Lis franc Op number 2 - mid foot fusion

Hi, just wanted to share my story and perhaps keep the thread updated over the coming months. I would be interested to hear how others have faired in similar circumstances. When I've found and read similar, it's always helped me.

In 2008 aged 30 I had a motorbike crash where the toe peg snapped my left foot back causing the lis franc injury. This required a manipulation surgery that evening under general anaesthetic (no incisions made, they just pushed the bones back in roughly the right direction). I then waited for 2 weeks in Hospital for the bigger surgery. This required the removal of bone fragments, adding 4 plates with two screws per plate, a larger screw and then k-wires through the end of each of my toes bar my big toe (all of my toe knuckles had broken free and had turned). They said that I'd broken the lot, apart from one knuckle, my toes and ankle.

Another week in Hospital and then i left. i was told at that point that i would never run again, would likely walk with a small limp and would need foot fusion 7 years later.

I then had a cast, followed by a boot and then further surgery's to remove the longer screw and to free up my 2nd and 3rd knuckles as they had inadvertently started to join to one another.

Approximately 1 year later I started cycling and then shortly after that i started ever so slowly to run to see what was possible. Over the coming months i progressed bit by bit until I finished my first sprint triathlon, then Olympic and then after picking up and dropping triathlons, i eventually completed Ironman Wales in 2018. The price i paid was my foot would swell and ache after every run (long walk, playing golf as well) and would have to take a day off after every day that i ran.

Since that time i have spent time mostly in the gym and playing golf. I felt like I'd pushed my luck for long enough and it was hurting more and more. In 2021 I decided to start the process of getting back to the consultant to have another look at my foot and see if it now needed any further work. My foot had over the years got ever so slowly more easily aggravated, more painful. I was concerned what the next 40 years might look like if i let it continually decline, with young children and a wife that I wanted to golf and walk with

I first had to go through an orthotic insole period (which didn't help at all), followed by steroid injections to my mid foot and to my knuckles. The mid foot injection was amazing and eliminated all pain around my mid foot for 6 weeks before going back to exactly how it was before. This confirmed that further work was needed. For my toe joints they weren't able to get in-between my joints as there was too much scar tissue, and so they injected around the area, which didn't help.

I was told I'd likely wait for 2 years for an op, but only a few months later, I'm booked in for the op ..Oct 17th. The plan is to remove the plate on the top of my foot as its painful when wearing shoes. Then to remove the plate where there has been a none fusion union (i think this is what its called..part of my foot should have fused, but never did which was a big cause of my ongoing pain). They will then fuse my 4th and 5th metatarsal with a new plate and finally cut the excess bone that has caused my toe knuckles to join. I will then be back to 6 week non weight bearing, a 6 week boot and 6 months before i can swing a club again. Residual swelling for 6 to 12 months

There... that's where I'm at right now. I'm obviously apprehensive. I've been told that despite the fusion and extra rigidity, this should reduce the pain caused by my now arthritic joints rubbing against each other and shouldn't restrict me any further.

I hope this helps if anyone is in a similar spot.

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