Types Of Foot Surgery a Podiatrist Performs

Restarting On The Right Foot

Despite the important importance they play in your everyday activities, your feet could be extremely fragile. Any strain, tear or fracture can leave you out of work for a prolonged period. The good news is that the majority of ankle or foot injuries can be treated over time with the aid of physical therapy exercises. Sometimes, however, the injury is such that rehabilitation becomes inadequate. In such cases you’ll have no other choice than to go towards foot surgery.

Surgeons for orthopedics in the Okanagan Health Surgical Centre offer five types of foot surgery in Perth that will get patients back up and running:

• The foot and ankle arthroscopy
• Ankle and foot fusion surgery
• Achilles tendon repair
• Metatarsal foot surgery
• Calcaneal osteotomy

For more information about the foot surgeries performed from our surgeons for orthopedics take a look at the rest of this article.

How Your Foot Surgeon Fixes Your Feet

As with all surgical procedures, foot surgery is generally an option last option. Experts in orthopedics rarely recommend the use of these procedures unless gentle treatments have failed.

The type of your foot injury as well as the severity of your foot injury Your orthopedic surgeon can do any of the following 5 kinds for foot surgical procedures:

1. Ankle and foot arthroscopy It is relatively non-invasive in comparison to other types of foot procedures, arthroscopy involves the use of a tiny optical fiber (arthroscope) inside the joint of your ankle. The arthroscope relays pictures to surgeons which allows them to see how your foot is inside. Although arthroscopy cannot repair your ankle or foot injury but it can be one of the initial cuts (quite practically!) of more extensive operations. Arthroscopy examines the nature and extent of your injury. It will also tell the foot surgeon what will be required to correct the issue. If you suspect having an ankle fracture injured ligaments or ankle arthritis or ankle sprain, the surgeon can perform an arthroscopy procedure on you.
2. Ankle and foot surgery to fuse: This procedure involves joining two or more bones (hence the word “fusion”) in the ankle or foot. The idea behind this is that joining separate bones creates the foot to be stronger and more stable. foot Screws and plates are put in order to provide support to the fusion bones. The procedure of fusion is a highly effective method to treat ankle flat feet, arthritis, and fractures.
3. Repair of the Achilles tendon: Although your Achilles tendon is strong and is the most powerful tendon you have, it is still susceptible to tearing when it is subjected to a force that is strong. A ruptured Achilles signifies that you’ll be experiencing pain at every step you undertake. Repairing the Achilles tendon requires stitching the damaged or ruptured Achilles tendon to make it stronger. In the event that your Achilles tendon has been seriously damaged, your surgeon might select a tendon from another area of your foot to repair it.
4. The Metatarsal Foot Surgery: Behind each toe is the long metatarsal bone. The bones are at risk of breaking when you turn your foot or drop a large object on them. The metatarsal bones could also be damaged if suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment for metatarsal bone involves strengthening or aligning damaged bones using fixation devices, such as screws and pins.
5. Calcaneal osteotomy: If your calcaneus (heel bone) has broken, surgery could be required. It involves realigning the heel bone by using fixing devices.

In comparison to other foot surgery, Calcaneal osteotomies are easy enough to allow you to be home the same day as your procedure.

Stand On Your Feet Again

Some of the most frequently used ankle and foot surgeries are:

• A foot and ankle joint arthroscopy: Sends images of your ankle to your surgeon, so they can evaluate your next step.
• The fusion of your ankle and foot: Strengthens your bones by fusion.
• Achilles tendon fix Stitch your torn and ruptured Achilles tendon to back.
• Metatarsal Foot Surgery: Reinforces or realigns damaged metatarsal bones using fixation devices.
• Calcaneal osteotomy: Realigns the heel bone that has been broken by using fixation devices.