Top Five Most Common Cases That Need Foot Surgery
The worst cases may require more than just medication—foot surgery. Some foot problems may be more complex than others, but what’s common among them is that they can be inconvenient and painful. It is especially true when you’re going about your daily duties.
Your ankle and foot are among the most complex body parts. The human foot has 33 joints and 26 bones, intricately arranged in varying degrees of arch and column flexibility. If you’re not careful, you’re bound to get hurt, as there are countless ways for these body parts to get injured or damaged.
Top 5 Foot Conditions Requiring Surgery
Early detection and intervention could help a patient avoid surgery. However, like other illnesses, delaying your check-ups could aggravate your condition. It is another case where the infamous “prevention is way better than cure” saying applies.
Help yourself by getting checked and treated as soon as possible. You can start by knowing what condition you’re suffering from and how severe it is.
To help you with this task, consider the following common conditions requiring surgery for your foot:
1. Bunions
Also known as “hallux valgus,” they grow when the base of your big toe bends forward toward your other toes, resulting in a deformity. According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, women are more susceptible to this condition. While adolescent girls within the 10 to 15 age bracket can also get affected, their cases are rare.
Wearing exceptionally high heels for a prolonged period is the culprit behind bunions. However, other conditions, like aging and weight gain, can exacerbate it. If you’re suffering from the following symptoms, you likely have it:
Big lump found outside your big toe
Limited mobility
Painful sensation even when wearing comfortable footwear
Numbness and tenderness in the affected area
Red and shiny color
Foot bunion surgery type depends on the severity, age, activity level, general health, connective tissue, and bone state. There are also different surgery types for degrees of it. For example, mild bunions might only require the removal of the enlarged bone part and realignment of the joint-surrounding ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
On the other hand, if you’re suffering from an arthritic bunion, your podiatrist might fuse your toe joints. This process lets your bones heal, eliminating pain and movement. Your doctor may also suggest a joint replacement implant for big toe joint reconstruction.
2. Hammer Toes
Another condition that might require surgery for your foot is called hammer toe, a deformity on one’s second, third, or fourth toe. You know you have it if you see your toes bend at your middle joint, resembling a hammer.
Since hammer toes are flexible, correcting them is simple. However, the folding will become permanent if you don’t consult your podiatrist as soon as possible.
3. Ankle Arthritis
There are over 100 types of arthritis that can affect your foot and ankle. Their common denominator is that they make it hard for you to walk. You develop severe ankle joint arthritis when your articular cartilage cushion goes through progressive wear and tear.
You’ll know you suffer from this condition when you’re in severe pain and lose mobility. When non-operative options like bracing, injections, and medication no longer work, you’ll have different options for foot surgeries — distraction arthroplasty, total ankle replacement (TAR), or ankle fusion.
4. Damaged Achilles Tendon
If you're wondering what that fibrous and strong cord is on your lower leg, that’s your Achilles tendon. This body part connects your heels and calf muscles. It also helps you jump, run, and walk. It can rupture or tear due to a sudden force during physical activity. If your foot turns outward, you also increase your risk of tearing it.
Repeated stress and short calf muscles can also lead to this condition. Surgeons often perform foot and ankle surgery to stitch back torn tendons. Removing the damaged part and stitching the rest together is the best remedy in degeneration cases.
In severe cases, your doctor might suggest tendon replacement. When this happens, they usually take it from another part of your foot.
5. Fifth Metatarsal Injury
Are you wondering about those long bones in the middle of your foot? Those are your metatarsal bones. Each of them has a head, neck, shaft, and base. It is the one outside your foot. Most of the injuries happen at the base of your fifth metatarsal.
Though most injuries don’t require foot surgeries, your orthopedic surgeon may suggest this option in the following cases:
Rotational deformity of your small toe
Metatarsal shaft angulation resulting in foot shape change
Angulation leading to foot shortening
It’s best to get your foot and ankle checked to know your exact condition. Self-medication won’t help you address these symptoms.
Get Expert Professional Help
Surgery is recommended when non-invasive therapy options are ineffective. The decision to have an operation depends on several variables, including the level of discomfort and how it will affect your life, your current lifestyle, and how you react to previous treatments.
With the help of your doctors, you can carefully evaluate all of these to determine if foot surgery is the best course of action to literally and figuratively get back on your feet.
Contact Prime Foot and Ankle Specialists today for expert advice on foot and ankle conditions. Don’t suffer in silence — get treated!