Toe Fused - Foot Problems Message Board

jmullahy · 10-01-2004, 03:32 PM

Well I finally had my big toe fused after a failed implant erroded much of the metatarsal area. I had a bone graft from my tibia, just above the ankle. The doctor had to use 4 removable pins as there was no room for screws. So now its a cast for 8 weeks followed by a walking boot.

I feel relieved to get it done, but being 43, its a lot of work being in the cast and it weighs around 3-4 pounds. I never reliazed just how restricted one can be.

I'm curious what people did for exercise while in the cast so not to have too much muscle atrophy, especially in the cast leg. I've been doing straight leg raises, but couldn't think of anything else, specifically for that leg.

Thanks for all the past information. This board is the best!!

Jim

eko · 10-01-2004, 03:57 PM

So you went for it ... I find it kind of interesting that they did the bone graph from your tibia, usually hear of being done from the hip. What was the reason for the decision? Just curious.

I can't think of many exercises you can do in a cast, especially for the calf. You didn't say of you are weight bearing or not.

Well, I hope all goes well. Take good care - eko

atsim · 10-01-2004, 05:20 PM

HI Jim,
Welcome to the "fused toe club"...I hope you pain is tolerable at this point. I am 8 weeks post op and just had my NWB cast removed last Monday.

While in the cast, I did Pilates mat exercises almost every day. You can probably get a tape from the library. Pilates was designed by a physician (Dr Pilates) to help people maintain their core muscle strength while bed ridden or incapacitated. It helped me feel as if I was not losing strength. The exercises look funny and friends and family may laugh but...who cares.

I also dragged myself up and down the stairs in my house...sitting on my butt and pulling myself up with my arms and upper body behind me. Frankly that plus the exercises, plus dragging the cast helped me feel like I was doing ok.

As far as your leg losing muscle mass, that's inevitable if you're non weight bearing. My leg lost about a third of it's size but when the Physical therapist tested my strength last night he said it was still really good and should come back in about a month.

so I hope that gives you some thoughts...good luck,
Tina

jdm · 10-02-2004, 02:05 PM

Jim,
I have to agree with the other posters. The leg lifts are good too becuase that can help porevent clots. I found that once I came out of the cast my muscle tone improved quickly.

Good luck on your recovery.

jdm

What kind of dr. did your surgery? If my podiatrist had done my surgery, I would have had to have had the bone graft from my ankle, but since an OS did my surgery, the graft came from my hip.

jmullahy · 10-02-2004, 06:59 PM

I had seen many podiatrist over the years and just lost faith in them. This is unfortunately my 8th surgery (5th in the past 3 years) on my toe from a botched Keller bunionectomy that was performed on me when I was 18. Over the past couple of years I visited roughly 12 podiatrists in the Boston area and while most recommended surgery, the surgeries all differed; so it seemed like a business in that each was selling me their service. I also had seen podiatrists who gave me the polite blow off. One actually gave me Biofreeze (Bengay) to put on and said come back in 2 months if it still hurts. Additionally, it seemed that each surgery performed by one of the podiatrists led to other complications. I'm not trying to denegrate podiatrists, I just had bad luck with the ones I chose.

Anyways, I decided to go a local hospital's Orthorpedic Foot and Ankle clinic, and met the chief of surgery who told me what she thought, and since she no longer performed surgeries herself, gave me a couple of recommendations. She told me if I didn't use those recommendations to make sure that the Orthopedic doctor was a foot and ankle specialist.

I used one of her recommendations. From all my presurgery visits, he just blows away any podiatrists I've ever seen, and I've seen basically every named one in the area.

As far as the bone graft goes, in reviewing my history with the doctor and expressing my concerns about opening a new area (hip) to problems was not something I really wanted to do. He told me that he could easily take it from my tibia above the ankle or close to the knee, I chose the ankle, figuring the areas of pain would be close to each other. I'm actually glad I did, I can't feel the ankle bone work, I only feel the stitches, which are a little tight.

Sorry for the long winded answer.

Thanks everyone for the info.

Jim

they all had they're on take on what surgery to perform. it seemed

I went to Orthopedic Foot and Ankle specialist that was