Beaver Valley Foot Clinic  

Anyone who’s had a bunion can tell you that they’re very painful—even debilitating. Bunions are formed when wearing high-heeled shoes or any ill-fitting shoe that causes the big toe to drift toward the smaller toes, causing the bone on the side of the big toe to jut out. It can cause soreness and pain in your big toe and can affect the way that you walk, too.

Bunion Surgery Basics

If you visit a foot clinic, your podiatrist can diagnose bunions with X-rays, and will ask you to prepare for outpatient surgery, called a bunionectomy. Most bunion surgery is performed using sedation therapy and localized anesthesia. This surgery is simple and takes only an hour. Your podiatrist will most likely remove a part of the foot that is angled out. Stitches will be placed in your foot, and you’ll return to your doctor’s office for follow-up visits and to remove stitches.

Bunion Surgery Recovery

After the surgery, you’ll be brought to a recovery room to be monitored, and you may possibly stay overnight if the surgery was more complicated. Otherwise, once your doctor is pleased with your vitals, you can be taken home. You CAN NOT drive yourself home, so be sure to have someone with you. Your recovery will take at least six weeks and as long as four or more months.

After bunion surgery, you should:

• Continue to wear the special shoes that your podiatrist gives you.
• Rest as long as you’ve been instructed. You should NOT be on your feet!
• Elevate your feet to reduce swelling.
• Take prescribed medications as directed by your doctor.

If during your surgery recovery, you develop a fever, have increasing pain, bleeding, or swelling around your stitches, call the foot clinic immediately.

Your podiatrist will also ask you to:

• Keep your foot dry until the stitches are taken out.
• Wear a splint, walking cast, or specialized shoes until you’ve recovered.
• Avoid bearing weight on that foot for at least a month.
• Curtail your regular activities for at least a month to ensure proper healing.

Beaver Valley Foot Clinic has six convenient locations in the Beaver, Allegheny, and Butler county areas. We’ve treated thousands of bunion patients who have returned to their normal activities and are pain-free! Call us today for a consultation.