A recent survey of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons found that 90% of patients reported significant pain relief and increased physical activity, 6-24 months following bunion surgery. Ninety percent also said they would recommend the surgery to others. It is common for patients to be reluctant because of stories they have heard from friends or relatives that it took them 12 months to get well. This is not the case anymore, in most cases bunion surgery relieves pain and allows the patient to increase their activity level after the initial recovery period. Dr. Still takes pride in the fact that most of the time his patients can be back into an athletic style shoe in as little as 25-30 days after surgery. For physical activity typically 6-8 weeks must pass before exercise walking, jogging, aerobics or other sports are allowed.

Recent Patient Testimonial: Jan. 9th,2006 - Dear Dr. Still "I just wanted to thank you for my new left foot ! It not only looks beautiful, but it FEELS beautiful.  I am back to dancin' again ! I went Salsa dancing at a wonderful restaurant called Cubre Libre last Saturday.  My foot loved it !  If you need me for a testimonial I am at your service.  Sincerely, Pat S.   (this was taken directly from a card sent by Pat, for HIPPA privacy regulations we cannot post her last name).

Top 5 myths explained

1. A bunion is a bump or growth of bone?
No...
A bunion, or hallux valgus, is a mal-aligned joint where the big toe is drifting towards the second toe. The first metatarsal, a long bone that forms the arch to the big toe joint, progressively drifts inward while the big toe drifts the opposite direction, toward the second toe. As a result the joint begins to buckle and gradually dislocate over time. The bunion "bump" is actually a normal sized bone that has drifted out of place and must be relocated. Once a patient understands and sees the joint mal-alignment, all other myths about bunions can be explained.

2. Wearing high heels causes bunions?
No...
Wearing high heels, tight shoes or poorly fitting shoes only helps the progression of the bunion formation and can increase the symptoms of a bunion deformity. Hallux valgus, or the mal-aligned first metatarsal-phalangeal joint where the bunion forms is usually genetic. A person inherits the foot structure that causes the bunion to form over time. In some cases a child can develop a bunion and this is referred to as a juvenile bunion. It usually will progress rapidly to be a severe bunion once the young person becomes an adult.

Tight shoes and high heels will usually increase pressure on the big toe and may force it towards the second toe making the bunion deformity progress more rapidly.

It is very important for patients to understand that their bunion is a progressive deformity that worsens with time. It is very hard to predict how rapidly the deformity will increase. It varies from one patient to the next.

3. Bunion surgery involves cutting off the bump?
No...
Proper bunion surgery involves realigning the first metatarsal-phalangeal joint, the joint between the big toe and the long first metatarsal bone mentioned earlier. The first metatarsal is brought back into its proper position. The big toe is also relocated on the first metatarsal head properly so that the toe is straight after surgery and remains that way. A surgeon usually strives to have a slight curve to the toe which is natural, a perfectly straight great toe joint is not natural and can cause problems in shoes. The relocation of the first metatarsal and great toe joint involves cutting a wedge of bone out of the base of the first metatarsal and swinging it back into position or by shifting the head of the bone inward to correct the deformity. The surgeon may also take a wedge of bone out of the great toe to swing the toe back into a corrected position. Simply cutting off the 'bump' would leave the joint out of alignment and continue to cause pain and allow the deformity to increase. For a severe bunion a "fusion" or "base wedge" procedure may be required at the back end of the first metatarsal. This does require a longer recovery period but is necessary to correct a severe bunion properly.

4. Bunion surgery is very painful and takes along time time to recover from?
No...
Modern surgical techniques have made bunion surgery easier for both the patient and the surgeon. The most common type of bunion surgery where the metatarsal head is shifted inward is performed as an out-patient day surgery under local anesthetic and intravenous sedation. This surgery typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Most often patients wear a removable velcro cast boot for 4 weeks after surgery. A patient usually returns to athletic or walking style shoes in 4 to 5 weeks. The use of specialized surgical screws in the past 5 years has allowed the bones to be realigned and held firmly in place while allowing near immediate return of weight to the foot. If a fusion or base wedge procedure is done for a severe bunion it may involve some time on crutches and a longer recovery period. However, as stated earlier this procedure often is not required for most bunion deformities.

Patients often only need one to two days of narcotic pain medication and sometimes none after surgery. One patient of mine described his bunion surgery as "less of a nuisance than a common cold".

5. All bunions should be removed?
No! Only if a bunion is painful and affects the patent from wearing shoes or doing physical activity should it be corrected. Bunion surgery has potential complications and requires the patient to strictly follow directions to avoid those potential problems. Orthotics (arch supports) can be helpful in relieving pain from a bunion but they do not correct a bunion and do not slow the progression of the deformity. They allow the bunion deformity to be more comfortable. It is also important to understand that a bunion can affect the mechanics of the foot and subsequently the mechanics of the ankle, knee, hip pelvis and low back. Early intervention for a painful bunion can often create a foot that functions mechanically better for many years. It also allows a person to be more physically active to prevent other health problems.