Your Riverside orthopedic surgeon can determine the extent of the damage to your ankle or foot and to guide you in what type of treatments would be the most effective.
Nonsurgical treatments
For many foot and ankle conditions, non-surgical treatments are all that are needed. Non-surgical treatment options include:
- Orthotics. Custom-made or store-brand shoe inserts, supports and padding can alleviate pain by cushioning or removing pressure from parts of the foot
- At home, self care of your injury
- Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling
- A brace or a cane
- Physical therapy
- Weight control or nutritional supplements
- Injections such as a steroid medication injected into the joint
- Depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend a variety of non-surgical treatments to alleviate your pain.
At Riverside, we treat a wide range of foot and ankle conditions, including:
Arthritis is a joint disease that can affect the foot, ankle and big toe. Symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness. If left untreated, arthritis may cause permanent joint damage.
Flat feet occurs when arches don't develop in childhood, after an injury or from the everyday stresses of being on your feet. If you have flat feet, your entire foot touches the ground when you stand. Flat feet can change the alignment of your legs and may cause problems with pain in your ankles and legs. Developing flat feet as an adult is one of the most common problems affecting the foot. There are many treatments available, from nonsurgical methods, such as orthotics and braces, to surgery.
A bunion is an enlarged 'big toe' joint that develops from direct irritation and movement patterns. As a result, the bones that form the joint move out of alignment, and the joint becomes swollen and red. Bunions cause pain, difficulty walking and trouble finding shoes that fit. Surgery isn't always required for bunions. In many cases, wearing wider shoes with adequate toe room can alleviate pain from bunions. Other treatments that take pressure off the big toe can also help.
Hammer toe occurs when the toe's middle joint is bent, and the toe resembles a hammer. It most commonly happens in the second, third and fourth toe, contributing to pain, difficulty walking, and corns or calluses on the affected toe.
Metatarsalgia is pain and inflammation on the ball of the foot. It is usually related to how a person walks, foot anatomy and abnormalities in the foot or ankle. For example, athletes, people with high arches, and those with bunions or hammertoes are more likely to develop metatarsalgia.
This chronic condition stems from damage to the ligaments that hold the ankle joint in place. The instability causes the outer side of the ankle to slip. It usually results from repeated ankle sprains. Ankle instability occurs during movement but can also occur while standing. You may experience pain, swelling and discomfort with ankle instability.
An osteochondral injury is an area of abnormal or damaged cartilage and bone on the top of the lower bone of the ankle joint.
Fractures are one or more broken bones in the foot or ankle. Complete fractures are sudden bone breaks that happen with impact, while stress fractures are micro-breaks more likely from overuse. Complete fractures typically result in significant pain and swelling, whereas stress fractures result in dull nagging pain and discomfort.
The Achilles tendon is the largest in your body and attaches your calf to your heel bone. While it is usually a strong tendon, it can become irritated or even rupture under extreme stress. It may be able to heal with rest, but many people need surgery to correct this problem.
Plantar fasciitis is heel pain resulting from inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament that sits on the bottom of the foot. Inflammation can result from stress or injury to the ligament.
Common foot and ankle surgeries we offer include:
The goal of bunion correction is to realign the joint at the base of the big toe, relieve pain and repair the bones. Your surgeon may make small cuts to realign the bone, tendons and ligaments properly. In some cases, screws or plates will reinforce the changes made by the surgeon. Bunion surgery is an outpatient procedure that can be done in less than an hour. Then with help from your doctor, a physical therapist, exercises and the right footwear, you can return to normal activities in a few months.
Hammer toe surgery depends on the severity of the condition. Often minimally invasive surgery can correct the hammer toe with quicker results and less pain. If that is not possible there are options to transfer tendons or fuse joints of the toe to help straighten them. A small pin or wire secures the bones as they heal together.
During total ankle replacement or ankle arthroplasty, your surgeon removes the damaged joint and replaces it with an artificial joint (prosthetic implant). The new ankle joint allows the foot to move and pivot, relieving pain and helping you regain unrestricted movement.
Flat foot reconstruction surgery restores the foot's arch, improves alignment and reduces pain. Your surgeon will perform several procedures to repair the bones, ligaments and tendons that create a proper arch. This procedure may involve cutting bone, lengthening or transferring soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, and fusing joints.
Treatment for arthritis of the big toe (hallux rigidus) varies based on the severity of the arthritis. In mild to moderate arthritis, your surgeon can remove some bone or the bone spur on top of the big toe (cheilectomy) to relieve your pain.
For severe joint damage, bone fusion may help. During a bone fusion procedure, your surgeon removes damaged cartilage, and the two bones are rejoined and reinforced with screws to grow together.
Ankle arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure where an orthopedic surgeon uses a small camera to diagnose and repair ankle problems. Small incisions allow the surgeon to insert a camera, repair tissues in and around the ankle and remove any damaged tissues. Most people undergoing ankle arthroscopy will experience less pain and greater mobility after the procedure.
Cartilage damage makes even basic everyday movements painful. A variety of procedures can treat cartilage injury. Your doctor may recommend:
- Scope debridement: removing damaged cartilage
- Grafting: replacing damaged cartilage with healthy cartilage from another part of the body
- Microfracture: making tiny holes to stimulate new growth
Depending on the joint and extent of damage, you may require one or more of these procedures to restore your cartilage.
Midfoot fusion removes damaged tissue, realigns bones and secures them together while they heal so they can grow together. Orthopedic surgeons use metal plates and screws to keep the bones in place. This procedure reduces pain and improves mobility.
The Achilles tendon is the largest in your body. It connects the calf muscle to your heel. Repairing the tendon will vary based on the severity of your injury and may include traditional or minimally invasive surgery. During the procedure, your surgeon makes an incision to remove the damaged tissue and repair the tendon.
The goal of surgery for a fractured foot or ankle is to realign and secure the bones and to remove or repair any damaged soft tissues. Screws or plates may secure bones in place while they heal. After repairing a broken foot or ankle, you'll use rest and elevation to ensure proper healing over several months.