Now that you’ve had the Lapiplasty® Procedure – what’s next?
Jo, Lapiplasty® Patient
What to Expect in Recovery
In terms of recovery from the Lapiplasty® Procedure, a typical post-operative protocol is outlined below. However, each patient’s post-operative experience can vary, and an individual recovery plan will be developed by your doctor based on several factors, including additional surgical procedures performed, your specific health condition(s), and the doctor’s preferred post-operative protocol.Only a doctor can advise you on what to expect for your specific condition. Please use our Find a Doctor search tool to consult with a Lapiplasty® surgeon near you.
A typical recovery timeline for the Lapiplasty® Procedure is as follows:
- At 2 weeks begin to put some weight on your foot.1,2
- Next 4-6 weeks walk in a boot and return to light activities.2
- At 6-8 weeks transition back into comfortable shoes.2
- At 4-6 months resume most activities and return to normal footwear.2
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What are the postoperative care considerations with surgical implants?
Proper postoperative care in accordance with your surgeon’s instructions is key to a successful recovery. For further information on the risks involved, please visit our risk information page. The implant has limitations, and failure to comply with prescribed physical activity instructions has been implicated in premature failure of similar devices. Please consult your surgeon for a full understanding of the postoperative care associated with the Lapiplasty® Procedure.
The decision to undertake surgery is one that is not to be taken lightly. Results of surgery will vary due to numerous factors. Not all patients are candidates for this product and/or procedure. Only your doctor can advise if Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction® is appropriate for your specific condition.
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Recovery FAQs
Will I have to wear a cast after the surgery?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
WILLIAM DUKE, DPM: With the Lapiplasty® procedure, a cast or the use of a scooter to be non-weight-bearing is not required. Typically, patients can bear weight within 3-10 days after the procedure in a protected fashion in a cast or boot.1,2
1 Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960
2 Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2019. 58:427-433y
How long does it take to recover from a Lapiplasty®Procedure?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
PAUL DAYTON, DPM: An important question about any surgical procedure is how long is the recovery and what can you do during the recovery, and with Lapiplasty® one of the great benefits is that people can get back to activity quite quickly. I generally will allow my patients to start bearing weight in a boot on the foot that we corrected usually in the first three to ten days, and then they have a walking boot that they wear for the first six to eight weeks, and depending on how fast their healing, we start at that point to transition them usually into a running shoe. With any procedure, and Lapiplasty® is no different, we have to allow enough time for the bone to fully heal so that there’s not any problems, and so generally I will ask my patients not do any high-level or high-energy activity on their foot until they’re at usually around three months. We’ll let them start doing some light sports activity and other things to get back. But the one important thing is with any surgery, you want to allow an appropriate amount of time for your body to heal so that there’s not any issues or problems.
Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
MINDI DAYTON, DPM: Our patients are able to start walking within 3-10 days after surgery, and get back into a shoe around six weeks which obviously has a profound impact on their quality of life and overall outcome.
1 Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960
2 Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2019. 58:427-433
How much time will I have to take off work to recover from a Lapiplasty®Procedure?
JP MCALEER, DPM, FACFAS: Time off from work following this procedure will vary, depending upon what your occupation is. The majority of our patients that are working behind a desk can get back to work within 5 to 14 days, just depending upon how they feel. However, if you are a day laborer or doing any type of work that requires for you to be standing on your feet for prolonged periods of time, we may restrict you and there may be a period of time of anywhere from four to six weeks where you may need to avoid doing those occupational things.1-3
1 Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960.
2 Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2019. 58:427-433
3 Liu GT, et al. JFAS. 2022; 61:1308-1316
Will I be able to wear the shoewear of my choice again?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
WILLIAM DUKE, DPM: Oftentimes we get patients asking question about what kind of shoes can they wear after they have the Lapiplasty® procedure. The answer is whatever shoes you were most comfortable in before the procedure, we can certainly get you in afterwards. There are certain shoes that are not podiatrist approved but we can certainly get you back into any shoes that you wear on a normal basis.
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
J.P. MCALEER, DPM: Following Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction®, patients are not limited in their shoe choices once they’ve healed and returned to full activity. This means you can wear high heels. Even though that may not be my shoe of choice for you, it is okay to return to fashionable footwear when you feel ready.
When can I return to sports / all activities after Lapiplasty®3D Bunion Correction®?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Dr. William DeCarbo, DPM: Most patients can return to all activities at three months status post-Lapiplasty® and impact sport at four to six months.
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Dr. Thomas Pignetti, DPM
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Daniel Cuttica, DO
Will I have a scar after the Lapiplasty®Procedure?
Dr. JP McAleer, DPM, FACFAS: With any typical surgical procedure, incisions are made, scarring does happen. However, we try to minimize scar with our approach to closure and our postoperative bandaging protocol. Typically my patients have a very fine scar. I use a subcuticular stitch underneath the skin, which is absorbable, so you won’t have those traditional railroad tracks crossing the incision lines.
How often will I need to return for follow-up after the Lapiplasty®Procedure?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Dr. Daniel Hatch, DPM: Follow-up depends on your personal physician criteria for post-op care. And this can vary somewhat. The average would be seeing somebody for three to four months post-procedure to make sure you have good wound and osseous healing with that. The normal post-op protocols, like I mentioned, can vary. Usually immediate after surgery for wound changes and dressing changes, and then followed by two, six, and twelve week follow-ups for radiographic studies.1
1 Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960
Can you tell me more about the walking boot I will need to wear after the Lapiplasty®Procedure?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Dr. JP McAleer, DPM, FACFAS: Following Lapiplasty®, we typically allow patients in my practice to walk the day of surgery. We allow the patients to ambulate in the boot for six weeks, and then we transition them into their tennis shoes. Following that 12-week mark after surgery, we allow patients to wear whatever shoes they’d like. At the four-month mark, we allow our patients to return to high intensity activity. We don’t require the patients to sleep in the boot or wear it 24 hours a day. This allows for patients to perform range of motion exercises at their big toe and ankle joints, and it also allows them to tend to their incisions and perform icing of the area.
When can I drive after the Lapiplasty® Procedure?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Dr. Bret Smith, DO: So for me, I have two requirements for my patients. One is that they have to be able to put their weight down fully on the ground so that they can push the brake and the emergency, in their post operative shoe, not the boot. I want them in the shoe when they drive, the post-op shoe, not the post-op boot. And they have to be off their narcotic medications if they’re taking any. They have to be off of those. That goes for left or right in my mind. Although obviously if it’s a left-sided surgery, sometimes getting back to driving is a little bit easier than the right side, just because the difference in comfort. But the same requirements I have, they still have to be in their post operative shoe and they still have to put all of their weight down and they have to be off their narcotic medications.
Is physical therapy generally recommended after the Lapiplasty® Procedure?
Dr. Jason Miller, DPM: I would say that physical therapy is performed in about 75% of my patients that have the Lapiplasty® procedure. The rationale for that is now that the toe joint is going to be functioning linearly again instead of off-axis like it has been for quite a few years in a lot of these cases. Therefore, I feel like joint mobilization and getting swelling and the scar tissue to be reduced is really the key component of physical therapy.
Should I plan to line up assistance after the Lapiplasty® Procedure?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Mark Easley, MD
Will the Lapiplasty® Procedure change the size shoe I wear, post-operatively?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
JP McAleer, DPM
What symptoms/reactions can I expect after the Lapiplasty® Procedure?
*Physician is a paid consultant of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc.
Paul Dayton, DPM
