hard. It is now almost 3 months later, and all I can wear are loose furry boots and clogs (without a sock on my right foot). My Merrell "Primo Chill Slide" clogs and Earth "Mirage" boots have been a life-saver. I don't know what I would have done during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season without them. I'm sure there are others, but I happened to already have those two in my shoe collection. When I saw my doctor a month ago (I am due to see him again on Monday), he said I am healing nicely and could start wearing my New Balance sneakers. Naturally, that was not to be. I am still unable to wear any type of shoe other than the ones aforementioned. My bunion is not a problem at all, my pinky toe is just tender, but my hammertoes are soooooo swollen. I tried icing, elevating, taking aspirin, homeopathic supplements that contain linoleic acid (evening primrose oil, fish oil, basic essential fatty acids), and nothing seems to be reducing the swelling. Although I read in this forum that the healing could take up to a year, I am concerned the swelling will never go down and my toes permenently went from bird claws to cocktail sausage. Does anyone know if the swelling will eventually subside????

Sandra

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To Dorothy215...I too, have that swelling three months after my surgery to correct a hammer toe, and am wondering the same thing. My surgery, November 11, 2007 involved inserting a pin into my toe and foot. Pin has been removed and stitches out, there is very little pain left...just this ugly swelling.
Carol in Fla.

dmkosse · Newbie Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

Hi, I am a 54-year-old woman who had hammertoe surgery on two toes on both feet exactly one month ago. I had 1/4 inch of bone removed from each toe and about a 3-inch wire pin put into each toe. I had the wire pins taken out three days ago. The two pins in the left foot were bent in an L shape when they were removed. Needless to say, there was an extreme amount of uncomfortableness when they were being pulled out. The doc says this was due to the foot getting bent or rolled off the toe or something to cause them to bend. I guess I did cheat a few times and hobble to the kitchen without my postop shoes on. Anyway, my feet are happy to have my toes back and able to wiggle them again. They are still fat and puffy on the back side of them, but considering what was done to them, that is to be expected. Hammertoe surgery is very painful, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But, if you have a good doctor (mine was AWESOME) and follow postop instructions, they will heal properly. I had bunion surgery 12 years ago and I must say hammertoe surgery is by far more painful than bunion surgery. If anyone is considering hammertoe surgery, research, research, research beforehand and schedule the surgery at a time where you can afford to be laid up for at least six months. It will be worth it in a long run, but if you try to resume regular activiites too soon, you will have a major setback and possibly unncessary complications. Good luck, and take care of your feet! dk

Post hammertoe surgery recovery

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