I am a 23 year old male who has been having a problem with the medial sesamoid bone of my right foot for almost two years. I used to be very active before this started giving me trouble. I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the medial sesamoid bone of my right foot.Initial treatment was delayed but I have since tried an immobilisation cast and orthodics. It's now not as bad as it has been but I am no longer as active as I used to be: walking for a couple of hours, or going for a jog brings the pain on. I want to become as active as I used to be by just get it removed but I'm scared that if I do get it removed that I'll end up worse than I am now. I can't find a surgeon who has removed this from someone before. Has anyone out there tried removal, or know someone who has ? If so how has it affected how active you/they can be. The only reason I would do it is to regain full ability and mobility.

I had the sesamoid bones removed from both feet about 9 years ago. When I had the procedure, I also had the nerves cut. I lived with the injury for 5 years before I finally decided to have it done. I am now 26 and have no ill effects apart from some tingling/burning/numbness along the scar. The surgery is not that bad, and the recovery is also minimal. I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!

I have recently been diagnosed with Sesmoiditis in the big toe on my right foot. Can anybody explain to me what exactly this is, and what I can do to treat it? My podiatrist showed me the x-ray and made me an arch support. I wear orthotics too. But he really didn't explain it very clearly.

Tristi, could you just expand on what you meant by recovery being "minimal" i.e. How soon were you able to walk unaided after the surgery ? Also do you ever experience pain playing sports, or feel that you are limited in what you can do because of the removal ?

I have had the surgery done and I have read a lot of negative things about the operation. You sound like you have a good deal of mobility - I had next to none, and had no choice to have the surgery. I used to be a runner but now there is no hope of that, I can't even walk. I would think seriously about having the surgery if you can move about alright on your feet, there are other things you can do like swim or cycle... it's not just that simple as rmoving a bone, and if you want to carry on with impact exercise they will tell you not to anyway if you have a sesamoid removed... I had no choice to have this operation done but I am not any better (at least for now). I am sure it does help people but I have to be honest in saying that's the first success story I ever read below.

Hey Paul,

I'm a 21yr old female and have had a smashed sesamoid bone in my left foot for 3 years. I have recently been doing research into getting it removed. From what I have read and the people I have talked it seems to be quite a big risk. I have learnt to manage the pain, and I think so long as it is bearable you are better to wait for the surgery.The problem with having the surgery now is that it might work for now but in the future it could get worse than what you started off. I have begun to realise that I would rather lose a few actitivies like playing hockey than risk having a limp in the future after bad surgery. You should try taking short courses of anti-infamitory medication after a hard week of exercise. It seems to ease the swelling without making you reliant on them.

Good luck