Recovery after surgery for Morton's Neuroma

I had surgery on August 12 to excise two morton's neuromas (neuromae?) - from the top - as well as remove an osteophyte and pin the big toe to straighten it. I had very little pain in the first two weeks following, then an electrical shooting into one toe over the last ten days. My ortho said keep it elevated for 4 weeks, which I have, hopping to the loo on crutches and wearing the dreaded overboot. I see him on Tuesday, when I should be able to start weight-bearing again. It seems to me on reading these posts that advice post-op varies enormously. My consultant was emphatic that elevation for 4 weeks was essential for good recovery. Put a bit of weight down the foot this evening and felt a sharp pain running vertically down the plantar. It has now been in a heavy dressing for 4 weeks so I am hoping this is just tightening of the plantar fascia/ligament and will go away with time and massage.
When I was 21 I had one of these removed from the other foot with no problems. 36 years on I'm hoping for another good result but age must be a factor. The compensating changes to my gait from the neuroma had started to mess around my hip and back. I'm a pilates teacher and have some specific exercises planned for recovery once I'm up and about; I'll post on progress once I'm able to put it into effect!

Hi,

I spent a lot of time reading this site the last few days and was on the verge of canceling my surgery; however, yesterday I went through with it and so far so good. No pain! None! Haven't taken a pain killer. Also, no bruising and only minimal swelling. Tomorrow could be entirely different, but I think elevation and icing has really been the key to my success. My neuroma was 11 mm. The surgery, beginning to end took about 45-minutes, while the actual procedure was about 15 minutes. Prep and recovery took the longest and I was at the hospital for about 4.5 hours total.

As an aside, I had the choice of several surgeons and went with the highest recommendation! So glad I went that route!

Just me, I was wondering if you actually had neroma surgery before the cryosurgery? Did you have alcohol or cortisone injections? I am almost 2 years since my 2 foot surgeries for 2 neromas in each foot & I still have pain. I am starting on Lyrica Monday & I am very leary of taking any drugs. I am a runner & have a marathon in 2 weeks. I have not been able to run distance very well & I am hoping the Lyrica will get me through it. Please let me know how the cryosurgery has done & how much did it cost? Thanks!



Jill

I am 6 weeks post op and couldn't be happier. I returned to work after 5 weeks and I am able to comfortably wear dress shoes with a small heel, working my way up to the higher heels. I faithfully elevated my foot and did exactly what my physician ordered which he said was a key to the recovery. I did not have to use pain meds after the first couple of days. I still have a bit of soreness at the incision site but it gets better everyday. I was in severe pain for the last couple of years and tried everything to relieve it, for me, surgery was the best solution and my podiatrist was wonderful. Good Luck to the rest of you.

I, too am 6 weeks post op. I had 2 neuromas removed from the 2nd and 3rd. metatarsal spaces of my left foot after 9 years of receiving 2 steroid injections per year for recurring pain. This past year, the pain became increasingly debilitating and recurred over 5 times. So, not wanting to risk tendon deterioration from the steroid injections, I felt my only option was to have this surgery. I am in my late 60s, of normal weight and am used to power walking 2-3 miles per day. The surgery was performed on the bottom of my foot. The sutures were removed after 2 weeks, at which time I was instructed to begin bearing weight for short periods. While I did not have pain for the 2 weeks after surgery, I was very uncomfortable after the suture removal and could only bear approximately 60% of my weight and walk (limp) for 10 minutes at a time. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate the pain at 6-7. It also felt as though a brick had landed on the top of my foot. I was instructed to keep my foot elevated as much as possible which I have done and continue to do. I also soaked my foot twice per day in warm epson salt baths up until last week. Four weeks later, the discomfort is at 3-4 and I am bearing 95% of my weight (the falling brick soreness is gone as of 5 days ago.). I can walk at a slow to medium gait for about an hour before feeling achy for which I take ibuprofin. I wear wide toe walking shoes. I do feel that my foot is healing -- but at a slow pace. My podiatrist tells me it will be 3-4 months before it is completely healed -- I am hoping that he is right.

I am also interested in the model number of the laser used for the neuroma. I had the Morton's Neuroma surgery one week ago. I still have pain in the area of the neuroma but, I believe, that trama to that area from the surgery should be painful at this time. I'm hopeful that this pain will pass. I too would like to hear more success stories. I have minor neuroma pain in my other foot and will look into Foot Solutions and Good Feet options for orthodics for my shoes. I woujld like to avoid surgery for my second foot.

I am so glad to read some positive results from the MN surgery. I am 1-month post op and have been able to wear sneakers for about a week now. I really had reservations to have the surgery--I am a runner--and I don't remember reading much positive information about the healing from any of the on-line sites. Prior to the surgery I had cortisone injections up to 3 times a year for the last 5 years. I have had Morton's Neuroma for over 10 years off and on, but the last half decade was misery for running and wearing heels. I finally had the surgery to remove the nerve between my third and fourth toe on my left foot. My doctor also removed scar tissue from the neighboring toes.

I followed my doctor's post-op directions to-the-letter--totally stayed off my foot, elevated and iced it for 3 days following the surgery. It was DIFFICULT but worth it. Then for the next 2 1/2 weeks I wore the walking boot and still elevated and iced my foot when I wasn't walking around. My doctor wanted to see what type of shoes I planned to wear following the boot and she approved sneakers with cushion and a wider toebox. She said I can wear regular shoes with cushion shoes with a wide toebox when my foot can stand it but I am not at that point yet. It still hurts when I walk and I have noticed hip pain recently in the opposite hip, I am hoping that will go away. My toes feel pain (intense burning) more than any other area on my foot while the swelling is minimal and only occurs after I have been on my foot for awhile. The pain is lessening with the passing days, however.

I am stretching my foot regularly (flexing, pointing, rotating) and walking but this weekend I am going to try to jog for a few minutes on my treadmill--don't want to chance being away from the house in case things go bad. I actually stood on my tiptoes yesterday for a few seconds--hurt like heck, though. My walking speed is still considerably slower than normal also because when I speed up, I find myself limping and bending over a bit when I walk.

I hope all of you hang in there, try to remain positive, and keep us posted on your status. --NeddyNed

had the surgery two weeks ago now and although I am still not in a normal shoe, I have been up and walking around, really pain free for a week now. wearing a walking cast or surgical shoe most of the time. there is a fullness I feel still in the foot and it is a tiny bit swollen but I believe that is because I do not elevate it as much as I should. I go in to have second post op check up in the morning.....wish me luck. Can not wait to get back to running. Miss it too much.

I broke my ankle 2 months ago, and had to have surgery. Every since the surgery I have been having this horrible pain in the top of my foot and the calf of my leg aches and sometimes the top of my leg hurts and my groin area has had some pain. The Dr kept saying that my fracture was completely healed and that I was probably on my foot too much. Since then I have been diagnoised with mortons neuroma. The Dr gave me a pad to wear in my shoe and a cortizone shot. The shot helped for 2 or 3 days, now I'm right back where I started. Pain 24/ 7, can't sleep at night, exhausted. I'm scared the next thing they are going to tell me is surgery. I don't know what to do?

I had surgery for a mortons neuroma in 2008. I was pain free post op for about 1 year. Yes another nueroma appeared, but I new this was a possibility. I had a very good experience surgically and will have the 2nd neuroma removed within the next 4 months. I spend a lot of time on my feet so, this is one of the issues that can create a morton's neuroma. I wear orthodics and have since 1999. For me the surgery is a no brainer, and recovery was very easy, as recovery goes.

Really, mortons neuroma removal from the botton of the foot............. ouch. Mine was from the top of the foot. Maybe that is why my recovery was so good.

On 1/21/11, at 6 weeks post op for removal of 2 neuromas in my left foot, I posted that I was able to bear 95% of my weight and could walk slowly for about an hour before my foot started to ache; the pain at 3-4 on a scale of 1-10. I am now approximately 13 weeks post op and have been able to to bear all of my weight since week 7 and walk 2.5 miles at a normal pace since week 10. At the end of my walk, my foot often feels tired with an occasional slight sensation of burning on the bottom of my foot, I would rate the discomfort at a 1 - 1.5 on a scale of 1 -10. I am very encouraged at my steady (but, admittedly, very slow) progress. My podiatrist did say it takes 3-4 months on average for good healing (and sometimes as long as 6 months.) I can wear well made soft soled sandals for shopping etc., but wear wide toe walking shoes with cushioned inserts for serious walking. The sore aching after surgery that plagued my instep (right below big toe) for about 11 weeks while walking is gone -- an annoying ache upon flexion of my big toe still remains, but is tolerable and feeling better than even a week ago (did not have this pain prior to surgery.). I am more comfortable now than before the surgery and look forward to a complete recovery before long. What has helped over the past 2 months have been warm epsom salt foot soaks and foot massage on the days that I walked. Up until week 11, I limited my long walks to every other day -- now, I can walk every day. So, for anyone struggling with this, I would say that you need to get good wide toe cushioned walking shoes, be patient, stay positive and push yourself a bit to walk, -- start slowly and stop if pain revs up. Listening to upbeat music and/or having company while walking might be a good idea. Ibuprofin helps me -- I take 2 tabs an hour before I go out for a walk. I intend to report back when (not if) I am fully recovered. Good luck!!

2 Neuromas in each foot for almost ten years. No insurance (just got picked for Oregon Health Plan lottery after entering the game seven years ago. Pain after first surgery on right for two bottom entry removals and still healing after 10 wks but still nothing even close to what I lived with for almost ten years (in terms of pain). Just had left foot done about eight weeks apart (2 wks ago) and from the beginning everything went smooth. No delays prior to operation and less of a headache after waking up from general. Practically no pain at all. Way different but the last time I had been on MS Contin Vicoden and Oxycodone for years and weened off pain meds completely before the second surgery. that could be the difference alone so who knows. Find a good surgeon who has credibility in your community and is professional. Surgery is common. Most people who have no problems have no need to check the internet so they don't end up on these boards I think. Mine was a mixed bag but my situation was awful. Now it looks as if I might get some of my life back =)

I am 2 weeks post op for a MN and I am so glad that I took the difficult decision to go ahead with surgery. I have been in discomfort, to say the least for nearly a year. The pain was undescribable & I was unable to locate the exact point of discomfort. The severity of the pain would come & go and it felt my toes would snap if bent. One of my toes was constantly numb & I had all the other symptoms associated with a MN. An MRI scan located a small amount of abnormal tissue between my 2nd-3rd toe space ( I thought I had experiencing referred pain until I saw the size of the removed MN!). Cortisone jab helped for a few days & left me with an indentation on the top of my foot. I had the op under local anasthetic. This I was septical about, but your foot is numb for a couple of days which helps with pain control (even though there was very little pain if your foot is kept elevated & I kept forgetting to take my pain relief). I asked to see the MN once removed. I had a small nerve the size of a sewing needle leading onto a large lump the size of a 20p piece round, covered in what looked tentacles! There was no way that was ever going to go away without surgery.

Hello, I just completed my 2nd surgery (1st one was not successful). My one recommendation to all those out there...if you have a neuroma forget the "conservative" treatments and go straight to surgery. The more you play around with injections and other methods, you're just delaying the inevitable and adding more scar tissue. Surgery works and it works well!!! Most of my scarring now is from prior surgery treatments. Also, get a surgeon that does surgery out of their office...at a hospital, etc..(this requires better certifications by the surgeon and better care God forbid anything were to go wrong). Also, go to and Orthopedic and not a podiatrist (Podiatrists are foot specialists, but they will try all the conservative stuff just in time for you to get frustrated and have to have an Orthopedic clean up their mess).

I highly recommend the surgery...as others have posted, just know your surgeon and make sure they are very thorough with your Neuroma and have done this numerous times before. Ask for a referral of another neuroma patient...call a local Rehab facility and ask if they are familiar with patients of that Dr and the outcomes. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! No 2 surgeons are alike.

Good Luck, get the surgery, be patient during recovery...don't rush it!