“I need a bunionectomy, but I’ve been avoiding bunion surgery because I hear there’s a long recovery time, and I can’t afford to miss work. What should I do?”
It’s normal to be concerned about bunion surgery (such as lapidus bunionectomy) recovery times. Most people with bunions have busy lives, jobs, and hobbies to return to. And while you already know the bunion surgery before and after pictures will be worth the wait, you’ll be even more excited to learn that some bunion surgery procedures have a much shorter recovery time than they used to.
Historically, surgical treatment of large bunions can require the patient to be non-weightbearing, in a cast and crutches. Many of the surgeons who perform traditional lapidus procedures still take this approach. But patients who opt for Bunionplasty® can look forward to a different experience.
In general, it takes about six weeks after bunion surgery for the bone to fully mend. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be laid up in bed for a month and a half. With a bunionectomy procedure like Bunionplasty®, created by Dr. Blitz, patients can walk the same day as their surgery.
Dr. Blitz, who’s known as the Bunion King®, is the pioneer of the “early walking lapidus bunionectomy” (now called Bunionplasty®). It uses his advanced technology and patent-pending techniques to re-align and stabilize the bones of the foot. This allows patients to walk immediately after their bunion surgery.
Whether you can work right after bunion surgery, though, is a different question. It depends on what your job is.
If you have a desk job or spend most of the day sitting, you could go back to work the very next day after Bunionplasty® – especially if your job is remote or can get permission to work from home. But it’s never a bad idea to take a few days off to rest, if you can.
If your job requires you to be on your feet, or if your commute includes a lot of walking or standing, you might need to wait a bit longer to go back to work after bunion surgery.
In general, Bunionplasty® patients are walking in sneakers at six weeks, and returning to normal activities and footwear like high heels after just two months.
Unlike traditional bunionectomy procedures, Dr. Blitz’s Bunionplasty® allows patients to walk immediately after the procedure. With Bunionplasty®, there’s no cast and no crutches, just a small surgical sandal.
Bunionplasty® is performed in an outpatient surgical center, sometimes called an ambulatory surgical center or ASC. There’s no overnight stay, and you can be home and resting the same day. You’ll also learn how to ice the foot after bunion surgery, along with other simple post-op instructions.
Of course, if you have another foot surgery at the same time as your bunionectomy, like hammer toe surgery or a procedure to correct polydactyly, your recovery will be different.
Bottom line: if you need bunion surgery and can’t afford to miss a lot of work, the Bunionplasty® procedure could be the ideal solution for you.
