Freiberg’s disease is a problem that involves damage to the blood supply of a metatarsal head, most commonly the second. It is more common in females than males. The classic feature of the condition is a flattening of the metatarsal head seen on x-ray.
Freiberg’s disease is quite variable in how it progresses and how individuals respond to treatment and recover from it. There is usually an initial 4-6 weeks that is often needed in a walking brace with reduced activity levels. Some people can gradually and slowly return to activity after that. Others need up to a year or 2 for the bone’s blood supply to be restored and the bone remodeled. Some never recover with surgery.
It really is hard to say how long it takes for Freiberg’s disease to get better as its so variable. After that initial 4-6 weeks, it is often easier then to get a better idea of how the problem is going to track and what the prognosis is more likely to be.
