Has anyone had flat foot surgery, or know anything about it?

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Has anyone here had, or know someone who has had flat foot surgery and who also lifts weights. I've been flat footed for years and I'm at the point where I can still train, I just have to be very careful. I can't run to save my life though and it's honestly depressing. As soon as I goto run I get shin splints. I have arthritis in my back and want to stop it from progressing before it gets any worse. I've made an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. I am very anxious because I have heard people online state that you can not return to squats and deadlifts after having flat foot surgery; however I have found information about a new none invasive surgery. The bad news is the none invasive surgery cost a few thousand dollars, at least when I checked one of the companies who make the titanium stents. I don't know how I'll get the money, but I much rather have the none invasive surgery for obvious reasons. Basically a stent is placed in the foot to prevent it from collapsing. I am worried however, because this seems like it may only work with flexible flat feet, that is feet that have an arch when not standing, but collapse when standing. I do not have an arch ever, however I can somewhat make an arch but not a good one. This means I have "semi-flexible flat feet". I'm hoping that whatever surgery I need, I can go back to lifting and the recovery time isn't more then 8 months total. They won't do both feet at once. I have come to terms that I will of course loose strength and muscle mass while recovering. I just hope I do not gain weight while I recover.

So let me get this straight, you want to have this surgery, which if you get the cheaper surgery you may not be able to lift weights again, just so that you can run and avoid your arthritis in your back getting worse? If you had to abandon strength training wouldn't that be worse for your back than had you just kept with flat feet? I can see the more expensive option where you can still lift weights, but I don't get why it would be worth it to you if you couldn't continue to lift weights.

I have never had this problem, but I can't run either due to deformities in my legs below the knee and a fused joint in my right foot. I don't know, maybe it is just me, but I wouldn't give up strength training just so that I could run. When I've been so sick lately that I don't have the energy to lift weights, hell my back and just about every part of my body is worse off pain wise. I used to be in so much pain from a genetic bone disorder, muscle imbalances and inactivity that I was on strong narcotics like Fentanyl and Dilaudid for the pain I was in everyday. Hell I don't think I would ever want to go back to that.

I need to have a surgery in my right foot eventually to unfuse that joint so at least it won't hurt to walk, and I know I won't be able to lift weights for several months or what not, even that amount of time I dread not being able to exercise but for me its worth it because I know I can return to doing so, and everything I lost can just be built back again.

Should I assume that you already use orthodics? If not, have you considered trying them?

One of the main reasons I want the surgery is so I can enjoy life and become active, as I stated. No, in fact doing core work helps your back, as long as you don't have a dysfunction that would mess up proper alignment, such as flat feet. Insoles are not a cure to dysfunction and yes I've tried them, but never custom ones.

Deadlifts help with posture more than any other exercise. Core exercises don't help a whole lot with posture, and poor posture/muscle imbalances are going to give you more pain than anything else. Once you start having anterior pelvic tilt, kyphosis, execessive lordosis, forward head posture etc, you will have a lot more pain than you do now with your arthritis in your back. I mean I guess you can do a lot of these corrective exercises through other means than just deadlifts and squats, but I don't see how weight lifting is not being active?

Give the custom orthodics a try, they sure made a difference for me. I mean I used to be in pain with every step I took with my right foot.

I'm just not sold on the idea of orthotics. I won't be able to wear shoes when I'm taking a shower, when I goto the pool and in similar instances. With my feet corrected I'll have arches all the time as opposed to 85% of the time. Also, there are instances where I would not want to wear shoes. Instances such as walking around the house and having sex. A lot of people don't take into consideration that sex does require you to be on your feet for prolonged periods and it's not like I want to tell a woman, "Hold on let me put on my orthopedic shoes before we do anything."

I found this. The good news is, according to this I'll be able to go back to weight bearing activity. The bad news is, it could take awhile.
"Recovery after foot surgery can be extremely variable. It will depend on the exact type of foot procedure the patient has undergone. Recovery also depends on what types of physical activities the patient desires to undertake.
For example, if a patient has a midfoot or subtalar fusion (fusing the heel bone to the ankle bone) then they will be non-weightbearing in a cast with assist device (crutches, knee scooter) for 8 weeks, followed by progressive weight bearing in a CAM boot for 4 weeks. They will therefore be able to walk in a loosely laced shoe by 12 weeks, but only for simple, regular activities of daily living. It will take about 5-6 months for the patient to return to any type of exercise or impact activity.
In contrast, if a patient undergoes a Chevron bunionectomy (where the first metatarsal is cut and shifted) then they can walk in a hard sole sandal within 3-4 days of surgery. They are seen in the office at 1 week to have the dressing changed, at 2 weeks for suture removal and toe strapping, at 4 weeks for strapping, and at 6 weeks for strapping. At 6 weeks the patient begins wearing a toe spacer during the day and bunion brace at night (which is done for 4 weeks) to protect the ligament repair, along with weaning back into a wide toe box, sneaker type shoe. The patient should expect some degree of foot swelling for 4 months since the foot is the lowest part of the body and thus, the anatomical area that is most subject to the effects of gravity. Women can usually expect to wear heels at 3 months. Patients can begin stationary bike and swimming at 6 weeks, running/aerobics/sport activities at 3 months."

No one else replied, but I'll give an update anyway. I'm having surgery on both feet. recovery time will be 4-6 weeks per foot. I will have no restrictions once I'm healed.

Awesome! Let us know how it goes. I probably gotta wait like a year just to see the surgeon and another long wait before I'll get to have surgery on my foot.

Will do. Good luck.