Surgical Treatment For Bunions

Learn more about bunion surgery and when it might be time to consider it.

You’ve been told that you have a bunion. Now what? While most people with bunions can ease pain and discomfort through sporting the proper footwear and changing their lifestyles, sometimes these habits just aren’t enough. When bunions have become so enlarged and painful that they impact your daily life, our San Francisco, CA, podiatrist Dr. Richard Rolfes can provide surgical relief to correct this common foot deformity.

Do bunions get worse?

Bunions are considered progressive. While wearing the appropriate shoes and properly caring for your feet can certainly slow the progression of this deformity, it will continue to grow larger over time. How quickly a bunion progresses varies from person to person. Some bunions develop rapidly while others may be slow to develop.

Is it time to consider bunion surgery?

This is the number one question we hear from our patients. They often don’t know if their bunion symptoms warrant getting surgery. Here are some signs that it might be time to talk with our San Francisco, CA, podiatry team about bunion surgery:

• You are dealing with constant and severe foot pain
• Your bunion limits your activities
• You are experiencing severe and persistent swelling
• It’s painful to wear shoes or to walk
• The bunion is very large
• The big toe is crossing over the smaller toes
• Over-the-counter or prescription painkillers aren’t touching the pain
• Home care isn’t enough to manage your symptoms
• Your quality of life has diminished due to your bunion

How is bunion surgery performed?

There are several surgical techniques for correcting bunions, and this is something that our San Francisco, CA, foot doctor will discuss with you during your evaluation. While there are various techniques for correcting this deformity they all involve repositioning the deformed joint back into the proper alignment to alleviate pain and improve mobility and functionality of the foot.

This surgical procedure is performed under local anesthesia with IV sedation. The procedure can take as little as 45 minutes or up to three hours, depending on several factors including the severity of the deformity and the technique Dr. Rolfes and his team utilizes.

From customized bunion treatment plans to minimally invasive bunion surgery, our San Francisco, CA, podiatrist Dr. Rolfes and the team at Stonestown Podiatry Group are here to make sure that your feet get the care they need so you can continue to live the life you want. To find out if it’s time to consider bunion surgery, call us at (415) 731-6700 to schedule an evaluation with our team.