Your big toe is made up of two main joints. When the largest of the two moves out of alignment, a painful bony protrusion called a bunion can form on the outside of your big toe. A bunion affects your bone and soft tissue and as it gets progressively worse, it can interfere with your daily activities and quality of life.
At PMC Foot and Ankle Clinic, located in Spring, Texas, our skilled podiatrist, Eric Blanson, DPM, treats a wide range of foot disorders.
If you’re suffering from severe bunions, and you’re scheduled for bunion surgery with Dr. Blanson, you’ll need to plan for a few weeks of recovery. During that time, you won’t be able to move around much or put pressure on your feet, so our team got together to offer a few suggestions for how you can prepare your home for bunion surgery recovery.
Stock up on groceries
Double up on food staples and pantry items. For a few weeks, you won’t be going to the grocery store, so take some time to consider what you’ll need for two to three weeks before you’ll be able to get out and about again.
Prepare meals in advance
Give yourself the gift of a few freezer meals while your foot is healing. In the days leading up to your surgery, double your recipes and freeze half. You can also pre-cut veggies, portion out meat, and do some basic menu planning.
Arrange your recovery room
You’ll be spending a lot of time elevating your foot and relaxing, so go ahead and set your room up so that your environment is peaceful and comfortable. Clear a path to make it easy for you to get to the kitchen and bathroom. Since you’ll be on crutches, make sure the furniture is moved to accommodate your passage back and forth and that rugs are secure and won’t create a tripping hazard.
Set up your medical supplies
Dr. Blanson sends you home with post-surgery instructions and prescriptions to help with pain and prevent infection. You’ll need scissors and tape to change your bandages as well as ointment for the wound. It’s helpful to keep these supplies close by in your recovery room, so you don’t have to get up and down too often.
Plan your armchair activities
If you’ll be working from home, go ahead and create a basket or box to house your computer, phone, chargers, and devices. If you plan to read or watch movies, stop by the library to pick up a few selections and make sure your streaming accounts are up-to-date. Replace batteries in your remotes, and move lamps close to your sitting area.
For more information about bunions and bunion treatments, call our office or book an appointment online.