Peripheral nerve surgery for tibial nerve damage - usual recovery scenario?

I had a Tarsal Tunnel release due to ankle and foot injuries 10 years ago; and it went wrong the surgeon did not release the Tibial Nerve. I just had another surgery to fix that one, but I am worse. I had an abundant amount of scar tissue. he said it was like a solid rock. Surgery was Nov. 13, 2014. He also said I could never have another surgery. I too have so much burning and pain everywhere on the bottom of my foot. I am numb in these areas of my foot; ball, heel, arch and toes. The shooting pain to my big toe is unbelievable and my other toes as well. I felt crazy saying I am numb but having such awful pain all the time. Doctor said it is the nerve. My surgeon does not know how much I will improve. He suggested I should measure monthly for improvement, if I am better than I was a month ago, great. But when in one month I have not had any improvement that will be what I am left with for the rest of my life. I have to say that was a better way for me to look at this for I was terrified and it was driving me crazy thinking daily what is happening, so monthly has helped with my overall mental health.. I have been in physical therapy that doesn't seem to be doing much. I am on Neurontin medication and pain meds. I am to see a pain management doctor this month, hopefully they can help. I do a lot of foot stretches all day to try to help with the pain. I also elevate and stay down when it is so uncomfortable, which is a lot. This is all very difficult for I am not a stay down person. I am trying to stay positive but with all of this not sure how. I am walking with a cane and if we go out it is a wheelchair because walking seems to aggravate everything. I feel like the bottom of my foot is rubbing on sand paper while walking. And the ball of my foot feels like it is 5" thick. I haven't been able to put a shoe of any sort on yet. So I do put a sock on and wear the big boot my doctor gave me. More stable for me and I feel my foot is protected since I don't know what I could step on. My doctor said this could be a year or longer, and that I will always be pain, just don't know how much. I am hoping for less. I just wanted you to know I feel for you and me too!! I pray we will recover soon and the old song "boots are made for walking, are you ready now!!!" You Bet!! I have to tell you something, I live in Florida and I don't think I have ever taken such an interest in other woman shoes, but now I am looking at every ones!! I am really missing sandals. Had a pedicure the other day and it was for one foot only, couldn't stand the thought of them scrubbing or touching the other.. so one side has polish and feels wonderful the other foot is necked and driving me crazy!!! ha! ha! Good Luck!!

Contact Doctor Donald Baxter since you live in Houston. Doctor Baxter is one of the most famous foot surgeons in the world and specializes in ankle nerve surgery (the Baxter release). I have similar problems and continue to work through them. Doc Baxter will be honest and is a terrific guy. Good luck!! Don

I had the same surgery in dec 2014. I'm having pain and numbness in my foot. Sometimes I have shouting pains in my foot and big toe. I feel like when I walk I have a knot under there and it really hurts. The doc said that is wear he tied the mucles and alignment together. I have been through 5 boots, tight stocking, and pads for my tennis shoes,. I seen doc today he is going to see what MRI says now. I can't sleep because my legs ache all nite long.

Rose, wgat state are you in? The same thing happened to me.

Hello, could someone please respond with an update. I had surgery for plantar fascitus and the doctor severed my tibial nerve , I then underwent neurosurgery with nerve graft to tibial nerve. It's been over 2 months I'm still constantly numb , burning and tingling as well a difficulty walking. Is there any hope???

Hlo doctor I am a Avtar my. Problem is tibal narve.

how are you doing now? I had a wrap put around my nerve Oct 2015 and it is worse off. very similar symptoms that you mention.

Hey guys.. i met with ac accident where a glass cut through my leg..around 2 inches above my ankle. My posterior tibial nerve was completely damaged with lacerations on my tendon. Its been 6 weeks post operation now and my leg movements are normal. The only issue is i have numbness on the sole of my left foot. How long will it take before i get all my sensations on the sole of my foot. Note: the rest of leg is fine, i can walk around limping ( as the tendon was repaired) . Full load bearing will be done soon. Only numbness on sole of foot with stinging and electric shock sensation on the sole.

Hello, how are you now? Does the pain have fully recovered? My dad undergone an operation in 7/4/2016 to reattach the tibial nerve, and a week after the surgery, he experience pain like electric shooting, stabbing like pin and needles as well as numbness in his feet. I just want to know how long it takes to recover from the pain. I hope all goes well to you now.

Does anybody have any updates? I also damaged my nerve in ankle due to the fracture 3 weeks ago. I'm on Gabapentin 100mg 2 times a day. It is about 50% better than was after surgery. But it seems like almost a week I have not had any improvments. Can't sleep with this pain. Orthopedic surgeon says it need time to get nerve recovered and she does not propose me electroneuromyography or something to test my nerve, figure out the damage and prescribe apropriate treatment. It seems like everything should be healed by itself.

I am 15 and had an accident on the 5th of april i kicked a door through and my leg went right through the glass panel and i sliced my leg right open. Straight after that i could not move or wiggle my toes and had to have surgery on the back of my leg to repair the nerve. But when i got let lut of hospital and went home i started having these really bad foot pains like storms in my foot like electrical flashed throghout my foot it hurt really bad. Now all that has stopped i atill have the odd pain every now and then but still cannot wiggle my toes but can only move my foot down and walk with a limp, i also do not have any feeling in my toes or heel but slowly recovering and going through physio therapy

Hi. I severed my Achilles’ tendon in Aug 2017 with a worm drive skill saw. The Achilles was successfully repaired the next day and 3 months later I was back to running 7 miles. Unfortunately, right after the Achilles repair I realized that I couldn’t feel the bottom of my foot, and that my three smallest toes couldn’t “grip.” I haven’t found many studies regarding tibial nerve repair, so will try to publish my experience to give insight to others after me.

Four months after the surgery, a hand surgeon took out my sural nerve (now I can’t feel the outside of my foot) and patched the cut tibial nerve with it. Hopefully, the tibial nerve will partially regenerate over the next 10-12 months, and other nerves will fill in most of the sural nerve area. I’m 2 weeks out from the nerve cabling, and have no pain. I never had much pain even after the injury, both surgeries, or recovery period except for terrible intermittent stabbing pain in the bottom of my foot for about a week after the initial injury. That was brutal, and I am now super sympathetic to anyone that has neuralgia. Best case scenario: I get feeling in my foot and get movement back in my toes. Worst case scenario: the graft doesn’t work and I get neuralgia again. I can still walk and run after a cringeworthy injury, so I can’t really complain even with worst case.

I fell from height in bare feet and crushed my heal bones and got surjury to place metal plates to spend 8 weeks in the hospital. Five years now, I feel like standing on rock and bones and hurts badly when I stand. Plus 24hours pain in both feet and intense neuropatic pain on the sole of feet. I cannot wear shoes as it intensifies the pain. I plan to get surgery to cut both of my tibial nerves to relieve pain. I hope it will work!