Recovering at home

Expect your foot to feel numb right after the surgery. Then, as the local anesthesia wears off, you’ll probably feel some pain. To limit pain and swelling, ice your foot for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day. Raise your foot above heart level as often as you can. If you've been given pain medicines, take them as directed.

Your first post-op visit

Your doctor may want to see you 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. During this post-op visit, your incisions will be checked to make sure they are healing. The compression dressing may be replaced with a smaller surgical dressing. If this occurs, you can probably start wearing sneakers.

When to call your healthcare provider 

Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these:

• Dressing that is too tight

• A lot of swelling or numbness of your toes

• Pain not relieved by medicine

• More than a few drops of blood at an incision site

• Signs of an infection, such as:

  • Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider

  • Chills

  • Redness near the incision

• Skin color changes beyond the dressing