Bunion, Morton’s neuroma, hallux rigidus. Often years of putting up with it — the question is how to fix it without losing more time off work than the operation needs.
Most patients here have spent years adapting around the foot — wider shoes, gel pads, the surgery-once-the-kids-leave-home plan. The job is honest about what each procedure actually involves: how much time off, how much driving, when the school run goes back to normal, and what the foot looks like at six months and at two years.
Clinical examination focused on the joint, the load pattern and the shoe-fit. Weight-bearing X-rays for bunion or hallux rigidus; ultrasound for neuroma. The aim is a confident diagnosis, not a battery of imaging.
Most forefoot problems have a non-surgical answer worth trying — orthotic, footwear change, targeted injection. For those that need surgery, the modern menu is keyhole / minimally invasive in many cases, with shorter recovery than the open operations of ten years ago.
We plan around your work calendar — school holidays, project deadlines, work-from-home windows. Most forefoot procedures are day-case, in a post-op shoe rather than a cast, with realistic return-to-work timelines written down before the operation date.
For most modern minimally-invasive bunion procedures: 1–2 weeks for desk work, 4–6 weeks before commuting in normal shoes, longer if your job involves standing. We’ll write your specific timeline at the consultation, so you can plan.
Sometimes — it doubles the recovery time but halves the total disruption. For low-demand work and good home support it can make sense. For high-demand work or limited support, doing one at a time is usually better.
Most forefoot operations don’t need a cast — a post-op shoe with a stiff sole for 4–6 weeks is more typical. You can shower, sleep without a cast, and move around the house.
Generally 4–6 weeks after a right foot operation; sooner if it’s the left and you drive an automatic. We’ll set the specific date based on your operation and your insurer’s requirements.
An unhurried first consultation, a written diagnostic letter within 48 hours, and a clear sense of options — with no obligation to choose surgery on the day.
Last reviewed: by Professor Nima Heidari.
