How A Foot Surgeon Can Help You

A foot surgeon is somebody that can help a patient that is suffering from one of the many common types of foot ailments. Foot ailments are more common than a person may think, because of the sheer magnitude of the different bones, muscles and ligaments that make a foot function properly. Once the foot develops a problem, it is necessary to seek out a podiatrist in order to correct the problem. In some cases, surgical treatments are necessary to correct some of these ailments and conditions.

Thus, a surgeon can be very useful to help alleviate pain and suffering. Two common conditions that a foot surgeon can help with are bunions and hammer toes.

BUNIONS

Bunions are a bony lump that can develop on the side of the foot, or at the base of the big toe. They result because of a condition that is known as hallux valgus, which leads to the big toe bending outward and gradually becoming deformed. Over a long period of time, the big toe deformity becomes so significant that it needs correction using surgery. The surgical procedure for correcting bunions is known as an osteotomy involves straightening the big toe and metatarsals.

Sometimes, rheumatoid arthritis can cause a bunion and the patient may also develop rheumatoid nodules. These rheumatoid nodules are pea-sized lumps on pressure points, such as the joint of the big toe. We can also remove these with a surgical procedure.

In most cases, the foot surgeon should be able to perform the procedure as a day surgery, and the surgery itself usually takes about an hour. Once we complete the foot surgery, we will bandage the foot and the patient will need to wear a velcro surgical shoe for between four and six months during the recovery phase.

HAMMER TOES

Another problem that a surgeon can help a patient with is hammer toes. Much like a bunion, the hallux valgus can also cause the other toes to become clawed or permanently bent and deformed in a condition known as hammer toes. Damage caused to the foot by hammer toes can be eased by two different types of surgery.

• Arthroplasty: In an arthroplasty, the surgeon will remove the deformed joint between the toe bones and leave the joint in the condition where it is flexible.
• Arthrodesis: This is a surgery where the surgeon will fuse the phalanges together. This leaves the toes in a more stable condition, but also means that the patient will be required to wear flat shoes, exclusively, after the surgery.

With hammer toes, the procedure can be performed on a day surgery basis, and will also last about an hour. The stitches are removed within two to three weeks after the surgery, and the patient will need to get another dressing on the side of the surgery, for 2 to 6 weeks after surgery has been completed. With hammer toes, it is important to limit the amount of walking the patient does within 3 days after the surgery.