JAWS Podiatry offers comprehensive foot & ankle surgical options for some of the most common lower extremity ailments. The lower extremity is one of the most complex skeletal systems in the human body. As lower extremity specialists, we treat each patient with the utmost care, meticulousness and personalization to correct chronic pain and limited mobility issues.
foot & surgery options
Our reconstructive foot, ankle & leg surgical options treat the following conditions:
A Bunion or hallux abducto valgus, is a condition which causes the big toe joint to bend inward resulting in a bony “bump” on the inside of the foot and base of the toe.
Because of the chronic pain from the structural deformity, surgical correction may be needed to straighten the toe. Surgery can take up to an hour, depending on patient, and recovery time may range between four to six weeks.
Another condition caused by hallux valgus, hammer toes look like clawed or permanently bent toes. We treat hammer toes through arthroplasty, which is removing the deformed joint between the toe bones to create flexibility.
Depending on the individual case, we may decide to perform arthrodesis, which fuses the toe bones together to provide better stability. These surgeries can take about an hour. Depending on the patient, recovery time ranges between five to eight weeks.
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis lead to cartilage damage that can cause discomfort, swelling and physical abnormalities. To treat arthritis-induced ankle disorders, we employ one of three procedures.
- During an ankle fusion procedure, we anchor your foot to your ankle at a right angle with screws so a new bone can grow in about 12 to 14 weeks while you wear a custom cast for support. Some standard ankle fusion surgeries are done arthroscopically through a small incision, which takes between one and two hours.
- A triple fusion melds three joints together using a mix of plates, screws and staples.
- An ankle replacement is more advanced and requires removal of tibia and talus bones and replacement with plastic or metal components. Because it is more invasive, ankle replacement surgeries require a brief hospital stay and crutches during recovery for about six weeks.
Heel Spurs/Plantar Fasciitis
Heel spurs are calcium deposits that result in bone protrusion at the foundation of the heel bone.
Symptoms are often painless but can cause chronic heel pain and plantar fasciitis, a condition where the connective tissue that links the heel bone to the ball of the foot becomes inflamed.
Although 90 percent of patients heal through non-invasive methods like stretching, physical therapy, orthotics, regenerative procedures and over-the-counter pain relievers, surgical intervention may be necessary.
To surgically treat plantar fasciitis, we partially cut the ligament to release tension ultimately lowering inflammation. This is usually done endoscopically with one tiny incision.
Morton’s neuroma is a nerve condition of the toes usually caused by injury or excessive heel wear. Symptoms can be as mild as a slight pressure at the bottom of your foot or as severe as sharp pains, burning sensations or numbness in the ball or toes.
Aside from arch supports, foot pads, regenerative procedures, cryotherapy and strengthening exercises, we may advise surgery to remove the painful nerve causing your symptoms.
In a healthy foot, a gap at the arch of the foot provides distance between you and the floor beneath your body while standing. Without a proper arch, the entire foot lays flush against the floor’s surface. This circumstance is clinically referred to as flatfeet.
All babies and toddlers have flatfeet because their arches haven’t developed yet. For most people, the foot arch forms during childhood. People without arches may or may not suffer from complications or pain, but symptoms vary on a case-by-case basis.