Private big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus) surgery cost in the UK: 2026 price guide

Private surgery for big toe arthritis either trims bone spurs to free movement (cheilectomy) or fuses the joint to remove painful movement, and is chosen when pain on walking continues despite footwear changes and injections.

The range in the published self-pay lists for big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus) surgery was £3,858 to £5,890. That spread reflects different hospitals, different variants and different ideas of what belongs in a package, so the table names each one.

Lists are revised from time to time and sit alongside conditions in the small print. The figures help you see where a quote falls, but they cannot replace your own estimate.

In a cheilectomy the surgeon removes bone spurs from the top of the joint to restore movement. In a fusion the joint surfaces are prepared and held together with a plate or screws so that they heal as one.

Which operation suits depends on the severity of arthritis. Ask why the surgeon recommends one over the other and how the price would change if the plan changes.

Two patients having the same operation or test can receive quite different bills. For big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus) surgery, these are the factors that most often explain the gap.

• Choice of operation: The Cherwell lists a cheilectomy at £4,090 and a fusion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint at £5,890, so fusion costs more.

• Fixation: fusion needs plates or screws.

• Hospital fees and anaesthetic type.

• Pre-operative X-rays or scans.

• Alternative metatarsal procedures, such as an osteotomy, which Edinburgh lists at £3,858 for one foot.

Ask for the inclusions in writing. For this procedure the usual split between what is covered and what is charged on top looks like this.

Insurers usually cover surgery for painful big toe arthritis after non-operative treatment, with authorisation.

Check whether your insurer recognises the exact procedure and the consultant you plan to see, and ask for any excess in writing. Self-funders can usually ask about finance, but terms depend on credit checks and should be read closely.

NHS options include injections and surgery in selected people, with waits varying by service.

Many people consider private care because of NHS waiting times, but the NHS route costs nothing at the point of use and the 18-week standard applies to non-urgent consultant-led pathways. Local performance varies.

You walk in a protective shoe, and fusion needs several weeks of limited weight-bearing, with time off work depending on your job.

The risks below are the ones that can turn a quoted price into a larger bill, so ask how each would be dealt with.

• Fusion removes movement at the joint, and non-union or lasting stiffness can happen; ask what the plan is if the joint does not heal.

• Cheilectomy relieves pain in many but arthritis can progress, with a later fusion needed.

Write the answers down as you go. These are the questions that tend to separate similar-looking quotes for this procedure.

• Which operation is quoted and why?

• Is fixation included?

• What if the plan changes during surgery?

• What footwear and activity changes will I need?

• Is every fee in the quote guaranteed, or could consultant and anaesthetist charges differ from the estimate on the day?