The influence of personality traits on the subjective outcome of operative hallux valgus correction

We studied prospectively the influence of personality traits on the subjective outcome of a chevron osteotomy in 42 patients with hallux valgus. The mean age of patients was 48.3 (20–70) years. Personality traits were evaluated by the means of the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-R). Three months postoperatively 37 patients were satisfied, and five patients not satisfied with the operative procedure. The preoperative AOFAS Score improved from an average of 48.7 (30–65) points to 87.9 (50–100) points. A comparison of satisfied and dissatisfied patients revealed statistically significant differences in the personality traits aggressiveness (p=0.003), extraversion (p=0.001) and health worries (p=0.04). The postoperative hallux valgus angle was 12.2±7.8° and 13.4±8.3° (p=0.74) among satisfied and not satisfied patients, respectively, and the intermetatarsal angle (I–II) was 7.4±2.5° and 7.6±4° (p=0.89), respectively. The results suggest that the patient’s subjective result after the operative correction may be influenced by some individual, personality profiles.