Patients must follow their doctor’s instructions carefully during recovery to ensure proper healing and minimize the risk of complications.
The following should be adhered to in order to hasten your recovery from foot surgery.
In general, the following timeline can be expected:
Immediately after surgery: Go home and rest. Elevate your foot as often and as much as possible to reduce swelling. Take pain medication as instructed and avoid smoking. Wear post-operative shoe all the time, even at bed for the first 2 weeks. Place a plastic bag over your foot when showering.
The first few days: Although you are allowed to walk on your foot after surgery (in a post-operative shoe) it is best to completely rest your foot and elevation is encouraged in the first 1 – 2 weeks following surgery. You should restrict your walking to minimal activities such as going to the bathroom only.
1-4 weeks: In the first 2 weeks, keep the foot dry until stitches are removed. Weight bearing in post-op shoe only in the first 4 weeks, then you may be able to return to wearing comfortable shoes with a strong midsole such as runners after 4-8 weeks.
Rest – 1-2 weeks (minimal weight bearing for essential things only like bathroom breaks 5-10 minutes maximum per hour)
Walk – 3-4 weeks (movement limited outside of house)
Driving – 2-4 weeks (for any hospital procedures under general anaesthesia, you cannot drive until after 24 hours when you are off narcotics. Therefore, you will need someone to drive you home from hospital)
Return to sedentary work – 1-2 weeks (If you work at a desk with minimal time on your feet and you are able to elevate your foot/feet)
Return to active work – 4-6 weeks (If you have a physical job or are standing a lot and unable to elevate your foot/feet)
Low impact exercise – 4-6 weeks (slow walking, cycling, golf using a caddie)
High impact exercise – 6-8 weeks (fast walking, running, jumping, playing sport)
Patients should contact their doctor if –
You experience severe pain that is not relieved by rest, elevation, pain medication and/or applying an ice pack to the operated part.
Bandages become saturated with blood.
The colour of your toes appear abnormal.
You bump and injure your foot.
Full recovery usually takes 8-10 weeks.
No surgical or invasive procedure comes without risks and complications. The main complications are – Infection, Scarring, and Skin Necrosis.
