Bunion and 2nd toe - Foot Problems Message Board

Parlad · 06-23-2008, 07:00 PM

I'm relatively new to this board. I'm wondering if anyone has had both an osteotomy on the great toe as well as shortening of the second toe. My surgeon says that the disfigurement/pressure of the great toe is causing increased stress on the other toes. Additionally, the second toe is longer than the great toe and the surgeon says that it must be shortened. Is this completely unusual? It seems like many people's second toe is longer than the great toe but you don't hear much about shortening the second toe during bunion surgeries.

summerluvr · 06-23-2008, 09:11 PM

It may be because to straighten the big toe in severe bunions they remove a section of bone in the metarsal and put permanant screws in so the big toe is then a bit shorter then it was before surgery.

in my pre-op consult my Dr. looked at the length of my second toe in comparison to my big toe when talking about the procudure.

dancergal19 · 06-24-2008, 08:59 AM

I don't know if my doctor actively shortened my 2nd toe but it is definitely shorter than it was before my surgery. Make sure to ask your doctor if he will be fusing your 2nd toe so that it doesn't bend and how to prevent floppy toe. My second toe doesn't bend, either because of scar tissue or it was fused, I'm not sure. And at first it was elevated off the ground a little bit but after physical therapy and massaging the scar tissue around the toe it now rests on the ground like it should.

chic43 · 06-24-2008, 09:46 AM

Sometimes they do shorten the second toe...mine didn't. But it isn't all that unsual.

Parlad · 06-29-2008, 08:21 PM

Thanks all for your responses! Helps to know this isn't totally out there!