Big Toe Woe: hallux limitus (hopefully not rigidus) and bone spur...surgery recovery and other advice?

Hi there,

I have had a gnarly bone spur in my right big toe for years, but, after a more acute injury July, it is now quite painful and a bit bigger.   It looks like I have a small plum in the joint, so no more foot modeling for me...jk.

Anyway, I am seeking care and wonder if anyone has had surgery on this issue, what type they had, and what the recovery was like. Have people been able to bounce back pretty quickly after this surgery? I am also a runner and realize i'm kind of brutalizing my toe right now. I could not walk on it well in July and have stubbornly and painfully climbing and running on it since I could bear weight on it again. I would love to hear any at home treatment and care I can do for it including different climbing shoes that could lessen the pain and worsen the issue.

Thank you for your thoughts!!

Hey Ely Ely,

Have you seen a podiatrist yet?  I'm in a very similar situation to you it sounds, very stubborn about pushing through the pain.  My podiatrist I've been seeing for a few years has been treating my hallux rigidus with cortisone injections.  1st shot kept me pain free for over a year with normal climbing and running, pain crept back, got another shot and similar results.  This last time however the pain is coming back after only a few months and my podiatrist said when that starts happening it's time to consider surgery (she's ok with 1 shot/year or a little more if its effective, but there comes a point when it just doesn't cut it anymore and too much risk/reward).  If you haven't tried that yet it could be worth it to bide some time, but obviously you'd want to consult a doctor first.  It certainly doesn't "fix" anything but can potentially keep you going at your current level for a while.  The other thing that made a major difference to me is to wear super supportive footwear, I basically live in Birkenstocks now and if I don't have them on my foot definitely bugs me significantly more.  Again, not really a cure, but another method to bide more time and slow the degradation of the joint.  This is all just my experience so far so take it with grain of salt.

On another note, also a bump to see if anyone has had recovery experience with an osteotomy procedure for hallux rigidus?  Also, curious if you've learned any more information on recovery?  Most of what I find is vague, 12 weeks til full recovery type thing, but I was hoping for a little more specific info, especially for athletes.  I'm to the point where I'm on the cusp of surgery but incredibly nervous about staying in/getting back to climbing/running form.

Thanks for your note ahparker. I am just now seeking better care for my foot. I live pretty rurally, so it take more time to get some things done. I will explore the cortisone shot idea. Thank you for that suggestion. The birkenstocks suggestion is good, too. I know I should care for my feet better and wear better shoes, but have not been really sure what that has meant.

I hope others chime in about surgery. I share your concerns. I am an athlete, too, and want to climb and run till i'm super old. Ideally, I would just kill over on in old age on a run or at the top of a cool tower. :) This foot issue biz is challenging.

Thanks again for your insights.

Hi there - I had bone spur surgery in 2020. The recovery from the surgery was pretty fast, I was 'able' to climb 6 weeks later, and the pain mostly went away (I say 'able' because even though I could, it was peak COVID and I chose not to climb for a while longer). The cortisone shots did work for me for a bit, like previous person said eventually they only lasted for a couple of months and the pain returned. I also tried PRP (platelet rich plasma) and that didn't work AT ALL. Wouldn't recommend.

Now it's 1.5 years later and the pain is back, worse than ever, and I'm exploring other surgery options (big toe fusion, implant). I'll let you know how that goes.

Good luck!

I currently suffer from this condition in both big toes.  I think I'm still at the stage called 'hallux limitus' as the joint is still moving, albeit not as much and with pain.

It seems to slowly be getting worse.  I've been advised to deal with it until it advances to the 'rigidus' stage at which I can try cortisone and eventually surgery.

Getting old is awesome.  

hotlum wrote:

I'm right there with you. I met with a Foot and Ankle specific Ortho back in 2017 and was given the same advice. Im thinking by the end of this year I will end up trying the corto for some relief. 

If you have the access/ insurance/ gumption I would suggest getting a PT to check out your walking motion to make sure your mechanics are not affecting something upstream such as knee, hip, back... I speak from experience.

Getting old is awesome lol

Thx for the advice, that's a very good idea.  I'm sure I'm fucking up my hips and knees already!

I was diagnosed with a tarsal spur (big toe joint) this week, finding this post has been super helpful!  I am wondering if anyone has any climbing/running shoe recommendations?  My podiatrist also recommended taping, but I haven't found anything particularly helpful on the internet yet.  Has anyone had any success with taping the spur?  Any taping techniques that have worked for folks?

Thanks!!