Physical therapy is typically one of the recommended treatment courses to help treat an uncomfortable bunion, but if big toe joint dysfunction is too great, surgery may end up being your only option. That said, surgery alone isn’t going to correct the issue and help you restore strength and function in your joint. Like the non-operative route, you can expect to turn to physical therapy in the event that you need bunion surgery. Below, we take a closer look at how physical therapy can aid in your recovery following bunion surgery.
Physical Therapy After Bunion Surgery
Bunion surgery will do all the heavy lifting in regards to reshaping your big toe joint and realigning it within your foot complex, but there’s still more work that needs to be done once the last stitch has been put in place. Here’s a look at why it’s oftentimes so helpful to connect with a physical therapist while you’re working to recover from bunion surgery:
- Swelling/Edema Control – Surgery is a significant trauma on your foot, and it’s going to lead to swelling and inflammation in the area. Swelling is your body’s natural response to help protect an area after injury, but it can also delay the healing process by limiting healthy fluid flow to and from the injured area. Physical therapy can help to increase blood flow in your foot and limit disruptive swelling shortly after the procedure so that healing can occur more easily.
- Range Of Motion – Your big toe joint is normally very flexible, but some of that flexibility may have been compromised by your bunion or the corrective operation. Once surgery is in the rearview mirror, it’s important to start working to regain this range of motion in your big toe joint. Oftentimes this will begin with some passive resistance band exercises and therapist-guided mobilization techniques before you start to perform more exercises and tasks with your big toe.
- Gait Training – Most bunion surgeries require you to be non-weight bearing for six weeks or longer-post op, so by the time you get back to walking on your surgically-addressed foot, your gait mechanics can be a little off. Patients are more likely to walk with their foot in an outward position in order to limit stress on the big toe joint, but this gait style can put added pressure on your hips and knees. Your physical therapist can help develop some exercises that get you walking with a normal and healthy gait.
- Balance – Not only can the joint adjustment throw off your balance a bit, so too can the extended time off your feet while the area recovers after surgery. If your balance is off even just a little bit following bunion surgery, it can make simple tasks like navigating stairs or ramps much more difficult. PT will help to strengthen key muscles in your toe, ankle and lower leg so that your foot is physically prepared for stress, and proprioceptive training can help retrain your brain to understand where you body is in relation to the space around it, which also helps keep you upright.
Physical therapy is what will determine the extent of your physical function following a corrective bunion procedure. You can skip physical therapy and end up fine, but if you want to be as strong, balanced and physically capable as possible, you need to do weeks of physical therapy after your bunion surgery. The best way to do that is with an experienced physical therapist by your side!
To connect with a physical therapist who can oversee your bunion rehabilitation and ensure you make great strides in your recovery, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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