subtalar implants (mba or hyprocure)

Dear Shins Hurt. I was curious if you had any responses on your comment? I seem to be experiencing similar problems and just discovered the possibility of the hyprocure implant. I was curious what your thoughts on the matter were?

I don't think these are compatible with running.

I realize this thread is fairly old but I thought I'd respond as I have a Hyprocure implant in my right ankle.

Brief story, been running for years but had developed a lot of pain in my right heel that appeared to be plantar fasciitis. I saw multiple podiatrists and an orthopedic surgeon. I had multiple cordizone injections, everyday and running custom orthotics, rest, stretching, icing, you name it.

Had the Hyprocure implanted February 2008 and am now able to run 3 1/2 miles by September as the recovery took a while. My right foot (with the implant does pretty well as I don't get the heel pain though I do occasionally get discomfort that is similar to an ankle sprain (one of the know possible side effects though it's not bad).

Unfortunately, as I've ramped up my running I'm now having heel pain in my left foot and have started to think about getting the implant in that foot as well.

Both my feet used to hyperpronate with my heel rolling inwards. The implant cured my right foot of this problem.

Obviously we all could have different outcomes but I'm fairly happy with my result so far. I'm not 100% back and I don't really expect to ever be but my right foot is much better than it has been in a very long time.

Like I said, recovery was slow but I was only using crutches for 5 days then I was walking on it though the first few days it would be better to say I was hobbling and holding onto walls and anything else I could lean against.

I hope this helps.

As a serious runner, I would get a second opinion unless you really trust your ortho. Some of them are definitely meatheads. There are guys in my class going into ortho that drank muscle milk during class. Sometimes a great result for an old lady is a terrible one for a guy who wants to run 100miles a week.

As I mentioned I had seen multiple podiatrists as well as a very respected Orthopedic Surgeon.

The meeting with the ortho was very interesting as he didn't do the procedure but we did talk about it and about hyperpronation in general. He didn't exactly recommend the insert but in his opinion one of it's biggest advantages is they can take it back out and hopefully you'll be no worse for the wear.

I was concerned mostly about the cutting of the ligaments in the sinus tarsi and weakening of the structure of the ankle. The ortho really wasn't concerned about that at all. The ortho had done plantar fasciia releases in the past but did not have good results and no longer does that. He has in the past refered patients to a local podiatrist for that treatment if they really wanted it.

Anyway, a person certainly has to do due diligence on anything like this and not take the advice of some stranger on the internet.

The thing to keep in mind with this insert is that it's there to realign things and isn't something that is supposed to be weight bearing. It's there to force the sinus tarsi into a more normal position instead of having it collapse which was happening with me.

I'm rambing and I have no idea what will happen as I continue to add on the miles. Though where I was even running what I do now was not possible. So I'm much better off that I've been for years so for me running 3 1/2 miles basically pain free in that foot is a HUGE improvement.

Hi,

I have MBA impants put in by Dr. Ferragamo in Davis, CA. I have them in both ankles and have had them for about one year. It took three to four months and some physical therapy to completely adjust, but that's nothing really.

I think it's the best thing I ever did. Nothing else worked for me. Chronic tendonitis, bursitis, shin splints, metatarsalgia, etc.. and blah blah blah. The MBA's pretty much solved it all. It took a while for the tendons in my right leg to adjust and for a while I wish I had had the achilles lengthening my doctor recommended and I rejected, but over time the tendons/muscles have adjusted/ lengthened with physical therapy/pnf stretches.

I experience occasional sporadic 'twinges' and soreness, but it's nothing like not being able to walk and at worst a few minutes of ice at the end of the day solves the problem. And yes, I can run if I want to, but it's not my cup of tea.

I would absolutely recommend it.

I had an arthroesis put in my left foot to protect a spring ligament reconstruction. Ended up running on it for several months. My high mileage month was around 90. I had the thing removed in December. I am in the process of building back up to where I was and beyond. Running on that thing felt so unnatural; otherwise, I would have left it in.

First I would recommend making sure the doctor you select has experience in both procedures as they may bare the same procedural name, "subtalar joint arthroeresis" the MBA and HyProCure are not the same animal. The MBA along with its siblings (Conical, STJ, STA-Peg, Valenti, Kalix, etc.) are first generation implants and have a different mechanism of action than does the 2nd generation implant, the HyProCure. The placement of the implant is different than the 1st generations. Unlike the 1st generations, it functions more as a "shear pin" with no axial weightbearing on the implant. The 1st generation implants have a "doorstop" effect and the weight goes directly on the implant. This has given the procedure a bad name amongst adults. Kids do not seem to complain much, but adults have as much as a 40% failure rate secondary to pain or failure to correct the deformity all together. On the other hand, the HyProCure is currently under study and preliminary data shows about a 5% reversal rate. Interestingly, that is amongst adults and children. Also, because the implant functions in a different position and manner, the implant has far more indications/applications for treatment of lower extremity problems. Has it been used in runners? Its manufacture "Gramedica" lays claim to having repeated success in use with marathon runners. Speaking from experience, the biggest thing I would recommend is make sure your surgeon is aware of these things, and if they are not, I would look for someone who does.

Did you ever have this done? How did it go?

Anyone who got these implants want to give a long term followup on how the running is going?