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Then chances are you have a bunion also known as hallux valgus. A bunion is an unsightly and often painful bump where your first toe meets your foot. Bunions occur when your big toe loses alignment with the rest of your foot. When your first toe drifts over 15 degrees relative to its supporting metatarsal bone it is diagnostic of a bunion deformity being present. Sometimes bunions aren’t painful, but sometimes they are as shoes tighten and abnormal ground pressures rub on the newly exposed bone and joint. As time passes your toe will drift further making the problem worsen. This can be accompanied by a growing lump of bone. When this occurs bunion surgery Perth is something to discuss with a qualified Perth podiatrist available at Foot & Leg Podiatry. Book an appointment with our team today.
There are many non-surgical and surgical approaches to treating bunions. When seeking professional help for bunions and foot pain, podiatrists are uniquely placed to know the best non-operative treatment options. Referral for surgical treatment if absolutely necessary. Podiatrists don’t operate and they are well placed to offer you alternatives to bunion surgery in Perth unless clinically necessary. Be wary of a surgeon who immediately tells you to operate!
It is best practice to exhaust non-surgical treatment options including:
The above options are undertaken by the patients for six months before surgery is considered by a Podiatrist. Because surgery can often result in worse outcomes. Perth Podiatrists are exceptional at non-surgical treatment for bunions. Orthopaedic surgeons and Podiatric surgeons are the specialists in surgical treatment for bunions.
There are many different bunion procedures but the two main categories of procedure are minimally invasive bunion surgery and normal bunion surgery:
Minimally invasive bunion surgery is when a small incision is made from which the bunion surgery is completed. The smaller incision means less tissue damage occurs and a smaller scar will likely result. Postoperative swelling is minimised with minimally invasive bunion surgery. Due to technical difficulty, only a few surgeons are able to perform this procedure in Perth, let alone Australia. The only orthopaedic surgeon we’re currently aware of who has this accreditation in Perth is Dr Andrej Nikoloski who we commonly refer patients to for surgical review. There are no podiatric surgeons in Perth we are aware of who can offer this procedure to their patients.
During normal surgery, the surgeon creates a large incision to perform the bunion removal procedure. The surgeon can easily visualise the Bunions during the operation. Normal bunion surgery procedures have well-established results. The clinical outcomes of surgery have been well researched. Orthopaedic and Podiatric surgeons throughout Perth perform normal bunion surgery as long as their surgical training allows it.
When considering bunion surgery in Perth it is important to establish multiple specialist opinions and proceed with the specialist you feel most comfortable with. Orthopaedic and Podiatric Surgeons conduct private consultations. This means you can visit them directly with a recommendation or referrals from your Podiatrist. The benefit of an orthopaedic surgeon on top of their extended medical and surgical training is that when your General Practitioner refers you to them the bunion procedure and consultations can be completely covered by Medicare.
Questions to ask your surgeon should include:
You should also understand how long it would take you to return to work in both the best and worst-case scenarios.
To learn the difference between a podiatric surgeon and an orthopaedic surgeon read our FAQ. Bunion surgery isn’t the only treatment option and surgery should only be used when conservative measures have been exhausted. To find out more and to see how we can help your bunion problem book an appointment with our podiatrists conveniently located in Perth. Our team at Foot & Leg Podiatry can accurately assess and treat your painful bunion.
Get better now, book an appointment with one of our experienced podiatrists today.