Hi there
Another year down the track and I am happy to report that the problem with the soreness in the adjacent Interphalangeal joint of my big toe is much, much better! However the down side is that with the improved mobility, the big toe on the other side is becoming increasingly displaced and the midfoot and arch has just recently started becoming quite painful. My husband and I are doing a 7 week trip to Europe in May this year, so I really hope that it doesn't get any worse quickly.
On the topic of footwear - my go to everyday summer sandals are Finn Comforts and Vionic Orthaheel flip flops. I wear Camper sandals (with a stiff sole and lace up tops) and Gabor sandals with a wedge for something more dressy. Having said that - I find summer much harder to deal with footwear wise than winter, where I can hide my feet in supportive shoes and boots. The fused toe foot is also a different shape to the other one (due to the surgical shortening of the metatarsal for the fusion) so strappy sandals look pretty ordinary and only come out for the warmest days!
I've come to the conclusion a lot of post op issues for me were related to nearby joints, tendons and muscles adjusting to increased workload after an MTPJ Fusion. Ever since the surgery I've been having hour long remedial massages monthly and my therapist always spends a good deal of the appointment working on my IP toe joint, heel area and achilles - I call it 'preventive maintenance'.