When limitations caused by foot pain or deformity have become more than you can bear, it might be time to consider a minimally invasive surgical procedure. If you have been coming to our clinic for non-surgical treatments, you know that we have tried everything to relieve your pain and allow you to live an active lifestyle. At Hermiston Family Foot Clinic, surgery is always the last resort, and we only recommend it when we know it will allow you to get back to doing the things you love to do. We are not a surgery-focused practice, but Dr. Carlson has the expertise needed to determine when surgery is necessary, and he has the skills to perform it.

Conditions That Might Eventually Require Surgery

When a condition limits your foot’s ability to function and changes the structure of your foot, conservative measures can be effective in allowing you to continue to do the things you need to do. Fitting you with special shoes, creating custom orthotics, teaching you how to apply padding in the right areas to prevent blisters, and giving you stretches and exercises to loosen ligaments can keep you going for a long time. In addition, cutting-edge treatments such as amniotic injections can provide non-invasive relief. However, you might still reach a point at which surgery is the best option to provide a permanent solution to your pain. We offer surgical solutions to the following common conditions:

  • Heel spurs. A heel spur is a bony growth that can form along the base of the heel in people with plantar fasciitis. When the ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot is tight, it puts pressure on the attachment point, and a painful spur can form. While removal of the spur is sometimes necessary, the more common procedure to relieve pain is to release the ligament by cutting a section of it near the heel. This is a quick, minimally invasive surgery, and you are usually back on your feet within a few weeks.
  • Bunions. When wider shoes, extra padding, and orthotics no longer relieve the pain caused by a bunion, it might be time for surgery. A bunion is a misalignment of the big toe joint that causes the bone to protrude to the side. In a bunionectomy, the joint is realigned, and some of the bone is shaved off. Recovery can take several months.
  • Hammertoes. An abnormal bend in the fourth or fifth toes is known as a hammertoe and can become quite painful and cause difficulty fitting into shoes. Depending on the type of hammertoe you have, there are several different surgical procedures that can correct the deformity.

In addition to these surgeries that require some form of general anesthesia, we perform simpler procedures with local anesthetic in our office, including removal of ingrown toenails and plantar warts and shaving of calluses and corns.

Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Your Surgical Options

In our experience, surgery is the last thing on people’s minds when they see a podiatrist for pain in their ankle, heel, toes, or arch, and we believe surgery should be the last option for treatment. If you are a current patient and we believe surgery is the best option to relieve your pain, we will provide you with lots of information and answer all of your questions. If another podiatrist has recommended surgery and you want another opinion, we are happy to schedule a consult. For patients who need more extensive surgery than we perform, Dr. Carlson connects them with other experts in the podiatry field whom he fully trusts. Reach out to our office in Hermiston to start the conversation.

After nearly 30 years of practice, trust us when we say we have seen it all! Dr. Carlson and his whole team at Hermiston Family Foot Clinic are dedicated to providing the best possible care to relieve your discomfort and get you back to work and recreation. If conservative methods are no longer working for you, contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your surgical options.