Foot Surgery

I want to share my foot surgery story since I read an awful lot of them before my surgery, and my experience was so different from the ones I read about. It occurred to me that perhaps people with good experiences do not write about them...


My foot problems began three years ago. I believe that they were caused by tennis - since I seemed to always be hurting myself playing tennis. I am an avid, but not athletic tennis player and nothing will ever stop me from loving the game. But I first noticed the pain in my feet while helping with workshops at Clemson - where I had to be on my feet a lot. I was definitely wearing the wrong kind of shoes - very flat similar to ballet slippers (the only ones that felt good and looked okay with dresses - I have "difficult" feet...)


My doctor declared the problem to be Plantar Fasciitis and Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome. I started the stretches but they helped very little. We did physical therapy twice, custom orthotics, and a cortisone injection. Finally surgery was mentioned. I checked and was told the name of the best foot doctor around - another doctor in the same practice I was already using (Blue Ridge Orthopedics). I was very comfortable with this doctor - he seemed quite special. He had me try one more insert which I could not walk in. Then we scheduled surgery.

I had the surgery in the spring. The hospital (Anmed) was wonderful. The recovery was much easier than I expected. I used a knee walker for several months - and had a great electric wheelchair for the first few months. The wound even healed great. I usually have terrible scarring - but not with this one.

It is now October and I still cannot walk comfortably. The last time I went to the doctor he said it might take a year. But I'm getting very discouraged about ever playing tennis again or wearing regular shoes. All I can wear is tennis shoes or Tevas.

Postscript: About a year later I could walk without much pain - and actually played tennis a few times. But various injuries continue to plague me...