2 Major Ailments That Would Require Foot Surgery
If there is a part of the body that tend to be overlooked, it has to be the foot. Although this part of your anatomy bears the brunt of carrying all your weight as you perambulate from one location to another, chances are you only pay attention to your feet when you start experiencing pain or discomfort. Since feet are used on a daily basis, they are bound to acquiring some abnormalities due to ill-fitting shoes, incorrect posture and a myriad of other reasons. Here are some of the ailments you could suffer from that would require you to get foot surgery from your podiatrist.
Bunions
Bunions refer to bony lumps that will form on either the base of your largest toe or at the sides of your feet. This condition typically causes your big toe to start bending in the direction of your other toes, hence giving your feet a deformed appearance. The formation of bunions can cause significant discomfort. Nevertheless, a common mistake people make is ignoring these bunions as they assume they are harmless growths.
If the symptoms are left undeterred, then the deformation of your big toe will require surgical correction for it to get back to normal. This type of foot surgery is referred to as an osteomy. The podiatrist will surgically straighten both the big toe as well as your metatarsals in an attempt to correct the deformity caused by the bunions. Once surgery is complete, you will then be required to wear a Velcro shoe until the toes have properly aligned.
Hammertoes
With this condition, your toes start to take a claw like appearance as they bend inwards. Hammertoes will typically develop if you have been wearing ill-fitting shoes over a significant period of time. It is quite serious as the toes can become permanently bent inward thus causing you discomfort as you walk and affect your posture.
There are two types of surgeries that can be performed to correct hammertoes. The first type of foot surgery that your podiatrist can opt for is arthrodesis. This surgery involves the fusion of your phalanges (the joints between your toes) in an attempt to make your toes more stable. Once an arthrodesis is performed, the patient can only wear flat shoes. The second type of surgery that your podiatrist can opt for is an arthroplasty. This entails the removal of the deformed phalanges in an attempt to make the joints of your toes more flexible.