Is Bunion Surgery Right For You?

After having bunion surgery, most people are happy with the results. A survey by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons revealed 95% of patients with good to excellent outcomes form their bunion surgery. After having surgery, your ability to walk and be active is likely to improve. The big toe joint is usually much less painful and functions better. Dr Marybeth Crane is a board certified podiatric foot and ankle surgeon with helpful tips to make your feet last a lifetime! For more foot and ankle health information and doctor-approved foot care products including safe pedicure instrument sets, visit her website or peruse her blog Bunions can be incredibly painful and they require some special care. Bunions are often hereditary but are also often caused by ill- fitting shoes. Once you suspect or know you have a bunion though it is time to get on and deal with it. Many doctors will quickly recommend surgery as the only answer, but this is not always necessary. There are other ways to deal with bunions besides surgery. The number one first step is to change your footwear. The bad news is that once you have developed a bunion it is probably not going to disappear in a hurry. You can reduce its effects and pain though. Toward the end of 2011 (I think) she went to see my friend Brett who had developed a reputation for success in treating local runners with various injuries. He did some manual therapy and identified a few problem spots. The gluteus medius seemed to be the problem on the right side, along with a ligament issue in the pelvis and some tightness in the quadratus lumborum. Manual therapy seemed to help, but the pain jumped around from place to place for quite a long time. She continued to run, but still experienced hip area pain most of the time. The podiatric surgeon will recommend one or more surgical procedures on an individual basis. Considerations for surgery will be decided after evaluation of the patient's previous treatment for the bunion, the age and over-all health of the patient and the regularity of physical activity, among other deciding factors. After surgery for bunions, the period of recovery will vary for each patient dependent upon the performed procedure(s). With all of the plastic surgery happening in the celebrity world, it comes as a surprise that the beautiful Halle Berry and Kate Hudson did not have their extra toes surgically corrected! It goes to show, not many people are looking at your feet! Orthotic devices are plastic or rubber materials used to treat various conditions of the foot and ankle. These shoe inserts can be purchased off the shelf usually at pharmacies or custom made by physical therapists or podiatrists who are specially trained foot doctors. They are often very effective in relieving common foot complaints such as bunions. Orthotics can be used for bunion comfort or prevention by Regardless of types of activities, age, or inherited traits, foot disorders can happen to a fair number of people. Though foot procedures can surgically alleviate these disorders, most of the time they are avoidable by wearing appropriate footwear and appropriate arch support You can also use a another mixture to soak your feet in made up of half of a cup of lemon juice and one cup of milk. Mix this up in a blender and pour this into a large bowl that you can put your feet in. Soak for about 15 minutes. Then apply moisturizing lotion to your feet and put on a pair of cotton socks. This is good for swollen feet. There are times when you're walking that the pressure on your feet exceeds your body weight, and when you're running, it can be three or four times your weight. Many patient wait much too long to address the pain in their great toe joint. Often, by the time they seek help, their joint is destroyed and they need a much more invasive surgery to eliminate their pain. Hallux limitis is often misdiagnosed as a "bunion" or Hallux Valgus. This article will help you differentiate between the two foot problems and guide your treatment. read more Bunions can also be associated with different diseases, such as cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, Ehler-Danlos syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and different forms of arthritis. Bunions are often considered a hereditary condition, but you don't have to have a family member with bunions to develop them. There are some other causes of toe numbness that cannot be resolved by changing the footwear only and they also need some medicines and change in lifestyle. These causes can be determined with the help of physical examination of the feet and x-rays. People with morton's neuroma should rest their feet as much as possible to avoid any nerve irritation. Pain relieving medicines are given for pain management. Massaging the feet increases the blood flow to the foot muscles and can bring about improvement in the condition. They should also wear shoes with soft soles.