Recovery from bunion surgery

[aleia23]

As I am sitting here staring longingly at my bike, I was wondering if any one has had bunion surgery and had any problems with riding afterwards? I am only 5 weeks out of surgery and just starting PT...but I have the BIGGEST fear that I will not be able to move my foot enough to ride again. :(

Thanks!
Aleia

[bike4ever]

I road with my big black boot - just used platform pedals. My podiatrist saw me cruising down and street and gave me some crap.

You should get your flexibility back without issues. I wasn't able to fit my shoes right away but eventually I was back to normal. The cool thing was not having the pain in my foot that I had had for years.

Be patient. Ask if you can ride on the trainer with platforms.

[aleia23]

Thank you so much for letting me know! It was a very hard decision to make to do the surgery knowing that so many things could go wrong!! My foot is still uncomfortable to bend and with PT will probably be sore, but knowing that I may be able to get back on the bike is a very good incentive.

I will ask my podiatrist if I can do some easy spinning on the trainer with the boot. Anything would boost my spirits right now!

[guanajagirl]

So overall was the surgery that bad? Are you able to get around pretty easily? I had looked into doing it right around the time I graduated from college but I got scared by the recovery time. Iam a nurse and I kinda need my feet... Was it worth it for you?

[kelownagirl]

PM Chickwhorips - she has recently recovered from bunion surgery. Good luck!

[bike4ever]

I completely and totally felt it was worth it for me. My surgery was over 5 years ago with no complications. My foot was always sore before surgery - aches, pains and even sore when I work up. The only time it is uncomfortable is when I've had a 12 hour day at work.

[aleia23]

Sorry I haven't checked in lately...holidays will do that to you! Thanks to everyone for their encouragement! It's just scary to think that I would not be able to get back on the bike after discovering how much I love it. Some good news is I was actually on a stationary bike in PT on Monday for 10 minutes but I already can tell my hind end is out of shape...:(

Guanajagirl...I too am a nurse (I'm in research though) and had heard some horror stories about this surgery. All in all the surgery itself wasn't too bad. I kept up with the pain medication post op for about a week but then didn't need any more. I was scheduled off for 1 1/2 weeks and tried to go back to work but I sit at a desk and the swelling made the foot more painful. So my supervisor made me take the rest of the week off. By then I was ready to go back.

I was in my surgical boot for 4 1/2 weeks and used crutches for ambulating longer distances (I was able to weight bear during this time). Last week I was told I could get into tennis shoes but the mobility and swelling of the toe prevented that. Thank goodness for Merrell shoes! I am walking with a limp now but with PT am slowly getting the movement back in my foot.

Having said all of this, it really depends on the severity of the bunion and the type of surgery you have done. And patience is really the key!! It has taken longer than I expected (I thought that I would be back to "normal" after 4-5 weeks) so definitely ask the surgeon about the specifics.

Happy New Year to all and safe riding!!!

[guanajagirl]

Thanks for the advice. Speedy healing in the new year!

[teigyr]

This is all very interesting. DH and I were discussing it tonight because I know I will have to have surgery eventually. I have orthotics, I have quirky sized running shoes, and a wonderful PT but it is not working anymore. I'm training for a half-marathon and I don't know if it's the miles or what but right now one of my feet hurts to even touch it.

During recovery, can you swim? What type of activity/exercise can be done? I like the idea of riding with the boot on :D Did you do one foot and then the other?

I know ages ago a doctor said I had to watch it because once damage started, it'd be a lot worse even after my feet were corrected. They said at that time there was no permanent damage but that was about 6 years ago. As much as I don't want to do this, I think maybe I should think about next winter and just write '09 off mostly. Or is it not as bad as that?

[Tiger253]

Hey, no worries about getting back to cycling after bunion surgery. Due to a bad bunion surgery years ago, had to have some major reconstructione done to my foot and my calf muscle (gastrocnemius) lengthened. This was done the first of last April, and with some complications and two other surgeries in May, was still aloud back on my bike (on the trainer) in my camwalker the middle of July (end of July I broke one of the repaired bones and was sent back to a cast and non-weight bearing until the first of October!) Have been cycling on the trainer and on the gym stationary bike with my boot up until two weeks ago and have now started back in the spinning class:D

I feel your pain (and anxiety), but you should be back on that bike in no time. Just listen to your doc. I was TOO anxious to get back and not one for sitting around. Hope to be running by time it warms up. At least that's what my doc says. So, hang in there ;)

Elizabeth