Thanks for your post. Can you provide the name of your doctor who helped? I am 36 now and have failed several conservative approachestelle and I'm now considering surgery.
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Hi littlebitz: I had surgery to remove the head of my 2nd metatarsal (on both feet) about 40 some years ago (I'm now 64). After removing the necrotic bone, the doctor partially sewed the 2nd toe to the third. This was to keep the remaining bone from slipping into the space where the the head of the 2nd metatarsal was. The 2nd toes stick up, partly from the surgery and partly from my big toes angling in and pushing the 2nd toes up. The big toes started angling in when I developed bunions on both feet. The toes do not hurt but the 2nd toes are useless bc they stick up (i.e. they don't bear any of my body weight.) The sewing of the toes has caused countless problems. I don't think all the options available now were available when I had the surgery. My case was greatly complicated later in life by the bunions. So many problems have been caused by the surgery, scar tissue, the sewing of the toes and the bunions. I would be cautious about the surgery but it could turn out much better for you bc of the different ways of doing the surgery now.
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I've had this disease since I was 13, I'm now 21. It was manageable all through highschool as I played hockey which pretty much keeps your foot flat in the skate. Now that I'm done hockey I tried to start running and the pain will be so bad I can't do anything for days after. I also have a job where I am on my feet all day and constantly moving so I constantly have pain in my foot. I finally decided to get it fixed and I had surgery Thursday for a debridement and arthrotomy. I'm in a ton of pain (doesn't help I can't have morphine or Tylenol 3 without getting sick) but I'm very hopeful that this surgery will fix my problems!
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is there any one here from India who has same Friebergs Disease? I stay in Delhi (india). I have this disease from 4 years now. and now I have decided to go for surgery. I cant live with it forever, as it is affecting my other leg and knee also. Please respond to this. I am looking for someone who has undergone similar operation some where in India
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I was diagnosed with Freiberg-Kohler disease when I was 15. In my teenage years, I visited a doctor who released me from gym classes and prescribed special shoe pads. Since then the foot had hurt me a little during walking, especially barefoot or without pads. Anyway, the pain was not big enough to do something with it.
After 15 years I had started to have problems with the opposite half of the body like the knee and the hip. My body was unconsciously put more weight on the healthy foot to spare the hurting one. It was the reason I decided to consult a doctor once again. He said that if it bothers me, I should decide to have a surgery. After considering the pros and cons, I decided to do so.
I had the surgery over two years ago (arthroplasty with interposition of a second metatarsal head). In order to fill the cleaned bone cavity, the doctors made a small ball out of a tendon.
The first two nights after surgery I took painkillers, but then I did not really need them. I took abdomen shots for a month to prevent blood clots (deep vein thrombosis). It is a standard procedure after orthopedic surgeries.
The first part of recovery took over a month. The first week I was mostly elevating my stiff and swollen foot. The next four weeks I was walking in an orthopedic sandal that decreased the weight put on the forefoot.
The pain after surgery has been continuing while walking. After six months I could not say it did not hurt at all but it was better to walk. I did not feel that the range of movement increased (I compared with my high heel shoes that I had a chance to wear before).
It is been two years after surgery. My left foot is not as flexible as my healthy one and I do not think it will ever be. I will not be a dancer, but my walking has improved. I do not regret my decision, but advice others to carefully consider all for and against and choose a good surgeon.
After 15 years I had started to have problems with the opposite half of the body like the knee and the hip. My body was unconsciously put more weight on the healthy foot to spare the hurting one. It was the reason I decided to consult a doctor once again. He said that if it bothers me, I should decide to have a surgery. After considering the pros and cons, I decided to do so.
I had the surgery over two years ago (arthroplasty with interposition of a second metatarsal head). In order to fill the cleaned bone cavity, the doctors made a small ball out of a tendon.
The first two nights after surgery I took painkillers, but then I did not really need them. I took abdomen shots for a month to prevent blood clots (deep vein thrombosis). It is a standard procedure after orthopedic surgeries.
The first part of recovery took over a month. The first week I was mostly elevating my stiff and swollen foot. The next four weeks I was walking in an orthopedic sandal that decreased the weight put on the forefoot.
The pain after surgery has been continuing while walking. After six months I could not say it did not hurt at all but it was better to walk. I did not feel that the range of movement increased (I compared with my high heel shoes that I had a chance to wear before).
It is been two years after surgery. My left foot is not as flexible as my healthy one and I do not think it will ever be. I will not be a dancer, but my walking has improved. I do not regret my decision, but advice others to carefully consider all for and against and choose a good surgeon.
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HI, I'm 14 and was diagnosed with osteocondritis freibergs of my right, second metatarsal when I was 12, nearly 13. I had a moon boot for 9 weeks initially and no physical activity for 6 months. After this time I had x-rays and there was more necrosis and some one was fragmenting off. This couldn't fix itself so my surgeon said it was best to operate. 5 months ago I had a bone graft and debridement. The x-rays post op were great and look so much better than before. I still can't play sport and have significant pain after running for more than a few minutes. Does anybody know if this is normal and/or how long it could take to go away?. Anyways I think that surgery was the best decision and if you have tried conservative treatment and have a good surgeon it is a definitely the right choice. If you have an answer to my question that would be great but otherwise I hope I have helped anyone looking into this and the options that you have if you have been diagnosed with freiburgs. Thanks and good luck!
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who was your doctor? I've been diagnosed with this and every doctor has told me they don't think surgery will work. please help i've seen 7 different surgeons.
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please help. do you have a recommendation for a surgeon. Every surgeon has told me surgery will not work. I live in nyc but I'm willing to travel anywhere.
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I have had Freibergs since my mid-20s. I am now 54 and just went through with the surgery because the joint in my second metatarsal was shot and there were bone fragments everywhere. I wasn't able to be active at all toward the end and that just wasn't the way I wanted to live my life. I live in Providence and have been seeing a podiatrist, Dr. Peter Sardella, who has been watching this for several years and advised me to "let pain be my guide" as to when to get surgery. I had the surgery almost 7 weeks ago. Best way I know how to describe it is he cleaned all the bone fragments out and used the tissue from a bunion that was removed in the same surgery to create cushion between the bones at the head of the metatarsal and elongate the toe (it was severely shortened). The recovery is slow but if you follow doctor's orders it does get better with time. For me it was 3 weeks with a cast and pin through the toe, 3 weeks partial weight bearing and a CAM boot and another several weeks managing swelling and getting range of motion back in the toe. I put the surgery off twice because it wasn't the right time in my life, but I am so glad I finally did it and would recommend Dr. Sardella in a heartbeat. I also hear great things about the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy in Baltimore. I am lucky to have found a surgeon I trusted (I also got a second opinion) and who had seen this condition before. I was TERRIFIED of surgery but it has not been nearly as hard as I expected and when I am hiking again this fall I will be even happier!
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Same thing happened to me. I was told it was Frieberg's but another podiatrist said it was clearly arthritis. He put an implant between the joint. Will be doing the other foot soon. I went to a" Frieberg's expert" in Santa Monica who recommended orthotics. He didn't want to operate - he would rather sell me expensive orthotics than treat the real problem. It would have been a waste of money.
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I hope you are continuing to do well. Your post is the most recent I can find 3-26-2017.
I'm 60 and been in constant pain for almost a year.
2nd opinion in 2 days. With ortho dr. Was put in huge space boot....made pain worse.
Did they ever try putting you in a hard cast? I hear that can help.
Thanks
Cindy
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I am a college athlete and I have just been diagnosed with Freibergs. It has caused me pain and been swollen for about a year. It is manageable when I walk around during the day but hurts a lot when running. My doctor wants me in a walking boot for a month to quiet down my pain and swelling. Has anyone experienced relief with a walking boot? I have another 2 years of college sports to play and I fear that the boot may help briefly with the pain but once I resume training the pain will return and get worse. Can my condition be cured or is it a question of just managing the pain at this stage?
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I'm 13 as well and I went to the doctors a couple of weeks ago and I got a x-ray and they said it was clear but yesterday I went and got a ultrasound on my foot and he said I have freiberg's disease so I would go and ask your doctor for a ultrasound because it's more efficient (good luck)
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