By Bunions, if left uncorrected, can cause severe pain. It can make it harder to walk even when wearing comfortable shoes. If it leads to toe deformity, affects your capability to straighten and bend the big toe, or drifts in towards the small toe, your doctor can recommend surgery. Bunions are prevalent in women. This is due to lifestyle such as wearing tight and confining shoes. It could also be a genetic issue as it can be inherited. Moreover, bunion could be due to arthritis. Regardless of the cause, a bunion is characterized by enlarged bone/tissues around the joint at your big (hallux valgus) or little (bunionette/tailor’s bunion) toe’s joint. Mostly, this is caused by stress accumulated over time on the joint. A bunion can be corrected in various ways. Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction is the most popular and a go-to for many users.
Before surgery, and following your bunion’s state, the doctor can recommend a few measures. Wearing comfortable and fitting shoes matching your foot’s shape is a good starting point. This ensures that the footwear doesn’t cause any pressure that worsens the bunion. You could also use orthotics and splints. They help to reposition the toe and provide padding. If the bunion is due to arthritis, your doctor can also prescribe medication to manage swelling and pain. If none of the measures works, then surgery is the ultimate option.
Bunion surgery’s goal is to correct the deformity and relieve the pain. It is not a cosmetic treatment meant to improve your appearance. Traditionally, the surgery option considered factors like:
- Age
- General health
- Activity level
- Bones and connective tissues’ conditions
- Bunion severity
If it is severe, the surgery could entail the removal of the enlarged bone part. This includes cutting and realigning to correct the tendon and ligaments’ positions. In moderate cases, the surgery involves cutting the bone and shifting it to its proper position. It could also involve repositioning of the surrounding ligaments and tendons. In mild bunion cases, surgery removes the enlarged bone part and realigns the surrounding ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
While traditional 2D bunion surgery works, it doesn’t fix the problem. This is since it doesn’t address the bone structure and soft tissue problem causing the protrusion in the first place. Most of the bunions’ misalignment happens in three dimensions. The problem is likely to reoccur with the traditional 2D surgery. This is as it only considers sideways and elevated perspectives. That’s where lapiplasty 3D bunion correction comes in. It provides an innovative solution that targets the root cause of the bunion.
Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction acknowledges that a typical issue arises as the metatarsal is misaligned in three dimensions; rotated, sideways, and elevated. The procedure does not include cutting the bone. Instead, it entails rotating the metatarsal, returning it to its normal anatomical position, correcting the bunion. It uses specially designed tools to manage bone rotation. This is followed by fusion at the tarsometatarsal joint and securing it with titanium plating technology.
While the fusing might seem restrictive, it doesn’t result in the toe’s motion range loss. The metatarsal will maintain its usual movement while keeping the toe straight and decreasing the bunion’s chances of returning. Among the top reasons lapiplasty 3D bunion correction is the best approach includes:
Addressing the deformity’s root
Cutting and shifting the bone doesn’t address the bunion’s source. Instead, it only addresses the bump on your foot. What’s more, the 2D approach typically results in a crooked bone with high chances of the bunion returning. Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction addresses the root problem, restoring the normal joint alignment. With normal alignment, chances of the bunion returning are significantly lowered. This is a significant milestone, especially considering that, on average, over 80% of the bunion problems are due to a three dimensional misalignment. Managing the deformity at its source eliminates the bump. As normal alignment is restored, you’ll regain your narrow foot in its anatomical width.
Recovery process
Within a few days after the procedure, you’ll be able to walk. With the assistance of a boot, the plates allow you to bear weight on your foot, meaning that you’ll easily walk. What’s more, the recovery process is a lot shorter. As you are mobile, the recovery process is also comfortable. With the 2D approach, you can’t walk in a boot within anywhere between two to eight weeks. This is subject to the surgery performed and its impact on how much weight the foot can bear. With a shorter and more comfortable recovery process, you’ll easily manage the process, making the procedure favorable.
Physical therapy
The procedure doesn’t significantly impact your foot’s weight-bearing capability. There is also no considerable dissection, as is the case with traditional surgery. This means that you won’t have to deal with scar tissue formation, swelling, and pain requiring extensive physical therapy. Following the procedure performed, you might need significant physical therapy just to learn how to walk normally after 2D surgery. This is not important with lapiplasty 3D bunion correction, making the process more comfortable and cost-effective.
Technology
Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction uses thin locking plate technology. This translates to a reduction in the need for hardware removal after the procedure. Thicker plates implants have a higher risk of causing irritation, requiring removal. With advanced medical technology, this won’t be necessary. The advancement enhances productivity as you won’t need extra sessions for removal to walk comfortably.
The structural deformity developing on your foot resulting in a bony bump at the base of the big toe needs attention. It is aesthetically unappealing and painful and could be dangerous, especially in older adults. It can affect your gait and balance, meaning that falls are likely to increase.
Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction, an advancement of the 2D options, delivers many advantages, making it easier to handle the deformity. Nonetheless, such benefits can only be guaranteed if the surgery is performed by a skilled, experienced, and reputable surgeon. With the ever-evolving medical technology, you should ensure that you pick well-versed professionals boasting state-of-the-art facilities. Take your time to research and pick the best service.
