Anyone on here have their big toe joint fused/screwed together ?

[1967coronet]

I have been dealing with arthritis in my big toe main joint.
It's bone on bone now, I've had 3 cortisone injections in the past couple years.
Foot doc wants to replace the joint or fuse it. He claims better out come most of the time with fuseing it. He says they just clean out what arthritis he can and then screw the joint together.
Just wondered if any of you guys had this done and the results.

 

[5.7 hemi]

You won’t have the movement that you have now if it’s fused. Just saying.

 

[eldubb440]

sounds like a form of rust repair

 

[Tony Tee]

I have a bone spurr on my right big toe. And the range of motion is reduced by 50% and it sucks! My opinion is don't fuse it. Who cares about your doctors outcome. Your outcome is what's important!

 

[440 4 speed]

It would be the last resort if you asked my opinion .
My suggestion. Stand on the floor. Barefoot, start walking, notice how your big toe tries to hyperextend ( bend toward your instep). You will loose that mobility with a fusion. You will probably end up feeling like you are walking with a flat board through out the length of your foot.
If you came to see me, I would look at making an in house foot orthotic, and certainly start with a rocker sole before any surgery. Rocker sole! Making the area taper from the metatarsal head ( big toe joint) to zero at the end of the shoe. Same principal as a rocking chair.
In my career I dealt with many patients that regretted fusion.
Another suggestion, try the most invasive procedures first.

 

[Dakar Timm]

While clearly not the big toe , you specifically asked about . I had my ankle fused 5 years ago . Like you I had no cartilage. Every step was bone on bone and extremely painful . The insurance company made me try everything else before they agreed to pay for the surgery .
The rehab was painful and took a few months . It was well worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat

 

[440 4 speed]

While clearly not the big toe , you specifically asked about . I had my ankle fused 5 years ago . Like you I had no cartilage. Every step was bone on bone and extremely painful . The insurance company made me try everything else before they agreed to pay for the surgery .
The rehab was painful and took a few months . It was well worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat

View attachment 1497135

View attachment 1497136

I have a similar fusion like yours, done 56 years ago. Heel strike is not really a problem, but my toes are flexible, so push off is easy. If I had to get my toe fused I would definitely have to rocker the sole.

 

[Fran Blacker]

While clearly not the big toe , you specifically asked about . I had my ankle fused 5 years ago . Like you I had no cartilage. Every step was bone on bone and extremely painful . The insurance company made me try everything else before they agreed to pay for the surgery .
The rehab was painful and took a few months . It was well worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat

View attachment 1497135

View attachment 1497136

Same boat, looks like left ankle? Mine is the loud pedal ankle switching to left gas pedal and no 4 speed.

 

[440 4 speed]

Same boat, looks like left ankle? Mine is the loud pedal ankle switching to left gas pedal and no 4 speed.

It is his right foot.

 

[Wojo68]

Had the second toe fused. I stretch it as much possible. Personally not a fan. The pad on the front of my foot always feels weird.

 

[Fran Blacker]

While clearly not the big toe , you specifically asked about . I had my ankle fused 5 years ago . Like you I had no cartilage. Every step was bone on bone and extremely painful . The insurance company made me try everything else before they agreed to pay for the surgery .
The rehab was painful and took a few months . It was well worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat

View attachment 1497135

View attachment 1497136

If that's your right ankle can you work the gas pedal and how. I can get 75% throttle.

 

[Hikin Mike]

Not the toe, but both knees are fused. They were fused because apparently my body didn't like the artificial knee and never healed.

 

[Dakar Timm]

If that's your right ankle can you work the gas pedal and how. I can get 75% throttle.

It is indeed the right ankle . Just be sure , I taped these onto my feet minutes before surgery . The orthopedic surgeon thought it was hilarious

 

[Fran Blacker]

Did that with my knees but not as funny. How do you push gas pedal or did you have a left foot gas pedal installed.

 

[Cranky]

Looks like you have some toenail fungus going on too....been dealing with that myself. Don't know about fusion but really sounds too permanent to me.....I also have some issues with my feet from stepping on nails when I was a teen working on construction sites before anyone said things had to be cleaned up. Learned kinda fast but not fast enough back in the 60's...

 

[440 4 speed]

It is indeed the right ankle . Just be sure , I taped these onto my feet minutes before surgery . The orthopedic surgeon thought it was hilarious

View attachment 1497206

View attachment 1497207

View attachment 1497208

I would tale a guess that you possibly have callouses under your metatarsal heads. Looks like you could possibly need an orthotic with a metatarsal dome to take the pressure off, it could also alleviate the joint pain. It would need to be custom made.

 

[Rebelrouser]

I have been dealing with arthritis in my big toe main joint.
It's bone on bone now, I've had 3 cortisone injections in the past couple years.
Foot doc wants to replace the joint or fuse it. He claims better out come most of the time with fuseing it. He says they just clean out what arthritis he can and then screw the joint together.
Just wondered if any of you guys had this done and the results.

Yes I had it done almost 2 years ago. I had a good outcome. I had a big bone spur on my joint that was very painful. It takes a little longer to get over the operation than they say. I can walk just fine and I have no pain anymore. It does kind of affect your balance; I do some exercises by standing on one foot that have helped. And I go hiking in the woods with a pack and can still do that OK for example. My big toe is a little shorter now that they fused it and it rubbed a blister on the small toe next to it, I am slowly building a callus. My doctor told me that usually problems come if you try to walk on it too early, if you bend the metal plate while it is healing it becomes a problem. They tip the toe up slightly so it is easy to walk on.