5 Things You Should do to Prepare For Bunion Surgery

30 Dec 5 Things You Should do to Prepare For Bunion Surgery

If you have never had bunion surgery before, the process leading up to it can feel overwhelming and stressful. But if you know what you need to do before surgery, it helps alleviate a large amount of the stress and will give you a sense of what you should expect. In this post, we will discuss the five things you should do in order to properly prepare for your upcoming bunion surgery.

Have a Meal Plan: Most of the preparation that you need to do for bunion surgery relates to preparatory steps for after the surgery. This includes having a few meals already prepared for post-operation. Since you won’t be able to put weight on your foot for a couple of weeks after the surgery, cooking extensively in the kitchen will just exhaust you and possibly do more harm to your foot if you are standing for too long. Have some meals cooked ahead of time or recruit the help of friends and family to get your meals brought to you for the first few days after surgery.

Talk to The Foot Care Specialist: Before your surgery, take the time to ask the foot care medical specialist all of the questions you have about the operation. Ask what they recommend you should do before and after. Express any concerns you might have. Make sure you use the time at the initial appointment to explain to the medical professionals what you already have set up at your home and what else they suggest you should have prepared.

Ask About The Anesthesia Requirements: Depending on the complexity of your bunion removal surgery and the size of the bunion, you may either receive local, regional, or general anesthesia. The type of anesthesia used also depends on the current state of your physical health. A local anesthesia just means that the area where your bunion is will be numbed and you may end up having a sedative to make you drowsy. If you end up with a regional anesthesia, you will be numbed from the knee down in conjunction with a sedative. If the surgeon recommends a general anesthesia, you will be put to sleep for the entire surgery. In some cases, a doctor might go with a spinal anesthesia, which means you would be numbed from the waist down. Ask the doctor what type of anesthesia will be used for your surgery so you know how to prepare yourself physically and mentally.

Learn About Walking After Surgery: In most cases following a bunion surgery, you will need to be non-weight bearing for at least two weeks followed by four more weeks in a boot. Some surgeons use advanced techniques that allow for immediate walking, but in general, most surgeons do not use this. Make sure you ask the surgeon or another foot care specialist what you will be permitted to do after surgery regarding your ability to walk.

Practice Using Crutches: Since you will most likely need to be non-weight bearing following your surgery, you should get a head start on using crutches. If you have never had crutches before, practice walking around your home and outside with them to perfect your balance and check that you have sufficient arm strength. Also, if your home has stairs, you will want to decide whether you can make it up the stairs on crutches or if you will move your sleeping area to the first floor for a couple weeks.

Looking for more advice on preparation for your bunion surgery? Don’t hesitate to contact our team of foot care specialists today. We are eager to help assist you with anything you need.