Surgery

Conditions Which May Require Surgical Intervention

While fractures are common types of injuries that require surgery, other conditions can benefit as well. They include:

• Bunions and hammertoes. When toe deformities are causing chronic pain and difficulty when walking and wearing shoes, we will likely recommend surgery. Note that bunions and hammertoes are progressive conditions and can only be corrected with surgical methods. (Conservative measures are often enough to manage painful symptoms and delay surgery if the condition is still in an early stage.)
• Plantar fasciitis. In rare occasions, surgery may be necessary to resolve a severe case of plantar fasciitis (the most common source of heel pain in adults). Fortunately, conservative measures are usually able to provide relief from painful symptoms.
• Ankle arthritis. Surgery for ankle arthritis will depend on the severity of the condition. It may be that you only need minimally invasive surgery to “clean up” any existing bone spurs or fragments of cartilage from the joint or, if your condition is more severe, we may recommend a joint fusion or a total joint replacement.
• Tendon Injuries. When a tendon has developed chronic inflammation or ruptured, surgery may be necessary to correct the problem and restore function and mobility to the injured foot.
• Neuromas. To address this condition, surgery may be needed to remove the affected nerve that is causing pain and discomfort. However, if any underlying condition is what caused the development of the neuroma, said condition will likely need to be addressed as well in order to prevent the problem from returning in the future.

Surgeries for these conditions can correct existing problems and help lessen, or even completely eliminate, the pain and discomfort you have been experiencing. And if you don’t see your condition listed here, no worries! Our foot and ankle experts are able to perform surgical procedures for a wide range of lower limb problems beyond what is listed here.