bone spur surgery on top of big toe: recovery time

Steve - initially you had exactly the same done as me - . I'm thinking that the hole drilling can't possibly keep the joint going for long - because there is no cartlidge and even the new stuff thst grows from the drilling can't be much. So the joint will wear out very quickly. I can't find info anywhere advising this surgery as being an effective option for severely progressed damage! 

So I am concerned that mine was 'salvaged' when there is so little left to salvage! But time will tell. it's c**p though having to go through two surgeries when the first one was futile. 

So do you know how long the artficial joints are meant to last - I've not found anything to lead me to believe they are a viable option? I'd read they only offer them to much older less active people? But you are young...

but I can see  having joint movement would be better then a fusion it it will last a reasonablt amount of years...  please let us know how you get on.  

 

 

I went in origionally for fusion of this joint - I am glad they managed to salvage the joint - though I'm not sure yet if it will be saved for all that long when it has no cartlidge left! lol. Mobility is so important - I hope someone can give you some more info.

Janet - My original London consultant said the hole drilling should make the joint last about another 10 years.. it clearly didn't and the current consultant said that if I didn't have the second op soon my joint would have been totally destroyed within another year.
The first consultant didn't recommend joint replacement as said he was not convinced of the technology.. However the recent op was performed under the NHS and presumably was acceptable to NICE and the new consultant said the procedure was now acceptable. I have a friend who had exactly the same op by the same consultant last October and she is fine.. walking the dosg a few miles a day with problems... a Godsend as far as she was concerned.

Joint replacement is perhaps the wrong description.. it was actually called a metatarsel resurfacing.. A hemispheric metal implant fixed into the end of the bone. Not sure if I'm allowed to post a link but this is what it looks like. (I have no association to the website - info only)
http://www.footankleinstitute.com/Portals/14171/images/djdarthrosurfacepost.jpg

How long will it last? I have no idea, but as long as it doesn't work loose and it holds the surfaces apart I'm hoping it will see me through.! I can't see it being approved without sufficient testing
SR

Thanks Steve, I hope you continue to recover well. It soulnd like a very promising alternative - when it cmes to it it sounds like a much better then fusion!

A lot of food for thought!

I guess I need to wait and see how it goes - It's 8 weeks on and I'd hope to be much better by now - the difference between the two feet is quite extreeme right now - One is doing great - it only statted causing trouble less then 10 years ago - the other started nearly 30 years aho when I was 20. Right now it's hard to believe the bad one has the capacity to recover! And so hard to know what I should or shouldn't be doing to help it! I can see why there are such different experiences expressed on here! lol I confess to it! I am really FED UP!!!! lol

How did your bone spur surgery go after the first couple of days? I am having the same surgery on the ends of my toes but without removal of the nails. Wondering about recovery time and success of the surgery.

10 weeks on. Feeling more possitive, at physio I was told not to compare my two feet - the recovey for each is unique and comparison's aren't helpful. Each had it's own level of damage, it's own different level of surgical intervention and it's own road to recovery. So one is really great, the other is a matter of being patient and remaining possitive and do the physio and build up excersise and the joint movement and eventually it will get somewhere reasonable.

From the end of the first week it feels more comfortable and then after the dressing comes off then every week after there is some improvement in comfort and in mobility - but I think it is slower as time goes on until we reach a point where we've got there. I walked 7 miles last week - but couldn't do it again too soon. Can easily walk 3 miles each day, plus normal walking around. Was on my feet for a function all weekend with only a tiny bit of aggrivation but I did need pain killers - but for the first time in over 6 weeks! A funny kind of pain/sensation - It felt like someone had flicked the insides of my joints with elastic bands - but it feels much better after a day of rest!

I AM pleased I had this done - But I should have had the bad foot done several years ago! I never knew this was an option. So oay it's had ups and downs but so far I am very pleased I had this done! :)

At night instead of constant pain in both my feet - they now both feel nice and cosy. Very cosy! It's a really lovely feeling. :)

Expect it to be a heck of a long time. When they disguss the surgery they tend to gloss over the recovery - it seems to be the initial healing in general if all goes well takes aroud 8 weeks - after that it might be a long long long time... if it works - but if it fails then....



What I'm thinking niw is push fir answers, asq questions. try to find out what the level of damage is and what the real chances of improvement are and if when they go in the find it is different to what they expected then what are the options, what are your wishes and how will they make sure your individual needs are met and not overlooked on the day of surgery when you are a foot not a person.

Janet.. emm0805
Agree with your last comment Janet.. I'm just in my 9th week and although i'm walking again, it's in open toed sandals only.. Some swelling is still there, but there is no background residual pain. However the pain of movement is significant, and although things improve marginally every week, it seems this is going to take some time.
I can walk a couple of hundred metres to the villgae, but that's about it.
An interesting conclusion i have come to recently.. My first op two years ago was done privately, and the surgeon kept on about having physio and took a real interest.. This time on the NHS no-one mentioned it.. nor did they mention scar massge to reduce the impact of scarring. Only afterwards talking to friends did I find out about these things.
The NHS is great for handing the initial case, but don't expect them to follow-up your case in any personal detail. As you say.. push for answers.
Steve

yes, the recovery was slowed by the slow healing process of the incisive on the side of the big toe! I was operated on May 15th and was back to normal just after July 15th. This again was mainly because the incision didn't completely heal over until the third week in July!! Right now it is about 90% with only minor discomfort and slight amount of swelling around the side of the toe!! PS I also have some cartilage damage to this toe!! My toe damage is a result of years of playing squash!! Cleat

"May 15th and was back to normal just after July 15th."

Wow! That's very good! Sounds promising!  I had my surgery on the 17th May on both feet and I have had no complications and I'm still nowhere near back to normal! Can't even bend one of the toes upwards much at all so I can't find trainers it can wear even trying to but some over a size bigger!! And I can hardly walk my dogs - still throwing the ball for them in the garden and just doing one dog at a time for 1 mile and that's hd to be flat footpath walking! Tried a gentle three mile walk but I was soon off my feet again. And my walking speed is under 2mph! Cettainly can't run yet or start back at my sports training again yet. And I have a seasonal on my feet summer job which I've not been able to take up this year.

Other foot had milder cartlage damage I've hardly given it any thought since week 6 - bends well, only slightly delicate, and 'm perfectly happy with it. Still do the physio excersises for both but I'm not seeing anymore improvements since week 8 ( late July ).

The actual scar is on the top of my toes on each foot and went well and they each took 8 weeks to totally heal. Still only very slightly sensitive, but look good enough.

I am having surgery on my big left toe becouse i have two bone spures. The first one is on my toe joint. The secont one is under my big toe nail. I also have two ingrone toe nails and i also have an infection in my big toe and i was wondering how long is the surgery usually and how long is the recovery time and do thay put your foot in an ace bandage cast or what do thay do to your foot after you have surgery? I am verry nervous and skared about having surgery! Do thay remove the roots with your toe nail? My docter said that she is going to take the roots to when she removes my big toe nail.

Sounds complicated - so I'd have no idea - I'd give it plenty of tme. On the plus side it it is just the one foor you can use your other foot and this might help ease the recovery...

Well it's three months today. feeling very comfortable now - :) - as long as I don't try to run or put on any sudden pressure or stub my toes! ouch! But still no more movement then before... tiny improvement since the first big improvement at 8 weeks - in movement but massive improvement in comfort and my walking ability since then.

Had to give up fir now on waiting for my feet to shrink - they are still a size bigger so I had to invest £100 in a good pair of men size 8 Brooks trainers - the only trainers I coud find anywhere that I could walk in. I have also managed to buy a pair of 'Hotter' leather shoes - the first shoes I've been able to buy for my feet in 15 years! Before the surgery no way could I get my feet in shoes let alone walk in them! Don't want to have to but new walking boots thouge I probably will have to - the only ones I can find to wear and walk in are mens scarpa boots and well over £100. And cos I just bought some 6 months ago and I'm broke I'm not keen to have to buy more! So  hope my feet shrink  back to their smaller size! They are now narrower but longer! lol

I hope now to be back to normal activity realisdtically at 6 months! Three more months to go. But at least what I can do now is MUCH more comfortable then it was before - I just need to be more patient... shame - cos I'd hoped this would be quicker!

 

Okay like I said 3 months after surgery. Had to but new trainers and new walking boots to see me through the winter, and work shoes all one size larger - so far this has cost me £300 to find suitable footwear that I can fit into and walk in! Plus my larger MBT's and sandals which I bought in advance. Hopefully I will go back to my normal size eventually.

Can walk really well - back to my normal pace and the same distances I could walk before surgery... but no way near back to my pre-poorly toe eara! Difficult to walk down hills. Or on soft surfaces like sand. Other then that very good. can't run or put too much sudden stress on the joints . Did some gardeng - but it made my toe joints quite painful -so much that it kept me awake at night.

So in all goodness knows where the 6 - 8 weeks recover time comes from. But certainly by three months this is good enough to live a 'normal' but relatively sedate lifestyle! lol. But my fingers are crossed for more improvements.

MY TIP - Don't but shoes before the surgery - wait a while after to see how they go and you can find out what shoes will suit you afterwards. So save shoe buying as a recovery treat!

I just had bone spur surgery on the top of my big toe 7 days ago. My foot feels great! I have not seen the stitches yet, but I can move my toes and walk on my foot with the assistance of a cane easily. Have to admit elevation and ice after walking around feels amazing, but overall not even taking pain meds.

Steve...how are you getting on now? I hope you are seeing more improvement?