Wednesday's Article of the Week: Possible Future of Synthetic Cartilage Injections in the Big Toe Joint for Hallux Limitus/Rigidus

The article below discusses the complex world of research around Synthetic Cartilage injections for Hallux Limitus/Rigidus. Every Podiatrist is waiting anxiously for approval of a synthetic substance to act like a new cartilage pillow within the big toe joint when injured. In this proposed study, intra-articular Hyaluronan (Synvisc) would be injected into every other patient and sterile saline (salt water) into the other 50%. Everything else would be equal. It would be the only treatment for a 6 month period. Patients would be evaluated many ways:

• pain levels
• function levels
• pain with walking and at rest
• amount of stiffness in the big toe joint
• amount of measured big toe joint dorsiflexion
• plantarflexion strength across the big toe joint
• global satisfaction to treatment
• overall health related quality of life
• magnitude of symptom changes throughout the day
• use of pain relieving medications
• changes in measured pressures in walking of the ball of the foot

Data will be collected at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months

Up to 3 shots will be given each patient based on symptom relief

Data will be analyzed using the Intent to Treat Principle and other common forms of objective testing.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2636797/?report=classic

Dancer's Pads used to off weight Hallux Limitus/Rigidus when it is sore to put weight on the big toe joint.