Mid foot fusion advice needed

Hello All,

I was 55 when I was diagnosed with Mid-Foot Arthritis in 2013. I saw 3 different podiatrist  without any real releif and their ultimate solution was a Mid-Foot Fusion. As bad as the pain was, I still was not ready for this surgery solution as the extended time off of work could have lost me my job (not a good option at my age).  I began to investigate my condition and possible therapies on the internet and get educated on all possible solutions. I discovered an Extremeties Chiropractor who is trained to work hands and feet as well as usual Chiropractic needs. Although this seemed odd to me, I was ready to see if this could offer me benifit.   I am now at the end of his treatments (about 2 1/2 months of feet adjustments) and have experienced a dramatic turn for the better.  I can now walk without pain along the upper foot. I am now seeking a qualified Physical Therapist to coordinate the soft tissue recovery after a lifetime of broken arches and poor ankle/foot bio-mechanics.  It is difficult and sometimes very emotional for me to explain how releived I am to walk on this world without the dibilitating pain.  I still deal with times of discomfort, especially after being on my feet all day but these symptoms are also becoming less and less.

I can not say this will work for everybody but I can definately say it has been working for me.  I could not be more grateful.  This certainly was not a 'one time visit/quick recovery' solution but a 'stay the course' process that has changed my life, without the surgury. I had reasoned that I can always option for the surgery but I could not undo a surgery.

Can I ask what surgeon you and everyone else here used? I had my talo navicular fused in 2010 and has been extremely unsuccessful on the pain front

I am going through same thing and due for surgery in August! Please let me know your outcome. I feel your pain!

Its 2015 and may again after a year of incompetant idiots not knowing or caring on how to help me.. Crushed foot with 3 ... Fifty pound blocks .. Kind you build with... Accident happened while helping a friend... Pain is miserable and finally got a decent doctor willing to help me and fusion was the choice he made for me to try and save my foot.. Im diabetic also .. Complicates issues... Some neuropathy, not enough to stop the pain. Several doctors had never encountered what they are calling charcot foot. Refused to do anything but put me non weight bearing indefinately... And one who is gung ho wanting to amputate big toe and little toe and bone back to heel on that side.!!! And not fuze anything in the mid foot!! Hows that gonna help anything!??! Well, my inusrance would have covered his surgery mostly, but ... Are you serious??!!!! No way!! So im paying a butt load of money for out of network with this other doctor!! I broke every bone from one side to the other!! And theyre all shifted sideways!! I was a healthy and active 43 year old when this happened!! Now i am disabled and looking at this total midfoot fusion surgery and scared to death!! But a total amputation is what may happen of this doesnt work!! All the way back to the heel!! I am freaked!! Scared and dont sleep at all until i pass out whenever my body has had enough!! I also have carpal tunnel and fibromyalgia as well as a past frozen shoulder and am very worried about getting around after surgery and the doctor says im in for a long healing process due to diabetes!! I cant use crutches due to arm and hand pain... And shoulder issue... And a knee cart only gets me so far.. And a walker; well about the same and it is totally rediculous!! I even got a wheelchair to shuffle around up and down a wood floor hall and kitchen... I feel hopeless and useless!! My husband has no clue how to console my broken heart and broken life due to this broken foot!! I have seen every podiatrist in one medical group and none of them wanted anything to do with this foot!! They did x rays and ct and kept saying check back in a few weeks and we will do another expensive scan my insurance doesnt pay for!!! And then do nothing!! For a Year!! And passed me from one to the next until i had seen them all!! Even tried to get different insurance and paid more and got same thing!! So tried marketplace insurance and im getting out of network c**p now!! Go to a doctor listed but he doesnt use a participating hospital so im out of luck!! And out of pocket about 16,000 !! And a limited amount of time to pay it back per the hospitals payment plans!! And i get to be a cripple the rest of my life!! Can we see what we get in the bonus round??!!! A very upset and distraught 44 year old who can no longer do anything i love!!! Can anyone tell me this will come out better than i can possibly imagine this horror show i am seeing coming??? Ive been a year in horrible pain and now looking at a lot worse pain following surgery that may or may not work!!! My foot is broken/ crushed with very little bone to attach to just in front of where my foot bends on top..!! He keeps telling me that if it doesnt work then i will be amputated just before the heel at least!! Im lost and nearly inconsolable!!! I cry myself sick most days and cant hardly think of anything or do anything to keep my mind off what is going to happen in a week and a half and beyond!! Surgery is set for june 10, 2015!! Nobody understands what im going through in my family!! My friends are freaked that i cant do the things i used to and i gave up trying to be around them in my condition.. I have animals i care for and no kids... My husband has a high stress job and im alone alot !! I feel trapped and i havent even had the surgery yet and im gonna be even more trapped for who knows how long afterwards!! I dont even know myself anymore!!

8/16/2015
Hi Everyone!
I am a new participant in your discussion on foot fusion surgery. I am 58 years old and am at the point where my doctor has said that nothing else can be done other than the fusion.
Unlike any of you, I AM a couch potato as a result of the difficulties with my foot. When I was young, I was a Phys Ed teacher and then an elementary school teacher. In 1999, I was told I needed to quit teaching as a result of the difficulty with my foot.
During that time of my life, I became overweight, due to numerous bouts of steroids and hospitalizations for asthma. I also developed diabetes (4 injections/day). I am still overweight as exercise has been very difficult. I have also developed other medical problems, including psoriatic arthritis, which can be very painful in joints throughout my body. Fibromyalgia doesn't help either. Recently I joined a gym with a pool.
Throughout the years, I have been casted many times (I'm in one now), have had several different custom braces, and needless to say, am extremely frustrated and scared to death of the surgery. My diabetes may cause me to have a longer recovery than others.
Please reach out to me and give me advise.
Thank you!!
Lisa C

Hi Lisa!
Unfortunately, or fortunately, I haven't had fusion yet. I'm very sorry to hear of all your difficulties! I may not be much help, but I'm here to lend support should you need it :)
Katie.

Hi does anyone know how long you have to wear a cast after midfoot fusion

Hi Thought I'd join in. I am one week post op from a navicular medial and middle cuneiform fusion. I am old 66 yrs female. I had high arches that were operated on in 1962 where the plantar fascia got sliced. A car accident at 19 and foot hit the dash. Fast forward to 2011 foot swelled up and hurt on bridge. Babied it with rest and cortisone but it got bad. I needed a bone graft from lilac crest hip and have a integra uni plate with screws in it. NWB for at least 6 weeks. No pain pills in last 4.5 days. Trying to no be bored and not put any weight on it. Oct 6 I see dr and get stitches out and X-ray and another cast. I am reading one time of foot going on floor came mess it up. I have a knee scooter, walker, wheel chair, crutches, and a I walk. Will post again after dr visit. Terri

Hi I am 65yr old female. Three weeks post op midfoot fusion of the navicular medial and middle cuneiform joints. With a bone graft from hip bone iliac crest. Hardware integra uni with 4 holes and screws. I have not seen my x Ray so the screws might be less. I waited 5 yrs to do this surgery and it got worse guess I needed the bone graft because of that. I have foot surgery at 11 for high arches and they cut a strip of the plantar fascia out on both feet. That stopped my foot pain. The surgery they stopped doing it yrs later. I had to have my r knee replaced last year before the left foot. It does not hurt. The fiber glass cast is lighter than the splint one put on in or. It's just hard getting around on the knee scooter in the bathroom. My husband took good care of me. I am released to drive went out yesterday. I can get the shower cast on and get in out of shower. My non injured dominate leg is not as strong as most do to a complicated hi school surgery. I get cast off 11-3-15 for X Ray at 6 weeks. Then if it's healing I have a cam boot I think they will put me in. It was not as painfull a surgery as knee replacement. I only took roxicodene 5 mg for 4 days 2 pills a day. Best of luck Terri Will check in as I progress.

Hello all!

I'm grateful to read all your posts, although some are scaring me a bit. I sure hope you're all out of pain soon! I'm 44, and have had dinner plate flat feet since birth. It never gave me that much trouble until the last couple of years. I had a talonavicular arthrodesis 2/4/2014. I was told it healed nicely, fusing successfully, except for the fact that I couldn't walk without swearing because of the burning pain. I went back to my doctor, who then said I had arthritis as a result of the surgery, which I understood was pretty common. I had another surgery to clean up that arthritis 3/25/2015. However, I was still in pain. He did several more x-rays and believed it was even more arthritis. :-(  Long story short, he recommended I see an actual orthopedic surgeon, as he was a podiatrist. I saw Dr. Roser yesterday, who has a sterling reputation. He took x-rays, and apparently, my foot never fused, a nonunion. :-(  You could drive a semi down the line where it should be a solid bone. I'm scheduled for a triple arthrodesis in Feb, hopefully sooner.. I'm angry that I had that last surgery, what a waste! 

Hi Terri Checking in from Calif. Sept 24 2015 was my fusion surgery date Navicular bone and 2 cuneiforms medial and middle fused. Graft needed from iliac crest and integra uni c compression plate put in with 4 screws. Stitches out 10/6/2015 and a cast put on. 11/3/2015 cast sawed off and X-ray taken to track healing. I was told to use my old cam boot as tolerated one step was hell. So then the cast tech said you can use the walker in tandem. Stay in the boot all day except for showering. And when icing it 3 times a day 20 min a session. Plus do up and down movement dorsiflex and plantar flex. It hurts to walk even with the walker. Heel toe heel toe. Plus I must sleep with it on. It's only been 6 weeks. I think the cast was really rubbing the scar this past month. I needed a Percocet .5mg cut in half in am and pm. I have norco left over from pre surgery and from r knee replacement last yr in 9/23/14. My dr does sound like pt is needed. But I am going to push for it after my Dec 16 visit. I made them bring up the last 2 X-rays to see the hardware. I wish I could read a X-ray better. I am healing put this is a rough process. Ciao Ms Terri 66yr old that loves her disco and aerobics and a mean speed bag.

Hi Checking in post op from navicular medial and middle joint fusion. Surgery was 9-24-15. I am in a black rocker sole cam boot at the 6 week mark. The cast came of at 6 wks and I was xrayed they said its healing. Kinda weird the instruction sheet says weight bearing as tolerated with boot. I am walking a bit each day last 1.5 weeks. Some pain so I get off of it and ice it or take 1/5 of vicodene 5/325mg. I use a knee scooter as needed. I tend to over do things so I hope I am doing not to much. Oh I am 66 yr old female that like areobics ! So I hired my trainer to help me get back in shape via one leg. I see surgeon 12-16-15.

Hi, first of all the pain will tell you if the SURJURY will need to be done. I have just finished my second mid foot fusion. After the surjury if all goes well it will take about 3 yrs to fully heal. The pain will be different, but you will have pain. Making sure that you have complete faith in your Dr. Is important. It does get better, I work on my feet all day,I know it does get better.

Hi 4 month recovery seems ok for office/deck worker but 3 years if you are on you FEET all day.Yes the pain does end,do not drop things on the top go your foot, do not twist your ankle, or step in a dog hole. Good LUCK Tom

So, I'm 5 weeks post triple arthrodesis w/ Achilles lengthening surgery. I'm really optimistic, as my pain is minimal. I was in a hard cast for 2 weeks, now I'm in a boot. I'm hoping to drive week 10. Looking at all the hardware in my foot grosses me out, I sure hope I won't feel it when I'm able to walk. Can you guys feel it?