As you age, you may find your feet become painful. While sometimes the issue is simply the wrong choice of footwear or spending too much time standing, your sore feet may also be indicative of something more serious. While frequently a podiatrist or an orthopedist may be able to handle your problem, this may not always be the case. Sometimes, when all treatment suggestions fail or the problem is a severe one, you will find it necessary to consult a foot surgeon.
The Surgical Option
Foot or any other kind of surgical approach is not the first choice of medical professionals. They prefer to address the problem in other ways. Unless the situation is very grave, they will first talk to you about various treatment options, such as:
- Lifestyle Changes: including sports, footwear choice, time spent standing on your feet, etc.
- Supportive Devices: in some instances, wearing specially designed devices that will provide support to your ankles and/or feet will help alleviate pain and reduce the problem.
- Medication: over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as those containing acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), ibuprofen, or other similar painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicine are given to help reduce swelling and pain.
- Physical Therapy: working with a physical therapists to stretch and relax the affected body ligaments, tendons or muscles may prove effective.
However, if such measures fail to have an impact or if the problem reoccurs, the only option may be to talk to a foot surgeon about surgical options. They will ask about various factors that will affect the type of surgery you may require. This will involve understanding exactly what the medical issue is, where it is located, and the various treatments employed to bring relief
Foot Surgery
Foot surgery can be invasive or non-invasive. It will depend upon the type and severity of the condition. For bunions, it can be a day surgery called an osteotomy. In the case of an ankle replacement, the procedure requires a hospital stay of several days. No matter what the problem is, and whether the surgery is keyhole or standard in procedure, your surgeon is focused on obtaining one of the following for you:
- Long-lasting pain relief
- Improved mobility
- Increased choice of comfortable footwear
- Better looking feet – though this may not always be possible
The Foot Surgeon: a Medical Specialist
Doctors do not take surgery lightly; they consider it the last choice among their arsenal. Only when all other avenues are exhausted do they send you to consult with a foot surgeon.
Do your feet hurt? Are your ankles swollen and sore? Is it difficult to walk normally? Whatever the medical issue, you can consult the medical experts at Suburban Orthopaedics. They will discuss your problem and offer you options. They can range from lifestyle changes to treatment. If surgery is necessary, they will assign you to a foot surgeon. They and other specialists will guide you through the procedure, providing comfort and compassion. For dedicated and expert patient care, contact them at www.suburbanortho.com. You can follow them on Twitter for further news and updates!
