Hi,
Just thought i'd post an update.
I had my big toe fused 02.12.03 and now 12 weeks later my doctor has told me the joint is 100% fused.
So now i can start to try and walk properly (as i have been walking on the outside edge of my foot for the past 5 weeks)
I have managed to get my foot into a trainer but it is still swollen so it's a bit of a squash at the moment.
Walking is very painful at the moment but i've been told that this will pass once the foot gets used to having weight put on it again.

Finally i have good news after such a bad bunion operation, things can only get better now!!
:bouncing: :bouncing:

Congratulations! I am glad to hear that allis going well with your fusion :bouncing: ! I hope mine goes as well as yours! :jester: Best wishes - eko

Congratulations! :cool: I am one week post op of a fusion. Your message is a great encouragement. I have a couple of questions for you. Was your surgery done by an ortho pedic surgeon or podiatrist? Did you have a cast or just an orthopedic shoe? And last one, how long were you out of work?
Thanks,
jdm

Congratulations! :cool: I am one week post op of a fusion. Your message is a great encouragement. I have a couple of questions for you. Was your surgery done by an ortho pedic surgeon or podiatrist? Did you have a cast or just an orthopedic shoe? And last one, how long were you out of work?
Thanks,
jdm


I had an othopedic surgeon. I was in a cast for 6 weeks and had 9 weeks off work. Since i've been back at work i have been doing shorter days, as i've been finding it uncomfortable sitting in one position at a desk.My foot has also been swelling if it hasn't been elevated for a period of time. Luckily my work have been very understanding, as my fusion was a salvage surgery of a bunion removal i had in Dec 2002, i think work are just glad that i'll soon be pain free and finally have no more foot problems.
Hope your recovery goes well, it does take time (i've still a way to go) so keep positive.

Just a question about what a toe fusion is. Does this have to be done when bunion surgery fails or is it a type of bunion surgery? Does this mean the big toe joint can't move anymore & how does one walk or run when the joint doesn't move? I know you will be glad to be painfree at any rate.

Dodgytoe,
Thanks for the information. I originally told my work that I would be out 4-6 weeks. The more that I think about it however, I think it might be the 6-8 weeks. I am an elementary school teacher so I don't have a job that I can sit down during the day. Thanks again for sharing . I found this board helpful in getting info that you don't always get from your doctor.
jdm

Just a question about what a toe fusion is. Does this have to be done when bunion surgery fails or is it a type of bunion surgery? Does this mean the big toe joint can't move anymore & how does one walk or run when the joint doesn't move? I know you will be glad to be painfree at any rate.
:bouncing:

Hi,
I just thought I would add, had my big toe fused last year and was in a cast 6 weeks, non-weight bearing. Mine was due to hallux rigidus, arthritis of the toe joint and not a bunion (actually I broke it in college,and years of exercising on it made a painful problem). I can now walk, run and play singles tennis daily. The joint that connects the toe to the foot does not move, but the other joint does. No more pain.... It is a slow recovery, but well worth it!
Best wishes-
Sue

Hi,
Finally i have good news after such a bad bunion operation, things can only get better now!!
:bouncing: :bouncing:

Speaking of bouncing...To all you fusion patients out there: has anybody else heard of the Z-Coil footwear? I just saw it on CNN and they mentioned that it was designed for pain relief for folks who've had a fusion, among other foot problems. It's a strange little design, with the body of the shoe looking like a normal walking shoe and the heel consisting of a coiled spring. You'd kind of bounce as you walk. Personally, I would think it would lack the stability you'd need, but found it interesting anyway. I imagine an internet search would turn up more about it, but wondered if anybody's encountered it firsthand.

twobadfeet

Just a question about what a toe fusion is. Does this have to be done when bunion surgery fails or is it a type of bunion surgery? Does this mean the big toe joint can't move anymore & how does one walk or run when the joint doesn't move? I know you will be glad to be painfree at any rate.

I done a lot of research into toe fusion before my surgery and from what i saw it is usually done to patients with arthritis to eleviate pain. it is not a type of bunion surgery and is only used as a salvage surgery if a tendon transfer or further bunion surgery can not be performed. In my case my bunion surgery was done wrongly and my big toe was moving away from the rest of my toes, usuallt they would transfer tendons to pull the toe back over, but my i had lost all movement in the joint so no tendon would be strong enough to oull the toe across. Therefore my only option was to fuse the joint to make the big toe straight and elevate the pain that i had in my joints and muscles of my big toe.

I now have no movement in the big toe joint (the one that joins to the foot). I have movement in the tip of the big toe. With regards to walking i have been told that i will be able to walk but may have a limp (due to the restricted movement) i have been told i probably wont be able to run, but i have seen through these boards that people with fusions say that they can play sports, so i guess i will have to wait and see whether i can.

I am limited to wearing an inch heel as the joint is fixed, which for me at age 23 means is very restricting but aslong as i have no pain it is just something that i have to accept.

I hope that helps, i'm sure that there are others who know more than me and i'm sure that alot also depends on the individual.

:bouncing:

Hi,
I just thought I would add, had my big toe fused last year and was in a cast 6 weeks, non-weight bearing. Mine was due to hallux rigidus, arthritis of the toe joint and not a bunion (actually I broke it in college,and years of exercising on it made a painful problem). I can now walk, run and play singles tennis daily. The joint that connects the toe to the foot does not move, but the other joint does. No more pain.... It is a slow recovery, but well worth it!
Best wishes-
Sue

Hi Sue,

I am in the early stages of Hallux Rigidus with both big toes. Currently the discomfort is enough to limit physical activity, but the pain is not too bad. Naturally I expect the situation to deteriorate. I had intended to grit my teeth and keep going as long as possible before fusion, but your positive report on life after fusion makes me think that I should go early rather than leave it as late as possible. Having been through the mill, what would your advice be - get it over with, or keep going while I have some mobility albeit with pain?

Jim

I would like to add my two cents about fusing. My fusion was the third in a series of surguries. The first was to try and save the joint. When that failed, the second was to put in a titantium joint. That did not work, so fusion was my option.
I am five weeks post op tomorrow. I was in a non weight bearing cast for 4 weeks. Last week, I was put into a walking cast which I will have four 4 weeks.
I was told by my dr that I would not be able to run after surgery. I said that was fine because I did not run before surgery. :) She told me that my walk would be slightly different. She said I will just come off the toe a bit quicker. She also said that unless someone was walking behind me and was looking for the difference, it would probably not be noticable.

Jennie

Hi Sue,

I am in the early stages of Hallux Rigidus with both big toes. Currently the discomfort is enough to limit physical activity, but the pain is not too bad. Naturally I expect the situation to deteriorate. I had intended to grit my teeth and keep going as long as possible before fusion, but your positive report on life after fusion makes me think that I should go early rather than leave it as late as possible. Having been through the mill, what would your advice be - get it over with, or keep going while I have some mobility albeit with pain?

Jim

Hi Jim,
I really feel for you, as I was in the same place mentally as you are feeling, for about a year's time. I thought I would just learn to live with the pain in my toe, but I realized that it was just going to get worse over time. And, I had already learned how to run and play tennis with my joint stiff anyway due to the severe arthritis, and didn't even realize it. So after the fusion my big toe joint is exactly the same mobility wise as it was before, but I have no pain and can finally wear nice shoes again. I think the turning point for me is when I couldn't even push the gas pedal down on the car (right foot) without getting a shooting pain up my leg. I then realized it was time to go get something done. So, I would say to you, if you can find a great surgeon as I was lucky enough to, and carve out some free time in your schedule, do it and start feeling better. It is a hard and scary decision, but life is too short to be in pain. I hope you feel better soon, and keep me posted.
Best,
Sue

Thanks Sue,

I think it will still be a while before I opt for surgery, but with your advice in mind I will not leave it too long. Thanks for taking the trouble to come back to me.

Jim