Your feet take you everywhere you want to go. You could be on a leisurely walk down your favorite public garden path, or running along the shore for your daily morning jog with your pooch, or picking your way up the steep trails of some of the stateliest mountains on the planet at any given moment, and you may hardly give a thought to the important parts of your body that enable you to do all of these things (and so much more).
For many people, waking up in the morning, swinging their legs down the side of the bed and planting their feet firmly on the floor so they can get up and go about their day is a capability that is as natural as breathing.
It can be significantly difficult, then, when you find yourself with a foot problem that instantly affects your ability to move around. You may suddenly experience pain or observe a deformity that you haven’t encountered before.
A visit to a podiatrist can help you find out what you may be suffering from and determine the best course of action to take, but there are specific conditions affecting the feet that do not respond to conventional or conservative treatment methods. In some cases, foot and/or ankle surgery may be your best option for complete recovery.
Here are examples of foot conditions that may require foot surgery to address any discomfort or allow proper functioning to return.
1. Bunions – These are enlargements of the bone and tissue surrounding the joint of the big toe. This can become red and inflamed and cause walking or wearing shoes to become difficult or painful. When surgery is performed, the boney prominence is removed and the bone is generally realigned with screws or plates.
2. Hammer toe – This refers to a deformity involving the contracture of the toe, creating a “buckling” effect. Surgery is done to realign the toe, fuse the toe joint, or place an implant to maintain the toe’s realignment.
3. Arthritic conditions in the foot and ankle – Multiple procedures are available for arthritis including removing bone spur and cleaning out the joint, placing a joint implant in the joint, or fusing the joint completely. Fusion is reserved for severe conditions.
4. Neuroma – This occurs when a nerve segment becomes enlarged and is commonly located between the third and fourth toes. It can be caused by wearing high heels, arthritis, trauma, or abnormal bone structure. Soft tissue surgery is performed to either decompress or remove this benign nerve enlargement.
5. Tendon tears or ruptures – Tendon injuries can result in tendon tears or ruptures and surgery to repair the diseased tendon can help improve the function of the foot and ankle. In certain cases, tendons need to be lengthened or shortened to correct deformities.
If you are experiencing a foot and/or ankle condition, contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jordan Stewart. Dr. Stewart is certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, which is a designation only shared by the top Podiatrists in the Country. This means that you will receive an accurate diagnosis of your condition and a prescription for treatment that you can rely on.