How long does it take for a foot fusion to heal?
Timeline: The recovery period for a foot fusion surgery can range from 2-3 months. Immediately after foot surgery: Your foot will be in a plaster cast to the knee. It will be numb and pain-free.
How long after foot fusion can I walk?
During the second week after your operation, you should be able to walk short distances using your crutches, but it is crucial to remember to refrain from putting any weight on your foot. After six weeks and once an X-ray confirms that your bones are healing correctly, you can start to put weight on your foot.
How successful is foot fusion?
This is a very successful procedure, with excellent outcomes in over 90% of patients. You can expect: Excellent pain relief which improves as the joints fuse (join) at around three months.
What happens when they fuse your foot?
In a midfoot fusion, your foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon fuses together the different bones that make up the arch of the foot. Fusion eliminates the normal motion that occurs between two bones. Since there is very little movement in the small joints of the midfoot, the function of the foot can be preserved.
How long is non weight bearing after foot fusion?
You will not be able to put weight onto the foot for a total of 8-10 weeks after surgery. You will remain in the boot for about 12-14 weeks after surgery and will continue to increase your activity at that point.
Can you run after foot fusion?
If you do try and return to running after surgery, it’s important to ease back into it, gradually making sure that you run on soft surfaces when possible and that you always wear good shock absorbing running shoes. It is not often apparent how long it actually takes to recover from major foot surgery.
How do I get back in shape after foot surgery?
Exercising after Foot Surgery
- Stretches. Stretching is a great activity to do when you’re recovering from foot surgery.
- Yoga/Pilates. Yoga is another exercise that you can jump right into after surgery.
- Swimming.
- Exercise Bike.
Can you play golf with a fused ankle?
You will probably not be able to run on your fused ankle, which makes returning to sports difficult. However, your ankle pain should go away and you will be able to walk around town, through the park, and in general be comfortable getting around. You should be able to play golf and do other light, walking activities.
Can you lose weight after foot surgery?
The simple answer is ‘no’ – with a little effort, you can continue to lose weight through your recovery. It’s not just your body that you need to keep balanced after an injury.
Is it OK to sleep with your feet elevated?
Elevating your legs while you sleep can help your circulation and prevent swelling. It’s best to elevate your legs above the level of your heart. Wedge-shaped pillows make this easier to do. You can also use pillows or folded blankets you have on hand to elevate your legs in bed to help circulation.
How long does it take to heal naviculocuneiform joint fusion?
However, typical recovery from this procedure is 2-3 months of non-weightbearing (no weight on the foot) in order to allow the bones to heal without the forces of walking.
Where is the naviculocuneiform joint in the foot?
The naviculocuneiform (NC) joint is located in the middle of the foot. It consists of four bones: the tarsal navicular and the medial, middle, and lateral cuneiforms. The main reason to perform NC joint fusion is to relieve pain related to arthritis.
When to fuse the navicular and cuneiform bones?
Normally, there is hardly any motion through these joints. If the arthritis between the navicular bone and the cuneiform bones becomes severely painful, or if the arch is collapsing through the joints so that the foot is no longer a normal shape and this causes pain or difficulty walking, it may be necessary to fuse these joints.
What is the outcome of Foot fusion surgery?
A post-operative local anaesthetic is administered in the foot to minimise pain. The surgery may involve the removal of the damaged joint and the permanent stiffening of the bones via plates fixed by screws to facilitate bone fusion as healing occurs. The outcome should be less pain and greater joint stability.