Foot Problems Which Require Surgery!

Following are the most common foot conditions which require surgery:

1. Plantar fasciitis: It is one of the most common causes of heel pain which is aggravated in the morning with initial few steps. Too much pressure on feet can damage or tear the ligaments because of which the plantar fascia becomes inflamed, and the inflammation causes heel pain and stiffness.
2. Rheumatoid arthritis: It is an autoimmune condition that affects the joints and causes swelling of the joint lining (synovium). It commonly affects the small joints of the hands and feet. Surgery is required when the condition leads to deformity or cartilage loss.
3. Sesamoiditis: It is a condition where there is a pain on the bottom of the foot at the base of the great toe. Excision of the chronically inflamed sesamoid is required.Ankle arthritis: It is usually caused by osteoarthritis where the cartilage covering the ends of bones gradually roughens and becomes thin and the bone underneath thickens. This leads to pain, swelling, and occasional deformity of the joint. 
4. Fracture: Healing fractures require immobilizing the foot with a boot and sometimes even surgery.
5. Bone spurs: An excessive growth of bone is causing pain or limitation of movement. These spurs develop at the edge of the joint causing pain, tenderness, and difficulty in walking. Surgery is required to remove these excessive growths.
6. Gangrene: It is one of the most common conditions requiring amputation where the death of the tissue occurs.
7. Clubfoot/Talipes Equinovarus: It is a foot deformity in newborns where the foot is rotated inwards (varus) and downwards (equinus).
8. Claw Toes/Hammer Toes: It is a condition affecting the toes in people as they age causing difficulty and pain while walking. The affected joints require replacement with artificial joint or fusion (surgical stiffening). 
9. Morton's Neuroma: The patient presents with pain in the forefoot, in the “ball” of the foot causing irritation of one or more of the small nerves, just before they travel into the toes.
10. Hallux Valgus/Bunion: It is one of the most common conditions, especially seen among women, where bony lumps develop on the side of the foot and at the base of the big toe causing malpositioning of the foot. For some people, it is only a cosmetic problem. Bunionectomy is a surgery performed to remove the bony prominence.
11. Hallux Limitus/Rigidus: It is an arthritic condition of the big toe joint leading to pain and loss of motion.
12. Diabetes mellitus: It affects circulation and blood supply causing delayed healing. Ulcerations, infections, and sometimes severe infections require amputations.
13. Cysts and ganglions: These are painful lumps that cause pressure and rub on the shoe while walking. If a change in the footwear doesn’t solve the problem, surgical removal of the cyst or ganglion is done.