A lot of people are not satisfied with the way their feet look because of their short toes. It can create a lot of discomforts. However, you shouldn’t avoid open-toe sandals and hide your feet when there are surgical procedures that can help. But is toe lengthening surgery painful, and are the results worth the trouble of undergoing surgery?
Is Toe Lengthening Surgery Painful?
The first thing you should know is that you shouldn’t feel any pain during your procedure. When you undergo toe lengthening surgery, you will be under a local anesthetic and you shouldn’t feel a thing. However, in some rare cases, that’s not enough, so the doctor will place the patient under spinal, regional, or even general anesthesia.
What Are the Causes of Toe Lengthening Surgery Pain
Experiencing pain after toe lengthening surgery is completely normal. Once the anesthesia wears off, you will feel some pain caused by the surgery; it’s your bone and tissue stretching and healing.
How to Manage the Pain?
Depending on the amount of pain you’re feeling after the surgery, you might need pain medication. Not all patients do, but it’s certainly needed in some cases, as the pain can get pretty severe. Your doctor will prescribe you pain medication, and you should use ice packs to relieve some of the pain.
Are There Some Possible Complications During the Procedure?
Every surgery carries a certain amount of risk with it, and complications during the procedure are common thing, no matter how experienced your doctor is. Here are some potential complications that you should take into consideration before deciding on the procedure:
- Excessive bleeding,
- Blood clots forming,
- Excessive swelling,
- Nerve damage,
- A need for more corrective surgery,
- Developing an infection.
Go Over the Toe Lengthening Procedure With Your Doctor in Miami
If you have short toes that have been causing you problems and you’re interested in the procedure but you have some concerns, feel free to contact us and we will gladly answer any questions you may have. Once all your concerns have been addressed, you can schedule your appointment for the procedure at the Luxe Foot Surgery clinic.
FAQ
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Toe Lengthening Surgery?
The amount of recovery time you will need after toe lengthening surgery is highly individual. Depending on the severity of your deformity, your recovery time could last anywhere from six weeks to six months. The average time a patient will need to recover from the surgery is six to eight weeks; however, you will need a minimum of three months if you have an external fixator placed.
Is Big Toe Surgery Painful?
You will have a local anesthetic or even a stronger anesthetic used during your big toe surgery, so you shouldn’t be able to feel any pain during the procedure, and if you do – you need to alert your doctor that the current anesthetic isn’t enough. However, don’t be alarmed if you experience a certain amount of pain right after your surgery once the anesthetic wears off or even during your recovery time. It’s completely normal to feel some pain while your body is healing.
How Long Does Pain Last After Toe Surgery?
Pain after toe surgery is completely normal and very common. Most patients feel some pain during the recovery period, but there is no way to tell how long the pain will last as it’s different from patient to patient. It should be gone within a couple of months; if not – consult your doctor.
Does Toe Shortening Surgery Hurt?
Toe shortening surgery is an outpatient procedure that is performed with the use of a local anesthetic, so it shouldn’t hurt while the procedure is undergoing. However, it’s normal for your toes to hurt during the healing process, after the surgery.
How Long Does the Pain Last After Toe Lengthening Surgery?
There is no sure answer to the question of how long the pain will last after toe lengthening surgery. In more severe cases, some patients feel the pain even months after the procedure has been done, and others feel no pain after just a week has passed.
References
- Shadbolt B, Aiyer A. Minimally Invasive Toe Lengthening: A Prospective Study of 22 Consecutive Patients. Foot Ankle Surg. 2019;25(6):725-729. doi: 10.1016/j.fas.2018.11.005. Accessed March 14, 2023. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1268773118303213.
- Rondón Lugo A, Amores Salvadó J, Pérez del Todo J, Piquer Belloch M, Rodrigo Pérez JL. Digital Toe Lengthening for the Treatment of Brachymetatarsia: A Systematic Review. Foot Ankle Int. 2021;42(7):881-891. doi: 10.1177/1071100721994695. Accessed March 14, 2023. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1071100721994695.
