Recovery after orthopedic surgery, week by week
Before surgery is decided: when strengthening and load management can delay an operation or make it unnecessary.
A hammer toe or claw toe that still straightens by hand usually does well with roomier shoes, padding and toe exercises. Once the toe is rigid and painful, surgery is the reliable fix.
A high ankle sprain usually takes about twice as long as a normal sprain, often 6 to 8 weeks or more. If the two lower leg bones have separated, surgery with a screw or tightrope is usually needed.
Jumper’s knee is an overloaded patellar tendon that hurts just below the kneecap. It gets better with the right load, steady holds then heavy slow strength work, not rest or injections, and often takes 3 months or more.
Most AC joint separations heal without surgery: about 2 weeks for a mild one, 6 for a moderate one and up to 3 months for a complete tear. The bump on top of the shoulder often stays, but strength and movement usually come back fully.
A Baker’s cyst is a pocket of joint fluid behind the knee, usually caused by arthritis or a meniscus tear, so treatment targets the knee itself. A suddenly swollen, painful calf needs checking the same day, because a burst cyst can look just like a blood clot.
Calcific tendinitis is a calcium deposit in a rotator cuff tendon. The sudden, severe pain usually means your body is clearing it, and it tends to settle within 1 to 2 weeks. Most people get better without surgery, with needling, shockwave or an injection if it lingers.
A flat foot that develops in adulthood is usually caused by a weakened posterior tibial tendon on the inside of the ankle. Caught early, insoles, a brace and strengthening usually manage it; surgery is kept for feet that stay painful or have become stiff.
Degenerative disc disease isn’t really a disease. It’s the normal disc wear that shows up on most adults’ scans, often with no pain, and staying active and exercising help most people more than surgery does.
A stress fracture in the foot usually heals in 6 to 8 weeks in a boot or stiff shoe, with running rebuilt gradually after that. A Jones fracture at the base of the fifth metatarsal heals more slowly and needs stricter treatment.
A spinal compression fracture from osteoporosis often causes sudden back pain after a minor strain or fall. Most people feel better within about three months without surgery, and treating the weak bone is the key to preventing the next one.