Has anyone had a sesamoidectomy (sesamoid removed)?

I cant speak for others who got sesamoid surgery, but I think it is dependent on your surgen and how they plan to extract your broken sesamoid. I was a college runner when I fractured my medial sesamoid. For mine they cut into the side of my foot and cut the broken bone out. I was in a splint with crutches for 10 days, and a boot for 2 weeks, upon getting my stitches out when i got the boot off I could begin using the elliptical and even try jogging in small amounts. Yes, there is some slight discomfort where the stitches were at but the pain I experienced under my big toe is gone. My doctor was phenomenal. So, sometimes before completely regect the idea, research podiatrists! For me, it was worth it. I made a super quick recovery. It also helped that when I was home I didn't wear my boot to give my foot some mobility and time to not become locked up.

Just had my fibular sesamoid removed on my right foot two weeks ago - stitches coming out this Friday! This surgery has been around seven years in the making:

I ran long distance track throughout high school and about a year in, a chronic pain in my foot while walking/running brought me to a specialist in 2007 who looked at x-rays and said based on scar tissue the bone had been broken into roughly three pieces for around a year; to this day I still have no idea how I managed that.

Fast forward through 3 months of a walking boot and around a year of on and off icing, rest, and various custom shoe inserts.

Because I had been unknowingly compensating for the pain by walking/running on the outside of my right foot, I tore a minor ligament on the outside of my right knee around 2008/2009. Kept running. Developed severe tendinitis in both feet during this time and suffered through ridiculous plantar fasciitis in my left foot, likely because of how off my gait was at this point.

By the end of high school I had stopped running and the pain subsided, I went on with my life. In college I picked up running again in my free time and abruptly overdid it and developed what my doctor jokingly called "raging tendinitis" in my right hip. After one session of PT where I was told that, "Some people just aren't built to be active," I figured I was on my own.

This led to a myriad of desperate measures to relieve the pain in my hip during passive activities like standing or sitting, let alone walking or running - excessive icing (I rigged up a little harness to hold a gel ice pack to my hip so I could still move around while at home) and at a different doctor's suggestion, 900mg of ibuprofen 3x a day for the better part of a summer, various taping techniques, supplements, dietary changes, chiropractic appointments, massage, etc. When it got to the point where walking became difficult I got a steroid injection in my hip, which worked well to relieve the pain for about a year. Still using ice, ibuprofen, shoe inserts at this point, and I had slowly given up on running.

When the steroid injection began to wear off, pain came back in my hip and foot all at once, and I went back to my original doctor from high school, who took one look at new x-rays and we decided the only option was to take the bone out since every conservative option had failed. After the surgery, he said the fibular sesamoid was 3x the size of the other one, cartilage all but gone and the bone was beginning to erode.

For me, the decision to get the surgery was a no brainer after so many years of chronic pain - at 21 years old, I'd prefer it if I could walk across a parking lot without stopping to lean on a stranger's car to give my screaming hip a break. As my doctor put it: even if the surgery didn't work, I'd be dealing with pain management for the rest of my life. In my case, a sesamoidectomy at least gives me a shot at less pain.

After the stitches come out this week, my goal is to slowly correct my gait and maybe after a year or so resume light running and work from there. And as soon as I can put decent pressure on my foot again there's always cycling, rock climbing (that might be wishful thinking at work, but we'll see), and horseback riding (no stirrups, of course) to stay active. I've also been told swimming is great to stay busy/in shape while I build up strength again, so maybe I'll try that out.

For anyone at the beginning stages of a sesamoid problem, my advice is to treat it like a broken limb. None of this "light activity" or "supportive shoe insert" nonsense. If you're serious about getting back in the game without chronic issues and pain, just stay off your foot and let it heal COMPLETELY, then slowly work back up to your normal levels of exercise. If you must use your injured foot, I found that a combination of ice, ibuprofen, and selective athletic taping of your foot along with a support shoe works best to manage pain. Best of luck to anyone who finds themselves with a sesamoid issue - it's a long road without much in the way of effective treatment.

hey I am planning on having a tibial (medial) sesamoidectomy soon, I would appreciate it if someone that has gone through this surgery can advise if it is worth it in the long run. Are you guys pain free now and can play high impact sports? Thanks!

I had my medial sesamoid removed in my early 20's. It had broken and healed with a ridge around it. Still painful three years later i had the lateral sesamoid removed and big toe shortened. The 2nd sesamoid moved from it's normal spot in my foot and my joint in the ball of my foot kept jamming & arthritis set in. A nightmare? Yep. I started with lower back problems and it took years to get a medical professional to agree that my gait had changed. My priformis on the side of my surgery goes into spasm and pulls at my si joint and pushes at the sciatic nerve. I'VE just finished physical therapy to strengthen all muscles involved and am hoping for a good result. Good luck. My story isn't the norm but people should be aware that the surgery can bring on other troubles. I had to have the surgery but wish i knew what may happen so i could have worked to keep things from getting so bad. If anyone has knowledge of a shoe insert that would actually be of help, i would appreciate the info.

Hi, Susie, our experiences are fairly similar in that, after a sesamoidectomy/bunionectomy/second toe fusion, I am having trouble dealing with how things have "shifted" in my foot and entire body... I had my surgery back in April of 2013. I do not yet have back issues, but I have to do tons of foam rolling, stretching, and Pilates/yoga exercises to keep things limber... That said, I still have pain in the ball of my foot, due to how I now walk without the tibial sesamoid--and due to high arches. I have done EVERYTHING--PT, orthotics, TENS machines, meds/supplements, nerve blocks, you name it. I live my life--walking uphill is easier, so I tend to like hiking, though obviously, that can bring on horrible "flares" of pain if I am not careful or overdo. I do a lot of upper body and core workouts still, and use a stationary bike and rowing machine. When the pain really sets in, it can be distracting--even when I'm sitting at work or resting in bed (a combo of bone-like pain and nerve pain). I definitely have some nerve damage, perhaps due to the other procedure I had last March to have hardware removed from the bunionectomy... Fun combo of issues!

I wish I had known more back in the day--and that my surgeon had informed me better!--about how many complications could occur after a sesamoidectomy, esp. since I had three procedures done simultaneously... He was very nonchalant, saying that "some people" have issues "running" after a sesmoidectomy, or develop transfer metatarsalgia. I wish that was all I had developed! My first metatarsal head DEFINITELY takes most of the pressure, and I developed a bone contusion last summer due to how I was walking, and I ended up back in a CAM boot for a couple of months. I hardly have a fat pad left in my foot, due to all the cortisone injections I had leading up to surgery... I have excessive scar tissue internally--it's not visible externally, but it is how my body reacts to injury--so I know that causes pain and sensitivity as well...

It's helpful to hear stories from others who are enduring chronic pain/complications, as there is SO little info. out there about this procedure! Please feel free to write to me if you'd like--having a support system is so helpful for all of us! Good luck with your PT!

Sadly I'm going through the same thing right now, 16 years old. At the last step where I treat it like an "egg" haha I really don't want to remove it after reading this but it's unavoidable and I guess it'll be better after surgery instead of healing the "partly dead" sesamoid bone, it could be weaker if it heals and it could break again I just am scared I won't be able to run as fluidly but we'll see. Thanks for the info I guess sorry for anyone who has to go through this.

Bumping again as I've been suffering from this in both feet. I had PRP which seemed to help initially but things have deteriorated again. I can't afford a second PRP shot.

I went to a foot surgeon earlier this year.but he was dismissive, just pointing out some metasarsalgia that was fixed through PRP, which is why I was so confident it would help this time.

If anyone knows a foot surgeon in New York who is a runner or specializes in working with runners please let me know.

I don't know anyone in NY, but I just wanted to let you know that close to 2 years post-op my injury is still gone. Surgery left me unable to do planks or push-ups on my toes, but that's about it.

If only my other injuries stayed away...

Good luck!

Without my knowledge the sesamoid was removed from both feet while undergoing extensive bunion and hammertoe surgeries. The complications have been horrific. DON'T DO IT. I had a podiatrist doing my surgery...I know, a big mistake. The orthopedic surgeon I have consulted with since, was stunned that it was removed. He was stunned at quite a lot that was done to my feet....most of which has failed. I have severe nerve damage, swelling 2 years post-op that will never go down and pain that is horrible. Sleeping is next to impossible as the weight of sheets on my feet is painful. Sorry I did this!!!

I am going through the exact same thing except it's only been going on for 6 months this without healing. And it's a fractured Sesemiod in both feet. I'm now on a boot on each foot but even my doctors lost on how I can take pressure off it.

I had a tibial sesamoidectomy on 04NOV2015. So far so good. The incision was a bit bigger than normal due to all the scar tissue that had to be removed. I broke the sesamoid bone in OCT 2013. Tried everything to calm down the the inflammation but NOTHING worked. I am swimming and biking and lifting without any issues. Have not run yet but will start the beginning of February. I was worried about having the surgery after reading blog posts but I'm glad I did. The one thing I would recommend after the surgery is icing. I iced for 20 minutes every hour and even at night for the first 5 days then at least 5 x per day for the following 5. I think that helped quite a bit to recover faster.

Hello Sesamoidectomy experient,

Now that's its been a while since your surgery, can you give an update.

Who has your revocery played out?

I found your comments to be very helpful.

Hello ladyoracle26,

I would love to talk with you via e mail! I had a similar situation to yours and think having a support system would positive for both of us!

THIS FORUM HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INPUT. THREE YEARS AGO I BEGAN AN INTENSE FIRE ACADEMY AND MID WAY STARTED FEELING INTENSE PAIN TO MY BIG TOE, GOT DIAGNOSED WITH PLANTAR FASCITIS, HE DID NOTICE A SLIGHT LINE DISCOLORATION ON MY TIBIAL SESAMOID BONE BUT HE STATED IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. WITH STEROID SHOTS EVERY 6 MONTHS, ICE AND ORTHOTICS, THE PAIN WAS MANAGEABLE FOR MOST OF THE TIME AS LONG AS I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING PHYSCIAL THAT PUT PRESSURE. BUT THE PAIN SEEMED TO PERSIST AND BECOME MORE FREQUENT SO I WENT FOR A SECOND OPINION. SAW A HUGE CRACK IN MY TIBIAL SESAMOID BONE AND QUICKLY RECOMENDED SESAMOIDECTOMY.

MY CONCERN I'M FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC FOR A LARGE METROPOLITAN DEPARTMENT AND HAVE VERY PHYSCICAL JOB. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE A FOUR MONTH RECOVERY TIME, AND I PROBABLY REALISTICLYONLY HAVE TWO MONTHS OF SICK TIME BEFORE THEY PUT ME FOR LIGHT DUTY WHICH IM TRYING TO AVOID. I'VE BEEN READING WHERE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AFTER 6 WEEKS, OTHERS 3 MONTHS. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE HEALING PROCESS TIMEFRAME POST SURGERY.

THANKS DAVE

Sesamoidectomy experient -

What procedural technique did you have done?? The first surgeon told me he had to go through the plantar pad and then repair it after removing the sesamoid, which would put me 6 weeks non weight bearing. The second guy told me he could avoid that by going in from the side of the toe. Just curious because I'd like the last recovery time possible. Been dealing with it for 1.5 years now, and I can tell I'm compensating with my gait and causing other issues, so I'm definitely getting surgery

Hi everyone. This forum has been so helpful. I have been recovering from a broken sesamoid bone since November of 2015. I was in a CAM boot for 6 months, stayed off my feet for two of those months, had 2 cortisone injections, the PRP procedure last June of 2016, been through physical therapy, used a bone fusing machine an hour per day for 6 months, and I'm still in pain. It's better than it was, but I'm not back to my normal self. I haven't been able to run or jump; I'm not able to do any impact. My doctor wants to remove the sesamoid bone. I can't decide what to do. More than anything, I want to be able to run, jump, do lunges, push-ups, you name it. It has been 15 long months. Please help!

Hi everyone. This forum has been so helpful. I have been recovering from a broken sesamoid bone since November of 2015. I was in a CAM boot for 6 months, stayed off my feet for two of those months, had 2 cortisone injections, the PRP procedure last June of 2016, been through physical therapy, used a bone fusing machine an hour per day for 6 months, and I'm still in pain. It's better than it was, but I'm not back to my normal self. I haven't been able to run or jump; I'm not able to do any impact. My doctor wants to remove the sesamoid bone. I can't decide what to do. More than anything, I want to be able to run, jump, do lunges, push-ups, you name it. It has been 15 long months. Please help!

Hi - I had a medial sesamoidectomy on May 8, 2017. I originally injured my foot in October 2016, not knowing what it was and ignoring it, until I couldn't wear a shoe or put pressure on my foot. Finally found that it was a stress fracture from my podiatrist. This was caused from cross fit / boot camp activities. At Dr's orders, I rested foot for about 2 months, not getting involved in any cross fit. When it started to feel better, I slowly introduced physical activity back into my routine and things were going pretty well for about a month. Then I got over complicated and started back up with jumping squats and so forth, and immediately regretted it and felt the pain creep back in...pain did not get as bad a previous, but tried resting it again, but this time their was no reprieve from the pain. Seven months later, got an x-ray and learned that the stress fracture was still present with no healing. At this point, my doctor recommended surgery. Went for a second opinion and the decision for surgery was solidified. Approx 10 days in now, and jury is still out...I can tell you what to expect, and hope to return here to provide an update in a few weeks.

1. worst part of surgery was the IV, everything else was easy :). Surgery lasted inside 45 mins

2. Coming home (from surgery center) was fine, because foot was very numb from pain killers given for procedure. Was given a post op boot and instructed to walk only with this with no crutches. There was a bandage and an ace bandage wrapped around my foot. the incision was on the inside of my left foot, as a FYI.

3. the pain - ok so, I started taking percocets as prescribed, and did not like them at all. couldn't really think straight and stopped after two days. they did take the edge of the pain off a bit, but wasn't worth it for not being lucid. First two days, was basically immobile with exception of going to the bathroom. pain was pretty uncomfortable. had trouble sleeping at night and would wake up when I did with pain. days 3 -5 pain still there, and while not very mobile, was able to start back to working from home, in limited pockets as perc effect started to wear off. went to dr on Friday (surgery on Monday) and he removed dressing/bandages and it was the first time I saw the stitches / incision. looked "good". dr encouraged me to walk around at least once an hour for 20 mins or so and keep foot raised all other times. key points here - ice for first 2 - 3 days, and keep elevated when not using.

4. in day 10 and more mobile, but pain is definitely annoying, though I don't have to cringe as much when I have to get up to make a run to the BR. been taking 2 advils dosages 2-3 times per day to manage pain and I can clearly tell when the effect runs its course. getting stitches removed in less than a week, which is next milestone. my hope is to be in a shoe before 4-weeks and be able to be physically active within 6-8 weeks. hope to revisit this page as an update to give an actual sense for "was it worth it" but wanted to share this info for the moment...hope it helps.

Hi - I wanted to see how you were doing since your surgery? Did you have a block in your foot before surgery? Did you have general anesthesia too? Also did you have to have a bone scan? My x-ray didn't show anything and the MRI showed there was fluid. I was told I have sesmoiditis. Did you have to be completely non weight bearing during recovery and were you in a post op shoe or boot? What was your surgeon's name and was he a podiatrist or foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon? How painful was the surgery? I can't take any narcotics because they bother my stomach so bad so I could only take Tylenol or Advil if I have the surgery. Thanks so much for the info.