foot pain after surgery

by Kate
(brockton, Ma )

I had morton's neuroma surgery last November. My foot still hurts but in different places now. I get a lot of cramps in the top of my foot. I get a shooting pain through my big toe sometimes. My toenails feel sore at times. The bottom still feels like gum is stuck to it when I don't have shoes on. I have pains on the ball of my foot when I go walking.

RESPONSE

Hi Kate,

So it has been seven months since your neuroma surgery. What I expect most people who have had this surgery to be expecting at this point would be an occasional reminder that they have had foot surgery.
What I mean by that, in very general terms, is that there is usually some sensitivity primarily in the surgical site. Some shoes may tend to aggravate the site more so than other types of shoes. (sneakers would be more comfortable than high heels, as an extreme example).
If you press on the incision there may also be some sensitivity; if you step the "wrong way" there might be a reminder that you had surgery.
Having said that, in very general terms you should be seeing an ongoing reduction in these symptoms as time passes.
So, the guidelines I give my surgical patients is that if you notice whatever symptoms you are having, are gradually diminishing both in intensity and the intervals that they occur, then you are doing fine, for the simple reason everyone heals at a different rate and in foot conditions, everyone puts different demands on their feet on a daily basis.
The two symptoms you mention of the feeling of gum stuck to the bottom of your foot and pain in the ball of your foot would certainly be surgically related. If these symptoms are meeting the criteria that I just described, then you are doing fine. As long as they are diminishing one would assume they will eventually go away.
However, if you have reached the point where they are not diminishing both in intensity and the intervals in which they occur then there may be some cause for concern.
In general terms it is possible to still have some symptoms, but if these two symptoms are still as severe as lets say two months ago, then you might want to make your surgeon aware of your situation.
The other symptoms that you mention are probably not directly related to the surgery but in all probability may be due to a change in your gait, if you are walking differently as the result of the pain on the bottom of your foot. In other words, if you are walking differently to avoid pressure on the bottom of your foot then that could create pain elsewhere on your foot.
In conclusion, you are seven months down the road post neuroma surgery. At this point in time I would not expect you to be 100 percent healed, but perhaps further along than you are describing. Why not give your surgeons office a call, explain your symptoms and see if they want to see you as they would be the best in evaluating your progress.

Marc Mitnick DPM
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