Neighbor News
Happy Feet: My Life After Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction
How I was able to return to the lifestyle I enjoy
I have never been one to stay off my feet. As an inventory auditor, my workday often consists of physical activity including walking the floors of warehouses. When I’m not working, I enjoy making jewelry and windchimes and selling them at local craft fairs. Those days at the fairs can be long and I often spent many hours on my feet. Over the past few years, I began to notice worsening discomfort in my feet caused by bunions. The condition is a progressive foot deformity that affects almost 25% of Americans[1],[2]. The pain became so severe that eventually I could no longer spend the day at the fair or walk the warehouse floor. I knew I needed to speak with my doctor about finding an effective solution.
Living with bunions forced me to spend my entire day managing my foot pain. I was constantly taking over-the-counter pain medication to get through each day, but nothing helped. After getting home from work, I had to roll my feet on frozen water bottles and soak them in Epsom salt water just to ensure that the pain would be bearable enough for me to function the next morning[3].
I decided to visit Dr. Daniel Cohen at Medical Associates of Brevard in Melbourne, Florida to see if he knew of any treatment options that might help. He had successfully performed my plantar fasciitis surgery nearly 10 years ago and he was wonderful to work with, so I knew I could trust any advice he could offer.
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Dr. Cohen told me that I was a candidate for Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, a procedure that involves surgically correcting a bunion in all three dimensions and removing the cosmetic bump on the side of the big toe. Traditional 2D osteotomy procedures typically involve “shaving off” the bunion’s protruding bump on the side of the big toe, but Lapiplasty® corrects bunions by addressing the root cause – an unstable joint in the foot. This approach involves using a system of patented titanium plates to realign and secure the foot bones in their correct positions[4]. After learning about this option, I scheduled surgery on my right foot for November 2018.
The procedure went well, and afterwards I managed any discomfort by taking medication as directed and keeping my foot elevated and iced. At the request of my doctor, I stayed off my foot for about four weeks and then was allowed to bear weight while wearing a walking boot for another four weeks. Four months after my procedure, I was cleared to return to any physical activities. After my positive experience, I opted to undergo Lapiplasty® on my left foot in May 2021.
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It has been more than a year since my second procedure and I can confidently say that the changes in my feet have been like night and day. My daughter used to have to take care of many of the chores around the house because I was in too much pain to be on my feet after a long day at work. We can now enjoy long walks and even go on bike rides together.
It can be hard for people who do not have bunions to understand how much pain they can cause. Bunions are often seen as simply a cosmetic issue. Many people cannot see how much pain your feet are in – especially when you are wearing shoes. I hope that people who are living with the bunion pain I once experienced know that there are treatment options available!
For more information about the Lapiplasty® Procedure™, visit Lapiplasty.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cohen, call 321-253-3595 or visit www.MABMD.com.
Lapiplasty® is a surgical procedure. Only a surgeon can tell if Lapiplasty® procedure is right for you. As with any surgical treatment, there are risks; individual results may vary; and recovery takes time. This experience is unique and specific to this patient only. Potential risks include infection, pain, implant loosening and loss of correction with improper bone healing. For more information on benefits, risks and recovery, visit Lapiplasty.com.
