Surgery is never high on anyone’s list, but it’s often the best (or only) path toward healthier feet and less pain. No matter how routine or safe a procedure seems on paper, it’s always good to know what you’re getting into.
Dr. Maurice Aiken and our expert podiatric team at Bay Breeze Foot & Ankle Specialists in Dunedin, Florida, want our patients to feel comfortable walking into any procedure we perform.
We answer all your questions in-depth during your consultation appointment, but in this blog, we cover some of the basics of foot surgery and give an inside look at some of our procedures.
We always explore nonsurgical and minimally invasive treatments for foot and ankle conditions. More conservative options include physical therapy, custom orthotics, regenerative medicines, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, Erchonia®, cold laser therapy, and splints or casts.
However, if you have a severe injury and deformity or your condition doesn’t respond to conservative intervention, we start to discuss surgical options.
Rest assured that if we recommend surgery, we consider it necessary and the best option to resolve your issue.
We perform most of our foot surgeries on an outpatient basis, which means there is no hospital admission and you can go home the same day as your procedure.
Bonus: We typically only need to administer a local anesthetic, not heavy sedatives.
After foot surgery, you must spend some time resting and recovering. Unfortunately, since your feet are involved, this means interruptions in your daily routine.
You’ll walk out of your procedure in a brace or boot and with a pair of crutches, and you’ll likely need them to get around for at least a few days to a week.
Depending on the type of surgery you had and the severity of the issue, you can expect to be fully back on your feet in a few weeks to a month.
You can expedite your recovery by following all aftercare instructions and attending all your follow-up appointments.
Foot surgery carries little risk (around 2%), and our expert surgical team has years of experience performing these procedures and taking all the necessary precautions to protect you from infection, nerve damage, and other complications.
Dr. Aiken specializes in several types of foot surgery, including:
Bunions are bony protrusions that develop on the outer edge of your feet at the base of the big toe. During bunion surgery, Dr. Aiken realigns the bones in your big toes to relieve pain and inflammation.
Fusion surgery is a great option for arthritis patients. Dr. Aiken fuses the bones in your ankle together so they can no longer rub against each other.
During neuroma surgery, Dr. Aiken makes a small incision in the ball of your foot and carefully removes the neuroma (a benign nerve tumor). Our patients experience immediate relief following neuroma surgery.
Torn and ruptured tendons often require surgical repairs. Dr. Aiken uses special tools to repair or lengthen a tendon to restore strength and range of motion.
If you suspect it’s time to consider surgery for your foot problem, we’d love to talk more with you and answer your questions. Call Bay Breeze Foot & Ankle Specialists or request an appointment online today.
