Is foot surgery painful?

It's one of the first things people ask. The honest answer is that you won't feel pain during the operation, and pain afterwards can usually be well controlled. How sore you are depends mostly on how big the operation is. Minor procedures in the clinic usually cause little pain, while bigger operations on the bones of the foot can be sore for a while.¹,² Pain control has improved a lot, and a good plan makes a real difference.

Will I feel anything during the operation?

No. For any foot surgery, the area being operated on is numbed or you're asleep, or both.

Minor procedures in the clinic, such as ingrown toenail surgery, are usually done under local anaesthetic.³ This is a medicine injected into the toe or foot that numbs it for a short time. You stay awake, but you don't feel pain in the treated area.⁴ The injection itself stings briefly, and then the toe goes numb. Ingrown toenail surgery usually takes about 10 minutes.³

Bigger operations in hospital, such as bunion or other bone surgery, are often done under a general anaesthetic, where you're asleep. The anaesthetist or surgeon usually also numbs the foot with a nerve block. This is local anaesthetic, sometimes with other pain-relieving medicines, injected near the nerves to the leg, for example behind the knee or around the ankle.⁵ A nerve block can be used for the operation and is also an effective form of pain relief afterwards.⁵

How much will it hurt afterwards?

This varies with the procedure and from person to person.

After a minor procedure, the toe is usually only mildly sore once the numbness wears off. Many people need nothing more than simple pain relief that your podiatrist recommends. Keep your foot raised for most of the first few days so the swelling settles.³

After bone surgery, pain can be moderate to severe without good pain relief.¹ Operations on the bones of the feet and legs are among the more painful types of surgery in the first day or so.² That's why surgeons and anaesthetists plan pain relief ahead rather than waiting for pain to start.

How is pain controlled after surgery?

The best results come from combining several approaches:¹

• a nerve block or local anaesthetic around the wound, which keeps the foot numb after the operation¹,⁵
• regular simple pain relief, such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatory medicines, unless these aren't suitable for you¹
• a single dose of a steroid medicine during the operation, which can improve pain relief¹
• stronger pain medicine kept for when the others aren't enough.¹

Follow your surgeon's instructions about when to take pain relief, especially as the numbness wears off. Keeping your foot raised and resting it in the first days also helps with swelling and pain.³

Your surgeon will tailor the plan to you and the operation you're having. Don't change the dose of your medicines or stop them without talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

Will I need to stay in hospital?

After ingrown toenail surgery, you can go home after a short while.³ Whether you can go home the same day after bigger surgery depends on the operation and your general health, and your surgeon will discuss this with you.

When to seek help after surgery

Infection is one of the possible complications of foot surgery.³ Contact your surgeon or podiatrist promptly if the wound becomes more swollen, red and painful, pus comes out of it, or you feel unwell or have a high temperature.⁶ Also get in touch if your pain is getting worse rather than better.

What to expect at FALL

We carry out minor procedures, such as ingrown toenail surgery, under local anaesthetic in the clinic. If you need bigger surgery, we can discuss whether a surgical opinion makes sense and arrange a referral. Either way, we'll explain how your pain will be managed and answer your questions before anything is booked.

If you're considering foot surgery and want to talk through your options, book an appointment.

References

1. Wang J, Liu GT, Mayo HG, Joshi GP. (2015). Pain management for elective foot and ankle surgery: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 54(4), 625–635. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2014.05.003
2. Gerbershagen HJ, Aduckathil S, van Wijck AJ, et al. (2013). Pain intensity on the first day after surgery: a prospective cohort study comparing 179 surgical procedures. Anesthesiology, 118(4), 934–944. https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0b013e31828866b3
3. Healthdirect Australia (2026). Surgery for ingrowing toenail (adult). https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/surgery/surgery-for-ingrowing-toenail-adult
4. Healthdirect Australia (2025). Local anaesthetic. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/local-anaesthetic
5. Healthdirect Australia (2026). Peripheral nerve block (lower limb). https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/surgery/peripheral-nerve-block-lower-limb
6. NHS (2026). Cuts and grazes. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cuts-and-grazes/

Reviewed by Andrew Schox, Podiatrist, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod. Last reviewed October 2026.