Sesamoiditis/Sesamoid Fractures

[CTmom]

Three weeks ago I woke up with severe pain under the sesmoid bones of my right foot. The area was warm and swollen and could bear no weight. Could only walk on the outer edge of my foot. Dr. put me on anti-inflammatories and rest for a week, after which there was no improvement. Two weeks ago I went to podiatrist who took x-rays which looked normal, diagnosed me with sesmoiditis and put me in a padded cam walker and told me to continue anti-inflammatories. He also offered an injection, which I declined because I can't even touch the area and the idea of injection it scares me to death. Even the weight of blankets on the area at night aggravates the pain. I am questioning the diagnosis because I have no pain at all in the toe. I can bend and move it without aggravating the pain. The pain is completely localized to a bump over the sesmoid region. I cannot put any pressure on this area, but squeezing the foot from the sides causes no pain so the pain seems to be coming from the tissue above the bones and not the bone itself. My question is, are there any other tests I should consider at this point to determine what this is? Would an MRI be useful? How long is it reasonable to continue the cam walker (which makes walking at least possible but hasn't really improved the pain in the foot at all)? The bump is still there and well as the warmth in the area. Thank you!

[UroDoc]

A bone scan might be helpful, I would ask your doctor

[tpresti]

i have the same condition. mine has been going on for over 2 years now. i have had it. i have been to four diff doctors and they keep saying the same stuff. sesamoiditis. i've had 2 mri's and tons of exrays. i am on my 3rd pair of orthodics and still no relief. i was never put in a cam walker. the anti inflam drugs don't work well enough either. i feel your pain

[CTmom]

Oh my gosh - two years? You must be so frustrated! I don't think my doctor appreciates how debilitating this is. I can't walk at all without the cam walker. A shoe is out of the question. Cannot put any weight on the foot at all. The foot hurts all the time - even the blanket rubbing it in bed is painful. I can't drive at all because it is my right foot so I'm basically homebound except when someone can give me a ride. I have three young children who are therefore also homebound. I am a teacher and therefore can't work (or get to work). There has got to be some sort of solution for this!

Did you have a bump on the ball of your foot as well? That's where my pain is localized. I just woke up one morning with this - no injury, no new shoes, nothing. I can appreciate that some conditions take a long time to heal but so far I have seen absolutely no improvement at all and that's what has me worried.

[adelcat]

I am so frustrated with this sesmoiditis stuff !!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot find any shoes that do not kill my feet with pain. I have a very high arch and a e width shoe and square toes ( need a wide toe box) to make it worse. i am a nurse and thank god i work night shift in a small hospital.. I wear slippers because the pain is too much with any shoe. Then i am sore all over when I get off work. The antiflammitories don't work. The ortho insoles make it even worse and the dr's think i am nuts. This Sesmoiditis came out of nowhere and it is very annoying to me. How long will this condition go on? My xrays were fine and I have been to Three foot Dr's trying to find relief ? No luck and no answers. What is a Cam walker ? Cathy

[CTmom]

Well, I haven't written in awhile but I did end up having a sesamoidectomy right after Thanksgiving. I'm only four weeks post op. so I still have some swelling, numbness and pain over the incision but I think it was worth it. The surgery itself was a breeze and the three weeks on crutches went pretty fast. I really had no pain at all until I began walking again. The incision is on the bottom of my foot and is larger than I expected. I am able to drive again and can walk about a mile in a sneaker reasonably comfortably on my treadmill. Still can't wear regular shoes but that is more due to the swelling than anything else. I do have significant pain in the big toe when "pushing off" but am hoping that is due to the surgery and will resolve with time. I no longer have any pain at all in the sesamoid region. I do have some scar tissue to work on and begin physical therapy this week. Still to soon to call the surgery a complete success, but so far I have gotten my life back to some extent. Anyone else have any sesamoidectomy recovery stories to share?

[RussellJay]

Hello CTMom - I know you have not update this post in almost 2 years but I am starting to consider the surgery after 8 months of pain/sesmoiditis. On your last post, it was only 1 month since you had the surgery - so I am real anxious to know if you now consider the surgery a success?
Please let me know and thanks a lot.
-Russell A.
Long Island, NY

[janq]

[quote="CTmom"]Three weeks ago I woke up with severe pain under the sesmoid bones of my right foot. The area was warm and swollen and could bear no weight. Could only walk on the outer edge of my foot. Dr. put me on anti-inflammatories and rest for a week, after which there was no improvement. Two weeks ago I went to podiatrist who took x-rays which looked normal, diagnosed me with sesmoiditis and put me in a padded cam walker and told me to continue anti-inflammatories. He also offered an injection, which I declined because I can't even touch the area and the idea of injection it scares me to death. Even the weight of blankets on the area at night aggravates the pain. I am questioning the diagnosis because I have no pain at all in the toe. I can bend and move it without aggravating the pain. The pain is completely localized to a bump over the sesmoid region. I cannot put any pressure on this area, but squeezing the foot from the sides causes no pain so the pain seems to be coming from the tissue above the bones and not the bone itself. My question is, are there any other tests I should consider at this point to determine what this is? Would an MRI be useful? How long is it reasonable to continue the cam walker (which makes walking at least possible but hasn't really improved the pain in the foot at all)? The bump is still there and well as the warmth in the area. Thank you![/quote]
Do you see any "callus or seed corn" in the "bump"? I have been battling with what was first called a "plugged" sweat gland. Now the doc is saying it's the sesamoid bone which I'm waling on--this is very painful even to when the doc presses it. He says he can feel the sharp bone, possibly a bone spur. The fat pad is almost non-existent from years of wearing heels and standing on cement floors. In two weeks I will have surgery to plane the bone. I'm hoping this will be more successful than the various non-surgical procedures which included "shaving the callus/corn and treating with acetone, orthotics and sole pad inserts. I'm just hopeful that it won't be worse than it is now...though it can't get much worse.
Good luck with your dx.