A bunion or hallux valgus causes little or no discomfort for many people. With others, the foot deforms more and more, hurts and makes walking difficult. Symptoms of hallux valgus can be treated with conservative measures such as fitted shoes and splints. How well conservative measures help, however, has hardly been investigated in good studies. If severe symptoms do not improve, surgery may be an option. The objectives of an intervention are
- relieve the pain
- to increase the resilience of the foot,
- to enable normal walking again,
- to improve the appearance of the foot and
- To prevent osteoarthritis as well as hammer and claw toes .
There are different methods of operating bunion treatment singapore. In almost all operations, the tendons and the joint capsule are corrected to correct the position of the big toe. The first metatarsal bone and often the base of the big toe are then cut and moved so that the toe is straight again. If it is severe, further interventions may be necessary. For example, the big toe joint or the first metatarsal joint can be stiffened.
The foot is usually stabilized with metal plates, screws, wires or special bandages. A procedure takes between 30 and 100 minutes. Usually one is operated on in the hospital and stays there for a few days. But the intervention can also outpatient be made.
Surgery will straighten the toes and metatarsus. This corrects the misalignment and the symptoms often improve. For many, the foot is more resilient after the operation and walking is easier. Nevertheless, some are dissatisfied with the result of the operation, for example because they continue to have pain or the foot is more immobile than before: The procedure usually reduces the mobility of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe. The foot can then no longer roll properly, for example.
Hallux valgus can develop again after an operation. To prevent this, it is recommended to avoid tight shoes. Every procedure can lead to inflammations , infections and nerve and vascular injuries. At infection follow-up operations may be necessary. A nerve injury can lead to a permanent numb area on the toe. Rare complications are osteoarthritis of the metatarsal bone or death (necrosis) of the bone tissue.
Since the leg cannot be put under much strain after an operation, the risk of thrombosis is increased during this time. Therefore, anti-thrombotic injections can be prescribed. The foot can still hurt in the first days and weeks. But that usually goes away.