Hows it going doc, have not been on here in awhile but had some questions for ya. If you dont remember me about 9 months ago i dropped a 50 pound dumbell on my foot and shattered my toe and the big joint behind the 1st metaparsal. The doc said i would probably develope arthritis in the joint later on. I have been hoping it would get better but it seems to be getting worse, there is a lot of pain still in the joint when i walk and espesially when i do other activities sports. i am only 24. I cannot move the joint at all. it is completly stiff. even when i try and move it with my hand. I was reading some other topics and noticed one on hallux rigidus, and it sounds exactly like my symptoms exactly. I was wondering your thoughts or anyone who has had this happen.
thanks all

oh yeah i have a appointment with the podiatrist next week

Hi. Sure, I remember.

I think you're right on target with your diagnosis.

For the short term, you might want to consider a turf toe plate to limit the motion of the joint. A T-strap might also be a help.

Let me know how you fare with the podiatrists visit.

Jeff

I went to the doc today and i was right with my diagnosis. He said i was awful young to have it already but it was a result of the injury. He said i had a couple of options i could go with the fusion of the joint or a replacement but since i am so young and active he would recomend the fusion. He said we would talk about that more later but right now he was concerned about something called AVN, something about the blood flow in the bone. Something about the was the x-ray looked. He sent me to get a mri and said he would call me when he gets the results. What is avn and what are the treatments.
thanks

Howdy,

I figured that was going to happen, but boy it sure didn't take long, eh?

AVN is possible but not all that likely in the area where you had your injury. It really depends upon the extent of the injury and and the possible damage to the vascular inflow to the first met.

I'd opt for the implant over the fusion. I just have a hard time with that stiff toe for the rest of your life. Too young for an implant? No, if the implant fail (which is unlikely) just pop another one in.

Jeff