My Bunion Surgery- Prevent It From Happening To You

(Night before surgery)
Bunions / Bunion Pain and Bunions Treatment

Prevent Bunions - How to Prevent Bunions From Causing Foot Pain

• Avoid wearing narrow, pointy heels that are more than two inches high.
• Buy shoes with wide toe boxes that provide enough space to house the widest part of your feet.
• Wear shoes that do not squeeze or press down onto your toes and the joint of your big toe.
• Whenever you can, go barefoot.
• Insert orthopedic padding in your shoes whenever needed to make each pair of shoes you wear as comfortable and supportive as possible. Cushioned sports socks, bunion pads and cushions can also help.
• Pamper yourself with foot massages, foot soaks, and other foot therapies to relieve foot pressure and keep the muscles, ligaments and joints in your feet soft and supple.

I've had this bunion on my right toe for several years. Hoping it would get better with time then realizing it would not. I was faced with the reality that surgery was my only option. After years of research on bunion surgery my biggest problem was not the surgery, but being on crutches and wearing that boot.

Most people seemed to wear the boot 4-6 weeks. That was a dreadful long time for me. I talked to several people about their experience. Most of them said it was totally worth it. Finally I talked to a couple of ladies at work that had already had the surgery. Then I find out they had all went to the same doctor. That helped me make my decision to do it.

The doctor explained all the details of surgery. He said he would have to put a screw in my toe. However, most people find a screw painful, and bothersome, so they come back to have it removed. That was very frightful for me to hear.  The doctor could not make me see why I needed a screw in my to, so it made me believe I did not really need it.  I elected to not have a screw put in my toe.

After 15 days I went back to my doctor to have my toe examined. He yanked it then lifted it as high as possible, and pushed it down as far a possible. That was painful. He removed the dressing.  When  it was removed I noticed my foot was very dark, wrinkled, and extra dry. He had used some kind of surgery glue, which is supposed to dissolve as I take showers. 

 

(One and 1/2 week after surgery) Removing the dressing

The result was amazing to me. He said I could get rid of the crutches, and boot. Start wearing tennis shoes with socks. Take therapy three times a week for the next three weeks.

My toe went through several changes after surgery. I went through six weeks of therapy for my toe. The glue finally began to separate from he scar. The skin started peeling from the scar. The color started to come back to my feet. Darkness of the skin from the wrapping along with swelling, and glue on the scar used to enclose the incision instead of staples.

(Six weeks after surgery) Skin color beginning to come back along with the scar healing, and swelling of the toe is going down.

I returned to work in October wearing flat shoes for the first two week. My toe was feeling alright with light to moderate pain and swelling. I did foot exercises, but not as often as I should have. I also soaked my foot every other day in hot Epsom salt water. Some days my toe and foot would be swollen pretty bad.

The last week of November I decided to soak a cotton ball in alcohol and put a huge band aid on it. I noticed the pain and swelling beginning to subside.

Dr. Larry Hayes, D.P.M.

Dr. Larry Hayes Podiatry Surgeon
714 North Hampton Road
DeSoto, Tx 75115
(972) 223-3266

Related articles

• Bunion Surgery - Is It for You?
• Under the Microscope: Bunions
• Taking Care of a Bunion
• Top 10 Reasons to Change Your Favorite Pair of High Heels