What’s Involved In Reconstructive Foot Surgery?

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Many ankle and foot problems do not respond to conservative measures. A skilled podiatrist may recommend surgical intervention.

Reconstructive foot and ankle surgery can help to –

  • restore foot function
  • eliminate pain
  • relieve pain and discomfort caused due to congenital abnormalities, infection, arthritis, and even improper, narrow footwear
  • improve function and stability

Reconstructive foot surgical procedures are complex. Such procedures involve repair or transfer of tendons, implanting joints, removing tumors, and cutting, grafting, or fusing bone. During surgery, internal and external fixation devices—including pins, screws, staples, and wires—as well as casts may be used for repair and stabilization.

Reconstructive foot surgery can be used to treat many foot disorders and restore your foot back to normal health and function. Here are a few conditions where reconstructive surgery may be recommended –

  • Bunions or hammertoes
  • Severe flat feet
  • Problems with standing or other movements of the foot
  • Foot Fractures
  • Athletic injuries like Achilles tendon tears and ligament injuries
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Heel and bone spurs
  • Joint or bone deformities
  • Infections
  • Tumors and lesions

A few important reconstructive foot surgical procedures are –

Fusion

Fusion is used to treat arthritic ankle and foot. It involves removal of all cartilage from a joint, and then joining two or more bones together using plates, screws, pins, or a combination of these.

Tendon Surgery

Tendons may get ruptured, torn or damaged during trauma. The surgeon can shorten or lengthen a tendon to improve ankle and foot function.

Metatarsal Surgery

Metatarsal surgery is usually done to redistribute weight bearing on the foot’s ball. This involves removal of the metatarsal heads, which are bones in the ball of the foot.

Heel surgery

Heel surgery can provide pain relief and restore mobility.

Extensive Surgical Repair

Extensive surgical repair of the ankle and foot may involve bone grafting, tendon transfer/repair, tumor excision, and/or osteotomy of bone.

If you have been advised reconstructive foot surgery, consult an experienced podiatrist in Phoenix, Arizona and Scottsdale at Oasis Foot and Ankle to get you back on your feet as soon as possible. Call 602-993-2700 to book an appointment today.

6 Great Tips to Have a Better Recovery from Foot Surgery

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Once the foot surgeon fixes your foot or ankle ailment, it’s your job as a patient to contribute towards your recovery.

Here are six great tips to have a better recovery from foot surgery.

Rest

You need to stay off the foot for some time to allow it to heal. Your doctor may recommend elevating your foot to decrease swelling.

Move

Confused? Rest is good for the first few days but as soon as the doctor tells you, you should get moving to re-strengthen the foot muscles and ligaments.

Follow the Doctor’s Instructions

While it is obvious, you’ll really want to listen to your doctor’s advice about wound care, physical therapy, medication dosage and driving or work restrictions, etc.

Adequate Nutrition

The right diet is vital to provide your body with the range of vitamins and minerals required for the healing process.

Wound Care

It is rare to have complications after foot surgery but you should be aware of any warning signs. The best is to follow your doctor’s instructions for your wound care and changing your dressing. Call your doctor immediately in case of any problems.

Physical Therapy

Follow the physical therapy schedule as recommended by the surgeon or the therapist. You need to gradually regain your foot and ankle strength.

If you have been advised foot surgery, consult an experienced podiatrist in Phoenix, Arizona and Scottsdale at Oasis Foot and Ankle to get you back on your feet as soon as possible. Call 602-993-2700 to book an appointment today.

Foot Surgery Guide for Patients – The Pre-Operative Process

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Patients about to undergo foot surgery do well afterwards if they know about what to expect from surgery.

Here is a guide for patients scheduled for foot or ankle surgery.

Step 1 – Medical Testing Before Surgery

Medical testing required for patients before surgery is also known as pre-admission testing (PATs). PATs help to evaluate the patient’s medical fitness prior to surgery. Such tests may include blood samples from patients, heart exam, chest X-ray and/or a complete history and physical examination by your doctor.

Step 2 – Medications

Some medicines can prove dangerous if taken just before or after surgery. Your surgeon will tell you which medicines must be stopped before or withheld after surgery, such as –

  • Aspirin – It can increase bleeding during surgery.
  • NSAIDs or Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs before or after surgery – These can reduce blood’s ability to clot and slow down bone healing.
  • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and/or birth control pills (OCP) – These may increase the risk of having blood clots.
  • Some health supplements and herbal preparations – These can increase bleeding.

Step 3 – Smoking

Tobacco and cigarettes contain nicotine and other chemicals which can increase the risk of having problems after surgery. Nicotine slows down the flow of blood at the site of surgery. It can also impede bone, soft tissue and wound healing.

To get the best results from your foot surgery, you should stop using nicotine-containing products well before surgery.

Step 4 – Mobility Devices

After your foot or ankle surgery, your doctor would advise you not to put weight on that foot or ankle for some time. This is done to allow you to heal well after surgery. To do so, you may need a mobility assist device like crutches, knee walkers or a wheelchair. Discuss this with your doctor and prepare in advance.

You may also want to ask for help from family and friends till the time you are unable to move around on your own.

Step 5 – Eating and Drinking

You wouldn’t be allowed to eat or drink after midnight on the night before your day of surgery. This is done to ensure that your stomach is empty by the time of anesthesia and surgery. This decreases the risk of nausea or vomiting with anesthesia.

If you have been advised foot surgery, consult an experienced podiatrist in Phoenix, Arizona and Scottsdale at Oasis Foot and Ankle to get you back on your feet as soon as possible. Call 602-993-2700 to book an appointment today.

Foot Surgery can relieve you of any kind of Trauma

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While your foot doctor would like to treat all foot and ankle conditions without surgery, it sometimes becomes unavoidable. If you have been advised surgery to treat your foot or ankle issues, read on to know the benefits you can expect after your recovery.

Lasting Pain Relief

If you’ve been suffering from chronic foot pain and discomfort and conservative measures haven’t brought you any relief, your podiatrist may recommend surgery. Surgery may be your best chance to get permanent pain relief you’ve been looking for.

Improved Mobility

Sometimes stiffness and limited range-of-motion makes it difficult for patients to move around. If that is the case and you have tried all non-invasive treatments without any benefit, surgery could be your only option for relief. In such cases, foot surgery could be the only way to improve foot and ankle function.

Resume Active Life

Your ability to return to daily activities will depend on your level of activity, the severity of your condition and the type of surgery you’ve undergone. Regardless of the period of recovery, remember that your foot surgery will help you get back to the active lifestyle you once had.

Chronic conditions like Plantar Fasciitis or a severe tear that prevent you from being physically active can be effectively treated with foot surgery.

If you are still confused whether you should undergo foot surgery, call Oasis Foot and Ankle so that you can get back on your feet as soon as possible. Call 602-993-2700 to book an appointment today.