My mother, aged 63, has suffered for over a year with foot pain, swelling, tenderness, after a bad fall on her foot. Her GP has ruled out arthritis and today sent her to a specialist who has told her she has "Kruger's Disease". She didn't get this written down so I'm afraid I have no idea how to spell it, and I'm still trying to find it on the Net. He told her it was when the blood suply gets cut off to the toe and so the bone stops growing. Can anyone help me to know exactly what she has so I can her get the right support. Thanks a lot.

Could it be Buergers Disease? That apparently involves impaired blood supply to extremities.

Hi
Thanks for the reply but I don't think so as I have just looked that up and it is heavily connected to smokers, which she isn't. I have asked her to get the exact name from the Doc so will post it here when I have it.

It's avascular necrosis. At the metatarsal head it is called Freibergs infraction and at the navicular it is called Kohlers Disease. Depends on where it is as to what it is called but it is essentially avascular necrosis of the bone that was injured (blood supply gets cut off so the bone dies)

jcpelly
I think you may be right. Still waiting on official confirmation from mum, but I did look up what you say. The only things is all sites say it is typically found in young children, and so they "grow" out of it with help. Does anyone know if it can be found in adults of my mother's age? If so, her bone won't repair itslef at this age so what can she do? I think the doc is giving her a shoe "lift". Will this repair damage so she has better long term health in her foot? Appreciate any info as I'm so fed up for her since she is so active but this pain has slowed her down so much.

It can happen in adults, usually from an injury to the area that cuts off blood supply. The lift may help but if the joint is destroyed then it may only help relieve some of the pain but it won't reverse the damage. If it is the metatarsal phalangeal joint of a lesser toe, the silastic implants work very well for that situation especially in her age group as you can walk pretty much right away.

The implant you are talking about is a surgical procedure then, right? I know she would be quite scared of any surgery, so I would like to understand it better for her. If this specialist has only mentioned the lift so far, could this be for financial reasons to the hospital or because he wishes to explore less invasive measures first? She is due to go to her GP for the follow up appointment of the specialist so I would like to arm her with info so they take her in the direction she needs rather than the one that may be cheaper for them. So far she says she had several x rays at the hosiptal and there was mention of MRI but they haven't done it yet. Should she push for that, or have they seen enough from the x ray to diagnose correctly? Thank you very much for your help.

yes it would be surgery. It is appropriate to try the conservative approach first then if not helping entertain surgical options. There are a couple different type implants for the lesser metatarsal phalangeal joints. They are commonly used in the hands also.

Apologies, my mother called me today to say what she has is called FRIEBERG'S disease. Any ideas?

That is what I thought you meant, that is a form of avascular necrosis usually at the head of the 2nd metatarsal and the joint deteriorates/collapses causing significant arthritis of the joint. Trying the conservative approach first is the right call. Surgery can always be done later if it doesn't work.

Thank you very much for your help. Should she also refrain from shoe changing alot, i.e. stick to one footwear type namely sports shoe, to aid healing? By the way, are we talking healing, or just pain management with this lift device?

If the joint is already collapsed there is no healing that can happen, it will be arthritic. Now that doesn't mean it will always be painful. I have seen more than a few people with x-ray evidence of this happening in the past who have no symptoms at all. Stick to a good supportive stiff soled shoe with the lifts and wait and see what happens over time.

Thank you very much for your continued help with this matter. I'll make sure she knows.