Right foot bunionectomy with plate and screws 3 years ago - problem with shoes/boots

[TBMaggie]

I had a bunionectomy about 3 years ago - I have lots of hardware (screws and a plate on the top of my foot), and shoes really bother me. Are there any boot brands that have a wider foot bed (I wear an 8 1/2 WW now in order to keep any of the shoe from pressing on the top of my foot - in reality, I’m more like a 7 1/2 shoe length-wise). Short of ordering custom everything, is there anything out there? I’m currently riding in an Ariat All Terrain shoe because it has a heel, and is better than tennis shoes (which would be extremely unsafe). My foot becomes numb and painful in these too, so they’re not the answer. I’ve found that a shoe with laces is better than not though.

*And yes, I cried when I had to donate all my tall boots, paddock boots when I realized that this was the new reality.

[IrishBirdcatcher]

Have you tried mens/boys/unisex boots instead? WW extra wide in womens is average D width in mens I believe.

I can’t wear any of the off the rack womens paddock boots because they are too narrow across the ball of the foot and the shape of the toebox hurts my big toe and smallest toe. I’ve found online discount shoe sites (like 6pm or sierra trading post) had plenty of mens ankle boots that are basically the same style as English riding boots (unsurprising, riding fashion is basically older men’s fashion, the “chukka” and “chelsea” styles especially) and I just needed to find ones without aggressive lug treads.

In your case it may be a little harder because you probably need a mens size 6, but google is turning up stuff. I don’t know if these pricey ones are nice in person, but they are tempting to me because they have free shipping & returns thursdayboots.com

[csaper58]

@TBMaggie

I had a bunionectomy about 3 years ago - I have lots of hardware (screws and a plate on the top of my foot), and shoes really bother me. Are there any boot brands that have a wider foot bed (I wear an 8 1/2 WW now in order to keep any of the shoe from pressing on the top of my foot - in reality, I’m more like a 7 1/2 shoe length-wise). Short of ordering custom everything, is there anything out there? I’m currently riding in an Ariat All Terrain shoe because it has a heel, and is better than tennis shoes (which would be extremely unsafe). My foot becomes numb and painful in these too, so they’re not the answer. I’ve found that a shoe with laces is better than not though.

*And yes, I cried when I had to donate all my tall boots, paddock boots when I realized that this was the new reality.

Ladies’ size 8 1/2 is equal to a men’s 6 1/2. Might need to round the size up or down depending on the fit.

Men’s reg. footwear runs much wider than Ladies’, and a men’s wide may work for you.

Good luck

[beaujolais]

Will the plates & screws ever come out? Feel better!

[TBMaggie]

Thanks for the suggestions! I hadn’t thought of trying men’s footwear - DUH! This is why I come here - I can always count on someone having ideas to try.
And no, the plate and screws are in forever. I don’t know how some people who have had this surgery are lucky enough to go back to jogging, etc. There would be NO WAY I could. *I can live without jogging, can’t live without riding!
Thanks again!

[RMJacobs]

@TBMaggie, if you had it to do over again, would you do the surgery? I have bunions on both feet (lucky me), but I have so much else going on with rheumatoid arthritis and neuropathy, I haven’t been tempted to do the surgery. But I still think about it occasionally.

Rebecca

[MuddyHalter]

I can’t help the OP with footwear (sorry), but Rebecca, I had a bunionectomy on my right foot. It was pretty extensive, though not as bad as the OP’s, and I do have a rod in the big toe. The recovery was awful, but it was worth doing. My foot is so much more comfortable, and looks so much better. If I had to do both, I’d do them one at a time, personally. There was a woman who was on the same follow-up schedule as I was, and had had both of hers done at the same time: she looked beyond miserable, and I always felt so badly for her.

[RMJacobs]

Thanks, @MuddyHalter.

Rebecca

[TBMaggie]

Rebecca/RMJacobs: That’s a tough question, since hindsight is, well, you know. I had to have the surgery because just walking became very painful with my inherited weird feet - and I waited until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I am happy because I can walk, hike, bike, ride my horse…without too much discomfort now, if I can find shoes. So I guess that I would have the surgery again. Without it, I’d be pretty immobile.

I have a bunion on my left foot also, but that one has never bothered me - and my surgeon wouldn’t do both at once (I joked with him that he should do both while he had the chance, but no way) in case I had problems. There is a long (8 weeks? I can’t remember now. It could be longer.) period of no-weight bearing and dragging yourself around in a gigantic boot (it feels like you have a ‘house’ attached to your foot) - that was the hardest part. I’ve also had a THR (total hip replacement) and that was a piece of cake compared…maybe more pain with that, but you’re up and back to your life almost right away vs the foot surgery.

I think everyone’s different with these things, so don’t get scared of what I’m telling you. So many people sail through the surgery and are better than ever.

[RMJacobs]

Thanks, @TBMaggie.

I have so much foot pain going on, it’s hard to tell what is going on sometimes. But I haven’t yet become convinced that it’s my bunions on both feet causing the pain. Neuropathy does it just fine on its own, unfortunately.

Rebecca

[HannahsMom7]

@TBMaggie

I had a bunionectomy about 3 years ago - I have lots of hardware (screws and a plate on the top of my foot), and shoes really bother me. Are there any boot brands that have a wider foot bed (I wear an 8 1/2 WW now in order to keep any of the shoe from pressing on the top of my foot - in reality, I’m more like a 7 1/2 shoe length-wise). Short of ordering custom everything, is there anything out there? I’m currently riding in an Ariat All Terrain shoe because it has a heel, and is better than tennis shoes (which would be extremely unsafe). My foot becomes numb and painful in these too, so they’re not the answer. I’ve found that a shoe with laces is better than not though.

*And yes, I cried when I had to donate all my tall boots, paddock boots when I realized that this was the new reality.

have you looked at diabetic shoes? they have a wider toe box. I think the ones my mom gets run $150- which is what really good sneakers cost.

you might need a script from the doctor in order to have your insurance cover them.

[Magicboy]

If you are old enough Medicare will buy the diabetic shoes with extra high toe box. I wear ariat heritage paddock boots but get the RT model…round toe.