Foot surgeries are often the last resort for treating injuries or chronic conditions that lead to ongoing issues with foot pain and instability. The highly skilled foot and ankle surgeons at International Medical Clinics (IMC) in Atlanta evaluate your condition and talk with you about how foot surgery may benefit you. You can book your foot surgery consultation directly through the website, or you can call the office to schedule.
Why do I need foot surgery?
If conservative treatments such as immobilization with casting or bracing, or even physical therapy, haven’t helped you fully heal, you may need foot surgery. Your podiatrist might recommend foot surgery to correct any of the following types of ailments:
- Bunions or hammertoes
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Arthritic damage
- Plantar fasciitis
- Ankle instability
- Heel spurs
- Neuromas
Foot surgery is also sometimes essential if you have a complex injury, such as a crush injury, tendon or ligament tear, or compound fracture.
Am I a candidate for foot surgery?
When you come in to IMC for your foot surgery evaluation, your dedicated podiatrist evaluates your medical records, gathers any necessary new imaging, and talks with you about your symptoms. You may be a candidate for foot surgery if you:
- Have an injury that never properly healed
- Are at risk of losing a limb, as with a diabetic ulcer
- Experienced trauma and have an obvious deformity
- Continue to experience severe pain because of injury or chronic condition
Foot surgery can even be helpful for correcting deformities — like flat feet — that impair your walking, balance, or ability to exercise without pain. In any case, the dedicated team at IMC cares for you throughout every step of your preoperative and postoperative foot surgery stages.
How long is the recovery after foot surgery?
It depends on your specific procedure. Most foot surgeries can be performed using minimally invasive techniques and tools, as with an arthroscopy.
These minimally invasive types of surgeries are often performed on an outpatient basis and allow you to start walking around with support — such as a boot or cane — within a week or two.
If you need a traditional open foot surgery, which is sometimes necessary for complex bone fractures, you may need to stay a night or two in the hospital. In these cases, you typically need to stay off your feet as much as possible for at least a couple of weeks.
Full recovery from foot surgery from IMC can take as little as six to eight weeks, or as long as 12-16 weeks. Your dedicated foot and ankle surgeon can even get you started on physical therapy sessions to help you rebuild strength and flexibility throughout your recovery period.
If you need foot surgery, contact IMC for a podiatry evaluation today. You can book an exam online, or you can call the clinic to speak with a team member directly.
If you have any questions about our services, please contact us today at (770) 420-8233.