Bunions are primarily an inherited foot structure issue.  These often begin to develop in early adolescents and progressively get bigger as time goes on.  They develop as one’s foot becomes increasingly unstable through the medial.  The bunion itself seems to grow as the first metatarsal shifts outwards and the big toe begins to drift into the adjacent digits.  This shift will continue until it is treated and will get larger as time and milage gets greater.

There are many different ideas about the treatment of a bunion.  There are conservative and surgical options available.  It is important to note that conservative options do not correct the bunion or stop it from getting larger.  This can only be accomplished surgically.

Surgery for a bunion is most used for long term correction.  Meaning realigning the bone for the foot to function in a stabilized fashion.  Many bunion surgeries are what is called a head procedure.  This is when the metatarsal head is cut and pinned or screwed in place.  The procedure itself is straight forward and can usually be done in under an hour.  The average person will be walking the entire post operative phase and can be in a normal shoe in 4-6 weeks typically. 

If you have a bunion and are in pain, I can help.  Make an appointment with me today at 425-391-8666 or submit a contact form online and our team will reach out as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons

Dr Timothy Young, a board certified foot surgeon talks about Reversing a Bunion: Understanding the Causes, Treatment Options, and Prevention Part 1

Introduction:

Bunions are a common condition that can cause foot discomfort, pain, and limit mobility. Bunions are typically associated with a bony protrusion at the base of the big toe, and they are actually the result of a complex structural deformity in the foot.  We will review the causes of bunions, explore the available treatment options, and discuss preventive measures that can help reverse this condition.

Understanding Bunions:

Bunions, are also known as hallux valgus.  This condition occurs when the joint at the base of the big toe becomes misaligned. The misalignment causes the big toe to angle inward, towards the other toes, leading to the formation of a bony bump on the side of the foot. Bunions can be hereditary, but they are often aggravated by certain factors, including:

a. Footwear: Tight, pointed shoes that squeeze the toes together can contribute to the formation of bunions.

b. Foot structure: Certain foot types, such as very pronated flat feet with low arches, are more prone to develop bunions.

c. Arthritis: Certain forms of arthritis can increase the risk of developing bunions.  And conversely, bunions can lead to abnormal joint wear with potential for arthritis.

Treatment Options:

While bunions are generally progressive and often worsen over time, there are several treatment options available to address the symptoms and reverse the condition:

a. Non-Surgical Treatments:

Wearing good footwear: look for wide-toe shoes with a low heel and nice arch support can reduce discomfort.

Orthotic devices: prescription custom-made shoe inserts (orthotics) can help stabilize the foot and reduce further progression of the bunion.

Padding and taping: Using padding or taping around the bunion that will provide cushioning and reduce pain.

*If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today.

A bunion is a common foot condition I see at my clinic.  It is amazing the different sizes and shapes of bunions I have seen during my career.  There are a couple of things I have noted during this time.  One is that the bunion gets bigger.  It does not grow but the bone continues to move out of alignment.  Secondly it is easier to fix earlier in the process especially when the other toes are not involved.  Lastly, the most important aspect is proper procedure selection.  This leads me to my discussion today.  The Lapiplasty has really revolutionized bunion surgery.

I was listening to a lecture today and they were discussing the fact that there are over 150 different types of bunion surgery.  Most of these techniques are no longer utilized.  But this is important because it illustrates how difficult it can be to get long term corrections.  This is why I am a fan of the Lapiplasty procedure.  The Lapiplasty corrects the bunion at its apex.  It helps to realign the bone in all 3 cardinals planes that the body moves in.  It has helped surgeons to provide the best correction for the patient and speed recovery.  I find this procedure has incredible outcomes and my patients are happy with their results. 

If you are suffering from a bunion I can help.  I have seen how painful and debilitating these can be.  Make an appointment online or give us a call at 425-391-8666

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons

Bunions can be extremely painful.  They can make everyday activities uncomfortable.  These can be things like running or hiking or climbing or even just trying to wear shoes.  The pain is often described as a dull ache or even a burning type sensation.  Plenty of patients relate other things like trying to wear a shoe again after being in a sandal all summer or a sudden sharp pain on the bottom of their foot.  The symptoms and problems associated with a bunion can be diverse and understanding the pathology can be helpful.

A bunion is not a growth on the side of the foot.  Quite a few patients come into the office believing that they have a bony growth that is causing the bunion.  However this is a common misconception. The bunion is caused by a change in position of the 1^st metatarsal bone.  This bone begins to deviate towards the other foot and as it changes position the big toe drifts towards your 5^th digit or pinky toe.  This deviation gets worse with time.  There are factors that influence the bunion.  Primarily it is genetics.  Your bunion develops because one has a family history of bunions.  There are factors that will increase the speed at which it occurs like high heel shoes for example.  Eventually it becomes big enough or painful enough to have it fixed.

Fixing a bunion is my specialty.  I really enjoy helping patients to get back to the activities they love.  Bunion surgery can be relatively straightforward and provide excellent results.  The vast majority of bunions can be fixed in 1-2 hours as an outpatient procedure.  The surgical recovery depends on the procedure selected and the fixation utilized to repair the bunion.  If you are suffering from bunion pain I can help!  Give me a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons

Bunion surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States.  It is usually performed in an outpatient setting and no overnight stay is required.  The majority of bunion surgeries take less than 2 hours and have great long term outcomes.  The most common bunion surgery is an Austin bunionectomy as it is called. It has been utilized for almost 100 years and is a powerful tool in bunion correction. 

The Austin bunionectomy traditionally involved a cut in the 1^st metatarsal head.  It was cut from medial to lateral in a chevron type fashion.  This allows for correction of the abnormally aligned joint and removal of the bunion.  It usually involves some sort of fixation to hold the bone in place like a screw or a pin.  Some surgeons require a period of non-weight bearing and typically 3 months before back to normal activities.`

I personally have performed this type of bunion surgery 1000’s of times.  I like to make a longer arm with my but on the bottom of the bone as opposed to a chevron style cut.  This allows for a more rigid fixation and faster recovery.  The typical patient can return to activities at 6 weeks. 

If you have a bunion that is causing pain and want to have minimal downtime give me a call and I can review all your options.  Remember I have an onsite surgery center that saves thousands as compared to having your procedure at a hospital or ASC.

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

Dr Brandon Nelson, A Board Certified Physician and Surgeon, Discusses the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Consensus on Bunions

This month the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons released an updated version of statements regarding bunion deformities.  It was released to look at the best available evidence, clinical practice, and clinical experience to treat bunions.  As a member and Board-Certified Surgeon, I feel it is an essential tool to have in our clinical practice.  I will summarize some of the important findings:

1.     The bunion is a deformity that should be considered chronic, progressive, and degenerative in nature.  

2.     The juvenile bunion should be evaluated and managed differently than the adult.   

3.     Effective assessment and evaluation require and x-ray.

4.     Procedural decision making for bunions should address the specific anatomy of the deformity.

5.     Bunions should always be addressed with joint preserving procedures when appropriate.

This is a main summary of what was stated.  Bunions continue to be a difficult pathology for patients.  If you have bunion pain I am happy to help come up with a treatment plan. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

Bunions can be quite painful for many people.  They can begin to interfere with activities and make exercising difficult.  Additionally, it can become difficult to find shoe gear that fits properly.  Most bunions are a genetic condition that is inherited and develops with time and loading of the foot.  Many bunions get bigger as time goes on and eventually require surgical repair.  Surgery for a bunion can be broken down into two categories what are called head procedures and base procedures.  Today I will only discuss a base procedure as this seems to be the most common question lately.

Base procedures are often used for large bunions and can be a powerful tool to correct the foot.  The base procedure is usually further divided into joint sparing procedures and joint destructive procedures.  The most asked about procedure currently is the Lapiplasty.  The Lapiplasty is a procedure based off a technique described by Paul Lapidus.  It involves removing a joint in the foot that is the apex of the bunion deformity.  The reason this procedure is so effective is it eliminates the primary cause of the bunion, the hypermobile joint that initiated the development of the bunion.

Lapiplasty is a tool set that is provided to make the Lapidus bunion surgery easier.  This is a technique that has been utilized for years however this instrument set is the first of its kind and has helped make this procedure more reproducible.  This is the most common bunion procedure I execute as it has great correction and great long-term outcomes.  If you have a bunion and would like a consultation, make an appointment today and I can help.

Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online. 

Sincerely,

Brandon Nelson

Board Certified Physician and Surgeon

Bunion surgery continues to be the most common foot surgery United States.  Tens of thousands are performed annually.  The vast majority of these are performed in an outpatient setting less than a couple hours.  A large percentage of these patients can begin weightbearing shortly after the procedure.

Currently there is a lot of literature around the Lapiplasty which is the device to help improve bunion correction.  The idea behind the device is a 3 plane correction of the bunion this been utilized for over 6 years and on over 35,000 patients.  Lateral last he device helps to correct, cut, compress and fixate the bunion procedure.

First component of the laminoplasty is correct.  The device is utilized to correct the bunion in all 3 cardinal planes by allowing and alignment correction or making any cuts in the bone.  A second component for contact performed via sisal J which allows an average cut between 2.4 and 3.1 mm average shortening.  Third component or compresses utilized to achieve compression of the joint while maintaining the 3-D correction.  The fourth and final fixate is plate system that has been biomechanically tested for multiple complaints stability and rapid return to weightbearing.

I have had experience using the lapiplasty system.  The Lapidus bunionectomy remains one of my most commonly performed surgical procedures.  It has great power of correction for large bunion deformities and patients with significant instability.  If you currently are experiencing bunion pain and are interested in the laminoplasty I am happy to help.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

Board-certified American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

Board-certified American College of Podiatric Medicine

Bunions can become extremely painful especially with exercise and shoe gear. The bunion itself becomes uncomfortable when the bone begins to protrude out of normal alignment. Many people wonder what has caused the bunion itself and why it is now painful. We will explore both of these thoughts and I will provide some insight as to what can be done.

Bunions we know are primarily a hereditary foot structure issue. What I mean by that is the foot structure or foot alignment is what causes the bunion. You inherit your foot from your family genetics and often the foot type you inherit may lead to a bunion. There is usually a family history of bunions, and this can often skip generations. There is a portion of the bunion as well that can be exacerbated by environmental factors. Shoe gear, i.e high heels can put more pressure on the front of your foot increasing bunion formation. Other factors include things like exercise or really anything that increases foot pressures. Even injury and trauma have been associated with bunion development. The bunion is a complex pathology that has both generic and environmental factors that lead to its formation.

Pain, pain is by far the most common reason people come to the doctor. The most frequents spots for bunion pain are right near the knuckle of the big toe or under the 2nd toe. The knuckle of the big toe, or technically the first metatarsal head begins to protrude out and cause pressure with shoe gear. This gets worse with time as the bunion gets bigger. The 2nd metatarsal or 2nd toe becomes painful as the bunion gets bigger and the foot less stable.

If you have a bunion and would like to schedule a consultation, call 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online.