A Prospective Comparison of Clinical, Radiographic, and Intraoperative Features of Hallux Rigidus: Long-Term...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Foot and Ankle Surgery
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Hallux rigidus is a degenerative condition affecting the first metatarsophalangeal joint.
• Surgical interventions aim to alleviate pain and improve function in patients with symptomatic hallux rigidus.
• Long-term outcomes of various surgical procedures for hallux rigidus remain an area of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term subjective and objective outcomes of surgical interventions for hallux rigidus.
• To compare the effectiveness of different surgical procedure types over a 15-year follow-up period.
• To assess changes in joint function, range of motion, and radiographic parameters post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 47 patients (50 feet) with symptomatic hallux rigidus underwent surgery.
• Follow-up evaluations included subjective assessments using the modified American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery scale at 1 and 15 years.
• Objective assessments involved physical examinations and radiographic analysis, compared to preoperative and short-term data.

Main Results:

• Subjective evaluations showed a statistically significant improvement (mean increase of 27.6 points) over the long term.
• Objective physical examination and radiographic measurements yielded mixed results.
• No significant long-term increase in dorsal range of motion or first metatarsophalangeal joint function was observed across different surgical types.

Conclusions:

• Surgical intervention for hallux rigidus provides long-term subjective improvement for patients.
• The type of surgical procedure (joint preservation vs. joint destructive) did not significantly impact long-term stability or outcomes.
• Despite subjective gains, surgery for hallux rigidus does not lead to statistically significant improvements in objective measures of joint function or range of motion in the long term.