Although the majority of foot and ankle conditions can be treated with conservative measures, there are cases when surgical intervention can be suggested or necessary to relieve symptoms and restore function. A variety of foot and ankle injuries, deformities, diseases, and systemic conditions that affect the lower limbs can be treated surgically. Whether or not surgery may benefit you is dependent on the problem and its duration, as well as its severity.

Certain injuries may require surgery to ensure a full recovery. These can include severe ankle sprains, fractures, Achilles tendon ruptures, turf toe, Morton’s neuroma, and plantar fasciitis. While foot deformities can usually be dealt with conservatively, surgical treatment may be warranted if the deformity is moderate to severe or impacts your quality of life. Common foot deformities that can be treated with surgery include bunions and hammertoes.

Arthritis, which can affect the joints of the feet and ankles, can be treated surgically as well. Joint replacement surgery may be suggested for joints in the feet or the ankle joints if the arthritis is severe and significantly impacts your mobility. Systemic diseases, like diabetes, poor circulation, and peripheral neuropathy, can damage the lower limbs. When these conditions are left undiagnosed, untreated, or are poorly managed, lower limb problems often occur. Infected and poorly healing foot wounds, for example, are frequently seen among people with diabetes. When these wounds progress, surgery may be needed to remove damaged tissue and save the limb from amputation.

n general foot surgery should be the last option in any foot related condition. However there comes a time that conservative treatment fails and one should think about this option. Our office is in the forefront of new technologies and advancements in medicine and surgery. We pride ourselves for being able to have patients return to their regular activities as soon as possible. recently there has been a lot of buzz about “cosmetic foot surgery”. Although we strongly condemn surgical procedures on healthy feet for the reason of wearing smaller or narrower shoes, we believe all “non-cosmetic” surgeries should have a cosmetic result. The art of balancing function with appearance is important and we strive to perform this task on every procedure.

Most of our foot surgeries are performed in outpatient settings and rarely require hospitalization. With advances in medicine there is less need for casts and most patients are able to walk right after surgery.

The most common surgical procedures performed by our Toe Surgeon Long Beach include:

• Ankle fractures
• Achilles Tendon rupture
• Bunion deformity
• Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain
• Claw Toe
• Corns
• Diabetic Foot infection
• Hammertoe
• Heel Spur
• Ingrown Toenail
• Lisfranc (Midfoot) Fracture
• Morton’s Neuroma
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
• Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle
• Stiff Big Toe

If you have a foot or ankle condition, please consult with a podiatrist, who can determine which type of treatment is right for you.