Midfoot Arthritis Surgery: Fusion (Arthrodesis)

Posted by RefluxGoAway @njp515, Nov 25, 2023

Has anyone had surgery for mid foot arthritis, called arthrodesis?
I've been diagnoses with Morton's Neuroma, Planovalgus deformity of foot, and Arthritis of foot and been recommended for surgery, but I hear that the recuperation/rehabilitation is very painful and long. I'm interested in the reality of the results and whether it is worth it?

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Profile picture for RefluxGoAway @njp515

I'm at the same point now where the injections are having minimal effect. Additionally, I found out that the steroid shots may (not definitely) be playing havoc with my post-menopausal hormones and causing gyne issues.

Please, please post and let us know how it goes. Or, contact me privately if you want. I have to make a decision about this, but I don't want the cure to be worse than the affliction!

Good luck.

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I personally don't know anyone that has my issue so it is nice to hear from you. I get my MRI next week for pre-surgery for the infusion. I have a 1 month follow-up to see my surgeon after the bunion surgery early April. He said he will then discuss that surgery with me and give me a date in May to have it done.
I would love to let you know how it goes. How would I contact you privately? How long have you been getting the injections in your foot. It is probably 5 yrs. or more for me. Started out 1 x yr., then 2 and now 3 times a yr.
Would be interested to know if the steroid shots are causing you gyney issue.

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Profile picture for mogator64 @mogator64

I am following this, too. I have diagnosis of mid foot arthritis right foot and have a bunion developing (are the two related). I'm going in for my 3rd xray guided injection this morning. The pain is significant and I'm extremely active so this is limiting. I'm looking for info from those who have had the fusion surgery.

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Not sure if bunion and midfoot arthritis are related. I have extremely high arches and read that can be a cause for midfoot arthritis. I'll ask my dr that. I have 2 bunions on L. foot but those don't act up like the one on R. foot I just had done. By 3rd, do you mean you get them 3 x year or it's your 3rd time to get them done. I've been getting guided ultrasound for over 5 yrs. It is limiting with this condition. I can't even bend my feet and it is hard to walk.

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Profile picture for lisacgub @lisacgub

I had a midfoot fusion along with bunion repair Nov 2023. I am still struggling with foot soreness with walking. I do walk 2 miles most days. I cannot walk barefoot at all. I just want the soreness to go away. The surgeon says the foot is fused. I want to hear from someone else that has had the surgery and the outcome.

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Hello, I came across your comment regarding inability to walk barefoot and was wondering if there has been improvement?? I had midfoot fusion for bunion, 2nd and 5th metatarsal osteotomy on 1/20/25. I am very concerned about how it feels to walk barefoot and wondering if and when it will get better. My foot is very stiff and I've had tendonitis issues from the surgery. It's getting better but very slow progress. I hope yours has improved.

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The pain has gotten better. I do go barefoot in the house but I walk better if I have shoes on. I wear my Skechers slip ons in the house. I have more supportive sneakers I wear outside. I had this surgery at 62 and I am now 64. I thought I would be significantly better after this surgery but the pain I had prior to surgery was replaced with a different pain/soreness. It has gotten better but just now at 1 year and 8 months post surgery. Like I said, I try to walk at least 5 days a week about 2 miles. Maybe once I hit the 2 year mark, it will be better. Yes it has been veryyyyyy slow.

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Profile picture for lisacgub @lisacgub

The pain has gotten better. I do go barefoot in the house but I walk better if I have shoes on. I wear my Skechers slip ons in the house. I have more supportive sneakers I wear outside. I had this surgery at 62 and I am now 64. I thought I would be significantly better after this surgery but the pain I had prior to surgery was replaced with a different pain/soreness. It has gotten better but just now at 1 year and 8 months post surgery. Like I said, I try to walk at least 5 days a week about 2 miles. Maybe once I hit the 2 year mark, it will be better. Yes it has been veryyyyyy slow.

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I am 63 and only 6 months out of surgery. I was very active and am regretting this surgery. I hope you continue to improve.

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Thank you all for your honest feedback. I was scheduled to have the surgery, then chickened out, then re-considered and found out I had endometrial cancer, so I ultimately didn't go through with it. I would like to know if steroid shots in the feet helped you at all, and if so whether they worked just as well as the surgery has so far?

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I'm 68 with RA & a few other things as well. I had 3 different docs recommended the triple arthrodesis (fusion), for midfoot collapse due to the RA. I apparently have multiple tendon years as well, which I was told are common in RA. My son in law is a DPT at Hopkins and he is familiar with all of these types of issues in the practice of PT. He said not to have the surgery. It's a terrible year long recovery, no guarantee it's going to eliminate the pain and then the ankle is fused and that's the end of that. He felt that the better answer for me was an "Arizona" brace. It's custom made, by folks who make prosthetics & such. I'm so glad I listened to him! A brace is cumbersome to an extent, because you have to wear it, but I swear with this brace and weekly acupuncture, my foot feels so much better. It's a real shame when your feet go bad, but so important to try to stay mobile.

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Profile picture for RefluxGoAway @njp515

Thank you all for your honest feedback. I was scheduled to have the surgery, then chickened out, then re-considered and found out I had endometrial cancer, so I ultimately didn't go through with it. I would like to know if steroid shots in the feet helped you at all, and if so whether they worked just as well as the surgery has so far?

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The steriod injections worked very well for me and I did that for approximately 5 to 6 years but eventually steroids will ruin your bones. The doctor told me I couldn't keep doing them or he wouldn't be able to fix my foot.

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Profile picture for rdf56 @rdf56

I'm 68 with RA & a few other things as well. I had 3 different docs recommended the triple arthrodesis (fusion), for midfoot collapse due to the RA. I apparently have multiple tendon years as well, which I was told are common in RA. My son in law is a DPT at Hopkins and he is familiar with all of these types of issues in the practice of PT. He said not to have the surgery. It's a terrible year long recovery, no guarantee it's going to eliminate the pain and then the ankle is fused and that's the end of that. He felt that the better answer for me was an "Arizona" brace. It's custom made, by folks who make prosthetics & such. I'm so glad I listened to him! A brace is cumbersome to an extent, because you have to wear it, but I swear with this brace and weekly acupuncture, my foot feels so much better. It's a real shame when your feet go bad, but so important to try to stay mobile.

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It's midfoot which is the top of your foot which is what I had. Then you mentioned ankle fusion which is not the same thing

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Profile picture for lisawie @lisawie

I am 63 and only 6 months out of surgery. I was very active and am regretting this surgery. I hope you continue to improve.

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I have often felt regret to myself as the surgery recovery has not been easy and I was very unaware that this would be this big of an issue. I have had hip replacement and was very active after that. I'm very disappointed in how the recovery has gone but hoping now that I only have another 4 months until I will be at 2 years that I will continue to show improvement. I hope that you too will start to improve. I just had no idea it would take this long and if I had known I don't know that I would have had the surgery

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