Top 10 Foot Surgeries to Avoid

At times, your feet seem to be small and simple parts of your body, but that’s no reason to neglect them. When comparing them to “vital” organs (like the heart, brain, liver, lungs) that serve your body in numerous ways, your feet seem to simply be just a piece of flesh and bones for walking. However, it’s important to understand the complicated structure within your foot because it can be susceptible to a multitude of problems and diseases. When discussing the top 10 foot surgeries to avoid, one must consider the multitude of foot conditions that range from nails and big toe joints to the ligaments throughout.

When it comes to treating foot and ankle problems, the most common podiatric recommendation pertains to medication and rest. At the same time, other cases exist where useful tips and medication cannot address the severity of the condition. Often times in this situation, surgery is imminent.

Foot surgery comes in different types and forms that address specificities in your lower extremities. The procedure itself depends on where the problem is and/or how severe the problem or injury is. Nonetheless, the top 10 most common foot surgeries are as follows:

1. Toenail removal surgery is useful for patients with chronic ingrown toenail infections. This condition develops once the toenail is cut incorrectly, causing the nail to directly grow towards the skin. This can also be caused by wearing narrow shoes that fit tightly and put a lot of pressure on the big toe. Toenail removal surgery encompasses the destruction of the nail matrix to permanently prevent the nail from growing inward again.
   
   
2. Laser surgery is a new innovation that treats another toenail condition, toenail fungus. This condition occurs when patients wear tight-fitting shoes, sweat excessively, refuse to clean their toenails, or experience other chronic conditions, like diabetes. The procedure for this type of surgery is very safe and tolerable and doesn’t require an anesthetic.
3. Bunion surgery helps you get rid of the exotic-looking bumps that appear on the base of your big toe joints due to the imbalance, improper positioning, or deformities in these joints. Head and base procedures are the surgical options presented for this type of condition. Your podiatrist will decide which procedures are suitable for you in terms of your bunions’ severity - as well as your ability to rest and remain inactive for a long period of time. In either type of procedure, part of your big toe bone is cut so the bunion can begin to disappear.
   
   
4. Hammertoes surgery is another surgical procedure that removes factors that are causing deformities within your toe. When you have hammertoes, pressure from your footwear tends to place pressure on your toes and slightly bend them forward. Surgery will either remove the deformed joint or fuse the bones together in order to make the joint more stable and flexible.
5. Ankle replacement surgery is a prosthetic procedure that replaces damaged or diseased portions of all three bones within the ankle joint. Due to arthritis, infection, fracture or severe deformity, these toe bones become damaged and require repair for functionality purposes.
6. During open ankle fusion surgery, the specialist doesn’t replace your ankle bones, rather they fuse them together. This surgery is used to correct a disorder that refers to an ankle deformity that often leaves patients with severe pain and immobility. During the surgery, the remaining cartilage is removed from the ankle joint and screws are attached to the joint so the bones fuse together during a period of immobility.
7. Lateral ankle ligament reconstruction surgery deals with another part of the foot that often gets wrapped up in reparation: your ligaments. In this case, your ankle ligaments aren’t functioning the way they’re supposed to which causes severe instability and pain in the ankle. Surgery will correct this error and restore the normal stability to your ankle joint and surrounding areas.
8. Achilles tendon surgery treats conditions surrounding the largest tendon in your body. The achilles tendon attaches your heel bone and extends through your calf muscles. This tendon provides structure while stretching your foot and/or pointing your toes to the floor (that’s how ballerinas can dance). As Achilles tendon gets older with the rest of our body, it becomes prone to wear and tear, even rupture - especially in the case of athletes. Surgery is the only treatment option that heals this tendon, and positions it so it returns to it’s normal state.
9. Endoscopic plantar fascia release also belongs on the list of one of the most common foot surgeries. It is used to treat plantar fasciitis, which is a condition related to plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue between your heel bone and your toes. It connects the two opposite parts of the foot and provides stability throughout. Once this band is torn due to large pressure and tension, inflammation and stabbing pain will occur, especially at the heel. Once the pain becomes unbearable, surgery is the only option. The surgical procedure releases the plantar fascia from the heel bone to relieve the tension and allow healing.
10. Foot amputation is the last, and also the most serious top 10 foot surgeries on our list. This happens when the entire foot or parts of it are in devastating states that threaten to harm the life of the patient. Examples include: deteriorating infections, severe burns, frostbite, poor blood flow, or lower limb trauma that’s common after a serious accident. This type of surgery isn’t taken lightly, and always involves multiple steps that eliminate possibilities and complications during surgical procedure.

Common Podiatric Surgeries Require Treatment & Recovery:

If you happen to have a foot problem and you’re not sure if surgery is required, consider contacting a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist for consultation and help. If you’re preparing to undergo one out of these top 10 foot surgeries, don’t panic - because although your foot is complex, the surgeries to treat its problems are usually relatively simple and the recovery process will help you get back on your feet in no time.