Bunion Correction
Bunion correction surgery is an operation to improve the position and alignment of the big toe. A bunion, or hallux valgus, refers to the appearance of the big toe when it increasingly turns toward the smaller toes. When the big toe turns toward the smaller toes, it creates a bump on the inside of the toe that can make shoe wear painful and difficult.
Bunion correction surgery comes in many different forms. Family Footcare offers many different surgical procedures to correct bunion deformities including exostectomy (shave procedure), osteotomies (cutting the bone and shifting into a better position), Lapidus procedure, and/or 3D lapiplasty (cutting and fusing joint to achieve larger correction)and great toe joint fusions for arthritic bunions. Which type of surgery is right for a given patient depends on many factors, including the magnitude of the bunion deformity, the presence of arthritis in the big toe joint, the space between the first and second metatarsal, age, activity level, and health. Plain radiographs are necessary to determine what type of bunion surgery is indicated for each patient:
- Mild bunion. For this type of surgery, the surgeon may remove the enlarged portion of bone and realign the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the joint. (Exostectomy/Shave Procedure)
- Moderate bunion. For a moderate bunion, the surgeon may cut the bone and shift it to its proper position. Whether or not the bone is cut depends on the severity and location of the deformity. In addition, the surrounding tendons and ligaments may need to be repositioned. (Bone/Metatarsal Osteotomies)
- Severe bunion. For a severe bunion, surgery may involve removing the enlarged portion of the bone, cutting and realigning the bone, and correcting the position through a midfoot fusion (Lapidus, Lapiplasty 3D procedures)
- Arthritic bunion or big toe joint. If the joint is damaged beyond repair, as is often seen in arthritis, it may need to be fused. This allows the bones to heal together and eliminate movement and pain. Occasionally, joint replacement implants may be used in the reconstruction of the big toe joint.
In almost all bunion surgeries, some form of cutting of the bone is necessary, and some use of metal pins, screws, and/or plates is needed to hold the bones in the right position while they are healing. If you are suffering from bunion pain, numbness, or stiffness along your great toe joint, give us a call and make an appointment to discuss your options.
Hammer Toe Correction
A hammer toe is a deformity that causes your toe to bend or curl downward instead of pointing forward. This deformity can affect any toe on your foot. It most often affects the second or third toe. Although a hammer toe may be present at birth, it usually develops over time due to arthritis or wearing ill-fitting shoes, such as tight, pointed heels.
Your toe contains two joints that allow it to bend at the middle and bottom. A hammer toe occurs when the middle joint becomes flexed or bent downward.
A hammer toe causes you discomfort when you walk. It can also cause you to have pain when you try to stretch or move the affected toe or those around it. Hammer toe symptoms may be mild or severe.
The severity of your condition determines the treatment options for a hammer toe. You can correct a hammer toe caused by inappropriate footwear by wearing properly fitting shoes. If a high arch caused the condition, wearing toe pads or insoles in your shoes can help. These pads work by shifting your toe’s position, which relieves pain and corrects the appearance of your toe. Don’t pop any blisters on your toes. Popping blisters can cause pain and infection. Use OTC creams and cushions to relieve pain and keep blisters from rubbing against the inside of your shoes.
If you’re unable to flex your toe, surgery is the only option to restore movement. Surgery can reposition the toe, remove deformed or injured bone, and realign your tendons and joints. Surgery is normally done on an outpatient basis so that you can return home on the day of your surgery.
After treating the cause of your hammer toe, it usually goes away without complications. However, waiting too long to seek treatment can cause your surrounding toes to become deformed as the hammer toe forces them out of position. It’s best to get treatment as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed.
