Dr Tan Ken Jin at our clinic specialises in minimally invasive bunion correction.
Painful bony prominence on the inner side of the big toe joint can cause
foot deformity. These prominences are known as bunions or hallux valgus, and
they are pretty common especially in the advancing age.
What a bunion does is cause the big toe to override the lesser toes
resulting in a deformed shape of the foot. The forefoot typically becomes
broader and wearing footwear becomes uncomfortable and painful.
If the bunion is unusually large, it can also cause other deformities of
the toes like the claw toe and the hammertoe deformities.
Non-surgical Approach to Treating Bunions
If the bunion is small, you can often find relief by switching to
footwear that has a broader toe area. This relieves pressure from the forefoot
and makes the foot comfortable. Proper physiotherapy that focuses on stretching
the calf muscles also helps.
Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery
If simple physiotherapy and changing footwear does not improve the
painful bunion, you might need bunion surgery. Previously this surgery was an open
one with a prolonged recovery period.
Now bunions are surgically corrected with a minimally-invasive approach.
This technique involves a minute incision with quicker recovery and little to
none complications.
Is it Painful?
In minimally invasive bunion surgery, an anaesthetic block is applied so
that the procedure is comfortable and almost pain-free.
What is the Prognosis of this Surgery?
After the surgery, the patient can walk comfortably in medical sandals.
The correction done during the operation is also very stable, and the patient
recovers quickly.