52-year-old Shelly loves spending time with her community. She enjoys taking walks around her neighborhood, riding dirt bikes, roller skating and spending time outdoors in her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa. When Shelly was younger and did not have a car, she walked everywhere. Even as she got older and started driving, walking remained a fundamental part of her life. About five years ago, foot pain caused by a bunion started disrupting her everyday routine and preventing her from being as active as she wanted.
Bunions are a painful and progressive deformity that often run in families[1],[2]. They form when bones in the mid-foot slide out of alignment, which typically causes the condition’s telltale bump to form on the side of the big toe. There is a common misconception that only women can develop bunions or that they are caused by wearing high heels. In reality, about 25% of American adults, both men and women, suffer from them[3],[4],[5].
“Some of my relatives had problems with their feet, but I didn’t know they were experiencing pain from bunions,” Shelly explained. While her relatives’ bunions never progressed to the point where they required surgery, Shelly experienced significant discomfort as her deformity worsened.
“After a few years, my bunion pain became so severe that it was constantly throbbing,” Shelly revealed. “My big toe was basically at a 45-degree angle. I couldn’t live like that any longer!” Shelly knew she had to find an effective solution. She read about different treatment approaches, but the traditional surgical options made her feel uneasy and she was hesitant to book an appointment with a specialist.
One day, Shelly took one of her relatives for an appointment at the Foot & Ankle Center in Ankeny, Iowa, where she met Dr. Mindi Dayton. Shelly saw an opportunity to inquire about her condition, and after Dr. Dayton examined her foot, she thought Shelly might be a good candidate for Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, a procedure that allows surgeons to secure the bones in their correct positions in the foot using a system of patented titanium plates[6],[7]. She explained that by correcting the bones’ positioning, all three dimensions of the bunion deformity would be addressed, including the extreme inward turn of her big toe.
“I was delighted when my doctor recommended me for the Lapiplasty® Procedure!” Shelly paid another visit to Dr. Dayton where she was formally examined and deemed eligible for the procedure. She had her right foot corrected with the Lapiplasty® Procedure in August 2022.
“My procedure and recovery went very well,” Shelly exclaimed. As Dr. Dayton instructed, she was non-weightbearing for four days before using a walking boot for about seven weeks and then transitioning back to a tennis shoe.
“I’m now fully cleared for physical activity and driving. I’ve also started roller skating, hiking and taking long walks again!”
Shelly would strongly recommend the Lapiplasty® Procedure to anyone whose doctor says they are a candidate. “Not only did my recovery go smoothly, but I no longer experience bunion pain! The brief time you’re recovering from the Lapiplasty® Procedure feels like nothing compared to chronic bunion pain.”
Only a surgeon can tell if Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ is right for you. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary, and this experience is unique and specific to this patient only. There are potential risks with surgery and recovery takes time. Potential risks include infection, pain, implant loosening and loss of correction with improper bone healing. For more information on benefits, risks and recovery, visit with your surgeon at Foot and Ankle Center of Iowa.
[1] American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Website ©2023.
[3] American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Website ©2023.
[5] Nix S, et al. J Foot Ankle Res. 2010. 27:3:21.
[6] Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2018. 57:766-770.
[7] Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2016. 55:567-71.