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When Is A Foot And Ankle Surgery Recommended?
April 26, 2019
We’ve all had the experience of walking through a dark room only to stub a toe on the corner of a dresser or chair leg, inducing a level of pain that can only be described as agonizing. The image of a middle school dance also comes to mind where a nervous tween awkwardly steps on their dance partner’s toe, inciting a howl of pain from the unsuspecting partner.
The intense, throbbing pain associated with something as simple as a stubbed toe gives a glimpse at just how sensitive the human foot can be, so imagining the level of pain associated with a foot or ankle fracture, a broken ankle or a non-healing foot ulcer is almost unfathomable to those who have not experienced that level of pain.
What is a foot and ankle specialist?
Foot and ankle specialists, more commonly known as podiatrists, are tasked with helping keep our feet healthy and pain free. They spend years learning the foot inside and out and train extensively on diagnosing and treating any condition related to the foot or ankle.
From removing ingrown toenails to providing comprehensive foot or ankle surgery (and everything in between), a podiatrist is the foot expert to see for any foot or ankle issue.
As mentioned above, many people visit podiatrists to have an ingrown toenail removed or for treatment of nail fungus, but the extent of a podiatrist’s expertise goes far beyond these procedures and expands to life-saving surgical intervention and amputation in the most extreme cases.
Many podiatrists are trained surgeons who can perform surgery on the foot or ankle when other treatment options are unable to fix the issue.
What type of foot and ankle surgery is available?
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with a foot deformity or have lost all or partial function to your foot or ankle, or if you suffer from chronic pain, foot or ankle surgery may be the answer. Podiatrists will provide options to aid in your treatment but will turn to surgical intervention once other options have been exhausted. Most issues of the foot or ankle have a surgical option, but there are several surgeries that are common. These include the following:
- Bunion Surgery: Bunions develop on the side of the big toe and cause the big toe to point in the direction of the adjacent toes. If bunions are not treated promptly and are allowed to progress, surgery may be required to correct the issue. Bunion surgery involves removing the lump of bone on the side of the big toe joint and straightening the joint back into place. Removing a bunion and realigning your joint is usually a quick procedure and most people leave the hospital or surgery center the same day as the surgery.
- Hammertoe Surgery: Hammertoes are a deformity that cause the toes to bend upward at the joint. Often associated with rheumatoid arthritis, hammertoes can be extremely painful. There are a number of effective surgeries available to correct hammertoes, including:
- Joint resection - By cutting the affected tendons and removing a portion of bone, podiatrists are able to straighten the toes. Temporary pins are often placed in the toe to keep it in place.
- Tendon transfer - Podiatrists pull a nearby tendon across the top of the toe joint to pull the toe into a straighter position. This method helps with toe appearance and the reduction of pain.
- Joint fusion - Podiatric surgeons cut the affected tendons and ligaments and then insert a pin to hold the joint in place to allow the bones to grow together.
- Amputation - Used as a last resort when other treatment options or surgeries have failed, podiatric surgeons may recommend removing the affected toe to alleviate pain.
- Morton’s Neuroma Surgery: Morton’s neuromas cause pain in the middle of the foot due to a nerve that has thickened from compression and irritation of the nerve. When symptoms are severe and other treatment options have failed, removal of the affected nerve through surgery is commonly used.
- Plantar Fasciitis Surgery: In rare cases, plantar fasciitis can cause pain so severe that podiatrists recommend releasing the plantar fascia tendon from the heel bone.
When is foot or ankle surgery recommended?
As with any field of medicine, foot or ankle surgery is usually held as a last resort when other treatment options have failed. There are instances, such as a torn tendon or ligament, when surgery is required, but podiatrists will exhaust non-surgical treatment options before moving to surgery. Certain deformities may also require surgery when bracing and splinting are ineffective, or if the deformity has been left untreated for too long. Fractures are also common injuries that require surgery, especially when the bone breaks into 2 pieces, requiring realignment. Finally, arthritis is a common candidate for surgery because non-surgical options are often ineffective for relieving the pain associated with arthritis.
To find out if foot or ankle surgery is right for you, or if non-surgical methods will suffice, contact Tennessee Podiatry to schedule an appointment. Our podiatrists provide quality foot and ankle care throughout Tennessee and offer both surgical and non-surgical options to meet your needs.
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