DO YOU WANT TO AVOID BUNION SURGERY? ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS HAS THE ANSWER!

DR. HARDY'S TORONTO FOOT CLINIC, ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING PATIENTS WITH BUNION CONSERVATIVELY SINCE 1980.  BUNIONS ARE A GENETICALLY LINKED CONDITION MORE PREVALENT IN FEMALES AND CAN BE MODIFIED AND AGGRAVATED BY IMPROPER FOOTWEAR.  WEARING SHOES AND BOOTS WITH A TOE BOX THAT IS NARROWER THAN THE FOREFOOT OVER TIME CAN CHANGE THE ANATOMY OF THE FOOT.  ALSO HIGH HEELS WHICH PUT THE FOOT IN AN ABNORMAL POSITION AND ALL THE WEIGHT ON THE FOREFOOT AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT INTO A POINTY SHOE.  ALL THINGS THAT CAN CREATE OR AGGRAVATE BUNION FORMATION.

THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO OPT FOR BUNION SURGERY ARE FEMALES AND DO IT FOR COSMETIC REASONS ONLY.  MY ADVICE IS TO NEVER EVER HAVE SURGERY ON AN ASYMPTOMATIC BUNION EVER.  THE LITERATURE IS LITTERED WITH BOTCHED BUNION SURGERIES.  THERE IS NO SURGERY THAT DOES NOT CARRY WITH IT GREAT RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS.  ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH YOUR FEET THIS COULD HAVE PERMANENT EFFECTS ON YOUR MOBILITY AND FUTURE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE.  I HAD A PATIENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHO ELECTED TO HAVE BUNION SURGERY AGAINST MY ADVICE.  YES SHE HAD QUITE LARGE BILATERAL BUNIONS BUT THEY WERE PAIN FREE.  SHE HAD THE SURGERY AND ENDED UP WITH STRAIGHT TOES, A SCAR AND BILATERAL PAINFUL FEET TO THE POINT WHERE SHE CAN ONLY STAND AND WALK FOR SHORT DISTANCES DUE TO THE RESIDUAL PAIN FROM THE SURGERY.  I AM NOT SAYING THAT SURGERY IS NEVER NEEDED.  IF YOU HAVE PAINFUL BUNIONS WHICH ARE LIMITING YOUR MOBILITY THEN IT MAY BE AN OPTION, ALTHOUGH MANY TIMES THIS CAN BE MANAGED WITH CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT.

IN MY FOOT CLINIC FIRST WE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE WEARING THE CORRECT FOOTWEAR WITH A PROPER TOEBOX.  IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS WE CAN USUALLY MANAGE THIS USING PHYSICAL THERAPY SUCH AS LASER, INTERFERENCIAL CURRENT, ULATRASOUND AND SHOCKWAVE.  WE CAN ALSO DO MANUAL MANIPULATION AND ACTIVE RELEASE TECHNIQUE (ART).  WE ALWAYS PRESCRIBE CUSTOM FOOT ORTHOTICS TO PROPERLY BALANCE THE FOOT AND EQUALLY DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OVER THE FOOT REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON THE 1ST METATARSAL JOINT

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO HANDLING JOINT AND SOFT TISSUE CONDITIONS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PATIENT HAS BEEN PROPERLY EDUCATED IN HOME CARE IN THE USE OF THE APPROPRIATE EXERCISES, STRETCHES AND R.I.C.E, (REST, ICE, EXERCISE AND COMPRESSION).  WE ALWAYS MAKE THE PATIENT AN EQUAL PARTNER IN THEIR HEALTH CARE AND MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE IN THEIR HEALING PROCESS.  REMEMBER THE 'DOCTR' HAS NO MAGIC HEALING POWERS PER SAY, ONLY THE BODY CAN  HEAL THE BODY.

IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE REQUIRES HONEST, COMPETENT ADVICE OR QUALITY FOOT CARE AND ORTHOTICS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITARTE TO CONTACT US AT 416-465-873.