Do you feel pain in your foot or notice another foot issue that doesn't seem to go away, even with at-home measures? This may leave you to wonder if foot surgery is necessary. Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist, serving Southern Pines, NC, and the nearby region, has Dr. Jeremy Thomas who can perform a variety of surgeries. We'd like to take a moment to explain some of the more common ones.
Bunions
A bunion occurs when the bone at the base of the big toe begins to protrude, possibly due to rheumatoid arthritis, genetics, continuously wearing ill-fitting or poorly supportive shoes, or genetic conditions or abnormalities present at birth.
Though we can often treat bunions without foot surgery, sometimes our podiatrist in Southern Pines, NC, will recommend it whenever conservative methods aren't enough.
Heel Spurs
Various issues can lead to heel spurs, like wearing shoes that aren't supportive or having a job that requires you to be on your feet for prolonged periods of time. This bony overgrowth may arise if you have muscles that are pulling away from your heel bone. If you have high arches, you could also be at risk.
Ideally, our podiatrist aims to treat this with anti-inflammatory medications, injections, arch supports, or other similar methods. If these can't successfully treat the condition, surgery may be needed.
Plantar Fasciitis
Your foot has a band of tissue stretching from the heel bone to the toes. When it becomes inflamed, you could develop plantar fasciitis, a potentially painful condition. You're more at risk for this condition if you're overweight, wear non-supportive shoes, or are a runner.
Typically, foot supports and other similar measures can help manage the pain for many who have plantar fasciitis. However, not everyone responds to these alone, and these individuals will need surgery to correct the problem.
Flat Feet
Some people are born with flat feet, meaning they have little to no arch. For some, it's a hereditary condition that stems from a muscle imbalance. In other cases, the condition arises over time with age. And other people develop it as a result of diabetes, obesity, foot injuries, or rheumatoid arthritis.
It's possible to never have many problems from flat feet, but this isn't the case for everyone. When issues happen, you may have pain or instability. An arch support can adequately address it for some, minimizing any discomfort. For others, surgery is the only solution.
Triangle Foot and Ankle Specialist, serving Southern Pines, NC, and the general vicinity, provides these surgeries and more to help people combat foot pain and various other foot-related problems, though we strive to avoid foot surgery when possible.
