orthopedist and/or podiatrists opinion

i had foot surgeryon my left foot on may 21st 2010 to correct a bunion and a couple hammer toes and the podiatrist also removed my big toe nail. the dry used a screw & a wire to correct the bunion.


my foot is still swollen. what is your opinion/recommendation?

go back to see your doctor

Surgery like that takes ages to heal.


I got a tiny hairline fracture in my second little toe and it was sore for several months! I can't even imagine what your surgery must feel like!!!


All I know is that type of bunion correction is very painful and long healing process, but your doctor should really have explained all this to you. But of course, any medical questions you should really check back with your doctor.

ok, i had the surgery done in the US by a podiatrist who has worked on my feet since i was a teenager. he took care of my chronic in-grown toe nail problem 20 years ago. he removed the nails of my big toes back then and said they were not to grow back. but the left one did. over the years it would grow back and fall out, grow back and fall etc..each time getting thicker. up until this last procedure..trimming the nail was "challenging". sometimes trimming it would enable it or "nudge" it towards falling out. sometimes i would pull it out with a pliers. it didn't hurt..when he did the operation on it 20yrs ago i think he also killed the nerve endings.


anyhow, he said while he was correcting the bunion he was gonna get that nail once and for all. and before i got on the plane back here he checked me out and said the foot is getting better and to keep icing it and he gave me a "walking regamin". 3 weeks ago he said i could take off "the boot" and put on a shoe and walk a few times a day for a week. i did that until i came back to shanghai 2 weeks ago. the swelling really hasn't gone down enough to put on a shoe. but "the boot" has pretty much fallen apart.


i just want to know if there are any orthopedists or podiatrists reading this? and what is your opinion/recomendation?

Hi,

To correct a bad bunion the surgeon often has to take off the end of a foot bone because it is too long, then the wire is put in place till the surgical fracture heels, so you have to allow time.

Even normal feet tend to get swollen when the weather gets hotter, and because you have had recent surgery yours will too. Is your foot an unusual colour, or is there any discharge from where the wires were put in, if there is anything unusual then you should see you DR again, there may be a little infection.

On the other hand if you do a lot of walking or standing, plus the heat this will cause swelling. Try resting with your feet on a cushioned foot stool, and maybe bath them in with a drop of peppermint oil in, to sooth.

Dear Msnglnk,


How's your left foot now? If you really need a good doctor , you can try Dr Yeung Yeung. She is a very good doctor. Hope can help you. +852 2521 6830

my left foot is fine. i am going back home soon with my newborn daughter and wife. so i will get the other one taken care of. i have been told that bunions can return. is that true? is the hardware used to help the surgical fracture heal also supposed to help stop the bunion from returning? can this phenomenon (bunion) occur anywhere else on the human skeleton?

Dear msnglnk,


My mother also had bunions, she had a surgery done last year by an orthopaedic surgeon in Hong Kong, now she is getting on fine thanks to Dr Yeung Yeung. I found out when we saw her that she also travels to China to consult. Maybe you could call us and enquire.


Hope you are well!