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Women's feet under the blanket

Bunion Surgery Pain After 1 Year

Table of Contents

Bunion pain and discomfort surely aren’t something you should neglect. But, is bunion surgery pain after 1 year normal, and what to do with the chronic pain? Learn everything there is to know about it and ease yourself before and after this medical procedure.

How Does the Bunion Surgery Recovery Lasts? 

For at least three to six weeks following surgery, you must keep your toe in the proper position and protect it by wearing a cast or a particular kind of shoe. A special shoe or cast is used for a few months after some operations. The doctor will remove any stitches or sutures approximately two weeks after the procedure. If your toe is being held in place with removable pins, they are typically taken out after four to six weeks.

This has a very straightforward explanation. The first metatarsal bone is typically cut during bunion surgery in order to correct it, and the following occurs when it’s cut:

  • There is less pressure and weight on a first metatarsal bone that is shorter. 
  • The second metatarsal must support more weight and pressure because the first metatarsal is carrying less of it. 
  • The second metatarsal head is painful and swollen as a result of the added pressure.
Feet with bunion relief protector

Is It Normal to Feel Bunion Surgery Pain After 1 Year?

The healing process after every surgery is tricky, especially after bunion surgery. In fact, it usually takes more than one year to heal completely.  Although the foot is susceptible to pain and swelling over that entire period unless it is carefully protected, it does not suggest that the bone is weaker than normal or that you are considerably limited in activities.

The factors that initially led to the bunion are not removed by minimally invasive bunion surgery. Even after surgery, the aberrant forces that initially damaged the joint will continue to do so unless they are treated with the right orthotics and footwear.

What Percentage of People Feel Pain After One Year?

Around 8% of people, which is about 19.6 million adults with chronic pain, experience pain that frequently restricts their ability to engage in daily activities or jobs.

Woman with Bunion Surgery Pain

Major surgical procedures were the subject of the majority of studies on chronic postoperative pain. Between 10% to 50% of patients experienced chronic postoperative pain, and 5% to 68% of those instances showed neuropathic characteristics.

55 of 260 patients (21%) who underwent surgery reported moderate-to-severe pain at rest, 111 (43%) moderate-to-severe pain while walking, and 9 (3%) neuropathic discomfort one year following the procedure. Moderate-to-severe pain during the initial postoperative night or day and revision surgery was found to be independently linked with moderate-to-severe pain at rest and/or while walking one year following surgery.

What Should You Do if the Pain Becomes Chronic?

Recovery time following surgery typically lasts between six weeks and six months. The quantity of bone and soft tissue impacted by the surgery and the extent of the recovery varies. Your physician might suggest the following:

  • When you are exhausted, take a nap. You’ll recover more quickly if you get adequate sleep.
  • Find out from your doctor when driving will be considered an activity again.
  • Unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, you may shower. Dry off the bandage. You can clean the area with soap and warm water after the bandages have been taken off. 
  • Most likely, you’ll need to skip a few weeks of work. Depending on the nature of your job and the degree of the procedure, you may need to take some time off.
  • Depending on what type of treatment you underwent, you might need to refrain from hard lifting for three to eight weeks or even longer.
  • Avoid getting water on your foot and the stitches when taking a shower. Following surgery, the stitches are typically removed between one and twenty days later. After surgery, the protruding pins are often removed by the doctor between three and five weeks later.
  • You can wear regular shoes again when your podiatrist says so. Your doctor might advise you to wear certain ones in the interim. Additionally, your surgeon may advise not bearing any weight on foot between six to eight weeks following surgery.
  • Your toe will be bandaged and in the proper position when you leave the hospital. After a few days, your doctor will likely remove the bandages. Your doctor might also instruct you to take off the bandages at home. Avoid touching the surgical area. 
  • Take the antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor. If you start to feel better, don’t stop taking them. You must finish the entire course of antibiotics.

Talk to Your Surgeon About the Chronical Pain

It’s important to have a reliable team of doctors and experts when considering bunion surgery. Luckily, we at LuxeFoot Surgery are more than willing to help you understand every detail of this medical procedure. That way, you can take all the necessary steps before and after the surgery. Contact us and prepare yourself completely for the surgery recovery and about the chronical pain.

FAQ

Why Does My Foot Hurt Years After Bunion Surgery?

Foot pain one year after bunion surgery frequently develops because the great toe’s bone was somewhat too severely compressed during the bunion correction. Walking causes a change in the foot’s form and causes the patient’s weight to shift to the next set of toes.

How Long Does It Take To Fully Recover From a Bunionectomy?

In the six weeks following surgery, you will have discomfort and edema that gradually goes away. Your slight discomfort and swelling could linger anywhere from six months to a year. After the medical procedure, you’ll have to keep your toe in the proper position and protect it by wearing a cast or a particular kind of shoe for at least three to six weeks.

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