bone spur surgery on top of big toe: recovery time

Hi - sounds so bad - what are they planning for you?

Thanks just saw your reply. Thanks so much. I'm booked in now - op in 6 weeks time. Fingers are so crossed! But your result sounds worth all the suffering! That's so good to see. :)

I am 26 years old and I have a bone spur on my right toe. Two years ago I dropped a pot on my toe and I couldn't walk for about a day. Eventually I was able to walk and I saw I had a cut underneath my toe nail. I figured that was it. Nope. Two years later I was feeling pain in my big toe everytime I tried to stand up on that foot. Something wasn't right so I finally went to the foot doctor. He did x rays and told me about the bone spur. I should have seen him sooner. I am in the early stage and he wants to grind my bone. Honestly...after reading these posts I really don't want to. Has no one here had a successful surgery???? I work a full time job and I am very active...either I take the chance and get the surgery now or it'll turn into hallux ridigus by the time I am 40. I don't know what to do.

Hi - I had a big toe joint done on each foot so have two experiences. The one which failed has failed because the damage was too severe for the joint to be saved so next week I go for a fusion. But it was worth trying because it almost worked really...just no good for running or taking impact or longer distance walking or hill walking. But it would be okay and comfortable enough for shope and flat pavements. The other foot had moderate damage - and that one was well on the road to recovery after 8 to 12 weeks and bending nicely - not 100% but perfectly good enough - and it is still good almost two years later - and I can stand on my toes and hop on that fiit - it is very good. Hope yours goes equally well. The ones that are more difficult to solve are when the damage is more extensive or complicated. Good luck.

'shops' lol Mine was hallux rigidus before I was 40 and by the time I had surgery in my late 40's both toe joints were stuck solid! My gp had told me I must wait until I could no longer stand the pain before I should have surgery - so I did - but I think it would have been better to have it sooner. My understanding is it still could develop into needing a fusion later no matter what you do but your are sensible to think about what gives the best quality of life while you are young - why limp and be in pain if it can hopefully be sorted and give you some good quality normal years. I hope more people answer you. xx

12 years ago I was stepped on by a horse and I had a couple of bone fragments loose in my right foot. At the time the doctors told me by going in and taking out the pieces of bone would only make it worse so they left them alone. Over time, the fragments migrated into the joint of my big toe and arthritis grew in around it. For the past three years I've had major pain any time I wore any height of heel and recently when I wore something with as low of a heel as a cowboy boot. Finally I went the doctor and looked into joint replacement surgery. I had my surgery on November 15 and was told to get up on walk on it the same day. I was told to go barefoot so I'd get full range of motion. At one week my checkup looked great. I had good movement. At two weeks the stitches came out and I could put my tennis shoe on. I took prescription pain meds for two days, tylenol for two days, and nothing after that. I can walk with almost no pain now, and most of my pain came from the ball of my foot where they went in and scraped some scar tissue and arthritis away. I am making an effort to walk across my whole foot now, because as you know, we all tend to walk on the outside of our foot to reduce the pain we have in our big toe. I stretch my toe a couple of times a day and stand on my tip toes to work my range of motion. I am so happy I had this surgery done and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Minimal pain, no walking cast or crutches, and pain free walking at less than three weeks.

I had my toe fusion on Friday - it's now Monday and it is feeling comfortable. As expected the first 48 hours was painful but bearable - I had paracetamol and Naproxen. I switched to co-codamol instead yesterday morning but already I need less today . So now it is keeping it elevated and keeping it safe and letting it heal . So far so good.

Three weeks on now and dressing was removed last week. No cast, just the shoe. A slight infection so I'm on antibiotics and to rest the foot and have to change the dressings until i recovers. There's been very little pain or discomfort so far.... just the off twinge and now the incision site playing up and stinging a bit.

Hi Janet.. I have been wondering for a while now how you have been getting on.. for some reason I hadn't been able to access the board for a while.. it's months since I was last on here. Hope you are still progressing.
I had my fusion in October 2012 and it certainly has made all the difference for me. I can do just about most things now.. and pain free.
I was aware for much of last year that the area around the plate (and 9 screws!) was a little sore to touch, and I had even considerd going back to the surgeon and suggest the plate was removed now that the bone had fused. However with time even this has improved. I am still aware of it, but I don't ever think about my foot now. I wish I'd had it done years ago. Hope it works out the same for you.
Steve R

Hi Steve, thanks so much for asking. So glad you are still doing so well! :) Yes I'm doing great - must be about 10 weeks since the op now. I went out dog walking today for the first time round the park up and down hills, through the woods and the mud for a good hour today with no problems! Just unfit from the recovery process! But it is the most comfortable now that it's been for years! Amazing! I still need to be seen in a few weeks to make sure it fused properly but it feels more or less perfect! It feels so comfortable day and night! So hopefully this is it!!! At last! Thanks. xx

YES!!! 14 weeks since my big toe fusion! And almost 2.5 years since first being seen - and at last I've been dischared!!!  So happy!  Walked 10  miles off and on road this week and today I can start building up to running.  Wish I'd had this done 10 years ago! 

My other foot is now 2 years since the cheilectomy which was sucsessful on this foor from 8 weeks on but this is the first time I could really try running on it.  To be honest the fusion is already more comfortable than the sucsessful cheilectomy!

Given the freedom to choose and because the movement was already so limited in these joints I know what I'd have gone for on both feet if I was starting over again! lol

 

I been in a car accident where my foot was on the brake while i was front ended. Was in the hospital with three rupture discs.Did not see damage to big toe for months. The bone spur onn top of the big toe knuckle got progressively worse from daily 1 hour spin classes.

The pain was so bad during the day that I had to remove my dress shoes when working. Some sneakers agravated the pain.

I do have a high pain tolarence so I continued to spin.

Went on a three day golf trip and had to remove my golf shoes on the third hole and played barefoot for the remaindr of the four day trip.

Went to a foot surgeon and his recoomendation was to remove the spur.He also mentioned to cut a hole in my spin shoes so there would be less aggravation. It Worked! Did the same with an old pair of golf shoes and played a round with my visiting son.

I had the spur removed 11 days ago on a Friday. The first day I was walking with no assistance in the boot provided after the surgery. did not need pain medicine until the next day after the anathesia wore off. Needed to have wife to go to Pharmacy and buy Crutches. Could not walk or put pressure on foot. The third day the pain subsided. Was able to drive towork on Monday; used crutches because of long walk from parking lot.

Had stiches remove after 7 days. Second Appointment is this friday 14 days after the surgery. Foot surgeon mention i will be fitted for a sneaker. Bringing my own; will not be seen in a velcro old man Klod Hopper.

Hope to be playing golf or spinning this week end

 

Hi i know its been years since your post about the hallux limitus..but i would want to know how things go..if you got better and your pain is gone? I just had a similar procedure and i really want to know what to expect..thanks!

Just had my left big toe done on the 29th of Aug.  First week you are going to be sore as can be and ask for pain meds.  You will be wearing a boot and make sure you use it. Next couple of weeks expect to have what feels like electric shock in your foot if you move it the wrong way.  (Normal )  I go back next week for my one month check up. had the stiches out at the 3 week mark.  Hope this helps.

Surgery for bone spur on left big toe was 10/3/2014. Not had a lot of pain. Black and blue and oozing a bit. Have to wear a surgical shoe all the time when I walk but I have been to church, grocery store (rode the motorized cart) and walk a bit around the house. If it hurts, I dont do it. 

I see the surgeon on day 3 for a bandage change. Dr said down time would be 3 to 6 weeks.

I am bored and ready to go back to work.