After Your Visit

Everything you need for a smooth recovery — post-appointment care instructions, warning signs to watch for, and how to reach our team.

Patient Portal Contact Us
Need to reach your provider after your visit? Secure messages can be sent through the Patient Portal at bsfa.ema.md, or call your nearest office.   Butte & Anaconda: (406) 782-2278  |  Bozeman, Ennis & Harlowton: (406) 587-8478
All Appointments

After Your Appointment

Follow Your Treatment Plan

  • Take medications as prescribed.
  • Complete recommended stretching or exercises daily.
  • Wear orthotics or braces as directed by your provider.

Footwear & Activity

  • Avoid going barefoot unless cleared by your provider.
  • Ease back into activity gradually.
  • If you received padding, taping, or a boot, keep it on as directed.

Access Your Visit Summary

Visit summaries and after-visit notes are available in your Patient Portal at bsfa.ema.md. Review them at your convenience and message your provider with questions.

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Injections

After a Cortisone or Steroid Injection

  • Rest the injected area for 24–48 hours. Avoid strenuous activity during this period.
  • Mild soreness or a "cortisone flare" — a temporary increase in pain lasting 24–72 hours after the injection — is normal and resolves on its own. Apply ice wrapped in a cloth for 15–20 minutes several times a day to manage discomfort.
  • Avoid soaking the injection site for 48 hours (no baths, hot tubs, or pools).
  • The full effect of the injection may take 3–7 days to develop. Give it time before assessing whether it helped.
  • Diabetic patients: Cortisone injections can temporarily raise blood sugar levels. Monitor your blood sugar more closely over the 24–48 hours following the injection and contact your primary care provider if you have concerns.

Cortisone injections are frequently used to treat heel pain and ankle pain. Visit those pages to learn more about your condition and treatment options.

Nail Procedures

After an Ingrown Toenail Procedure

  • Keep the toe dry for the first 24 hours. After that, soak daily as directed — warm water with Epsom salt, 10–15 minutes, twice daily.
  • Apply antibiotic ointment and a fresh bandage after each soak.
  • Wear open-toe shoes or sandals for the first several days to avoid pressure on the healing toe.
  • Some bleeding and drainage in the first 24–48 hours is normal.
  • If you had a permanent nail removal (matrixectomy), a portion of the nail will not regrow — this is intentional and expected.

Learn more about our ingrown toenail treatment, including when surgery is recommended.

Call us if: severe pain persists after 48 hours, there is excessive bleeding, or you notice signs of infection — increased redness, warmth, discharge, or fever.

Wound Care

Wound Care Instructions

  1. Change dressings as instructed — typically daily or every other day unless your provider specifies otherwise.
  2. Keep the wound clean and moist with the products recommended by your provider. Do not substitute products without asking first.
  3. Do not submerge wounds in water until you are cleared to do so. Showers are generally acceptable unless you have been instructed otherwise.
  4. Monitor for signs of infection: spreading redness, increased warmth, pus or unusual discharge, fever, or pain that worsens instead of improving.
  5. Diabetic patients: Perform a daily foot inspection — this is critical. Contact us immediately if you notice any new wounds, blisters, or changes in existing wounds.

Patients managing diabetes face unique wound care risks. Learn about our diabetic foot care services and how we help prevent and treat foot complications.

Surgical Recovery

After Foot or Ankle Surgery

Specific post-op instructions will be provided by your surgeon before discharge. The information below is general guidance only. Always follow your provider's written instructions.

Pain Management

  • Use prescription medications as directed by your surgeon.
  • Ibuprofen or acetaminophen may be used for mild pain if cleared by your provider.
  • Apply ice wrapped in a cloth — never directly against skin — 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off.
  • Elevate your foot above heart level as much as possible for the first 48–72 hours.

Activity Restrictions

  • Non-weight-bearing means no weight at all. Use crutches or a knee scooter exactly as instructed.
  • Do not drive until you have been cleared by your surgeon.
  • Return-to-activity timelines vary by procedure — follow your provider's specific guidance.

Wound Care

  • Keep incisions dry until you are cleared to get them wet.
  • No soaking or submerging the operative site until your surgeon approves.
  • Watch for signs of infection: increasing redness, warmth, swelling, or discharge.

Follow-Up Appointments

  • Attend all scheduled follow-up appointments.
  • Do not miss your first post-op appointment. Your provider needs to assess healing progress and may need to remove sutures or adjust your dressing.

Common procedures treated by our team include bunion surgery and ankle procedures. Visit those pages to learn about what to expect before and after your operation.

Important

When to Call Us — or Go to the ER

Most post-visit concerns can be handled by our team. Some situations require emergency care. Use this guide to know the difference.

Call Our Office

  • Increased pain after 48 hours that is not improving
  • Mild fever under 101°F
  • Questions or concerns about your medications
  • Redness spreading slowly from the wound or incision
  • Bandage issues — falling off, soaked through, or unclear how to change

Go to the Emergency Room

  • Signs of a blood clot: calf pain, swelling, redness, or warmth in the leg
  • High fever (101°F or above)
  • Severe, uncontrolled bleeding
  • Numbness or tingling spreading up the limb
  • Wound reopening significantly or deep tissue exposed

For life-threatening emergencies, dial 911 immediately.

Follow-up appointment needed?

Schedule your next visit with Big Sky Foot & Ankle. Our team will confirm your appointment within one business day.

Questions after your visit? We're here.

Reach your provider through the Patient Portal or call our nearest office. We want your recovery to go smoothly.

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Accepting New Patients

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Board-certified podiatrists serving Southwest Montana and the Gallatin Valley — accepting patients of all ages. Complete this form and we'll reach out within one business day.