You wish your foot problems would resolve. At your doctor's recommendation, you've tried new shoes, rest, and some medications, but the pain does not go away. At Precision Foot and Ankle Centers in Torrance, San Pedro, and Los Angeles, CA, your podiatrists want you to return to an active lifestyle and may advise surgery on your foot. Learn the rationale behind some of the operations Dr. Eric Feit, Dr. Alona Kashanian, and Dr. Pooya Lashkari may propose.

Your feet and ankles

They're complex structures. Just one foot alone contains 26 bones in addition to blood vessels, ligaments, and tendons. When something is amiss, the problem may disrupt your daily routines, keeping off your feet or causing you continual pain. Additionally, some foot and ankle conditions, such as bunions, diabetic wounds, and flat feet, impact overall health and personal appearance, too.

Arthritis Research in the UK finds that a wide variety of degenerative conditions necessitate foot and ankle surgery. They include:

• Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, which can lead to ankle replacement surgery
• Bunions, changes in alignment of the joints at the base of the big toe
• Diabetic ulcers, infected and often life- and limb-threatening wounds resulting from poor circulation
• Plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the connective tissue between the heel and big toe

Additionally, physical injuries, such as fractures and sprains, may require surgery. If neglected, a severe ankle sprain may lead to joint instability, the inability to bear weight and arthritis. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society says that ankle arthrodesis surgery uses grafting materials to strengthen severely injured or malformed ankles, to relieve pain and to promote mobility.

Do you need surgery?

Only your podiatrist at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers in Torrance, San Pedro, and Los Angeles can tell. He or she will examine your foot and how you walk. X-rays and other imaging techniques reveal problems not obvious on visual inspection.

Often, your foot doctor will attempt symptom relief first with conservative measures such as:

• Rest
• Ice
• Elevation
• Compression bandages, soft casts, crutches, canes, and other mobility devices
• Customized shoe inserts (orthotics)
• Over-the-counter pain medications
• Steroidal injections
• A change in footwear

If ineffective, however, surgery may be in order. Thankfully, the professional staff at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers are well-qualified in many of today's most effective and least invasive lower extremity operations, including innovative endoscopy surgeries.

Concerned about a foot or ankle?

Please don't wait. Contact one of our three convenient Precision Foot and Ankle Centers for a professional consultation. If you do need surgery, you'll be in the best of hands. For an appointment at our Torrance location, phone (310) 791-1092. For San Pedro, call (310) 548-3311, and in Los Angeles, call (213) 747-7272.

It’s important to recognize when conservative treatments aren’t working and surgery is the best answer.

It can be difficult sometimes to know when it’s time to acknowledge that all the treatments you’ve been trying just aren’t enough to give you the relief or full results you need. Of course, our Torrance foot surgeons Dr. Eric Feit and Dr. Alona Kashanian are here to help you decide when surgery is right for you. Find out the most common types of foot surgeries and when it might be time to consult us about surgery.

Hammertoes

This foot deformity causes one or more of the toes to become stiff and bent (the toe will look similar to a claw). While many patients can get relief and manage their symptom through more conservative treatment options, if you are still experiencing pain and are unable to flex or straighten out your toe then the only option may be to get foot surgery to correct the toe’s shape.

Bunions

This bony growth that juts out from the joint at the base of the big toe can sometimes respond to more conservative care but if treatments aren’t targeting your symptoms, and severe and constant pain is making it difficult to move around and perform your day-to-day activities, then it might be time to consider getting bunion surgery.

Arthritis of the ankle

Osteoarthritis is usually to blame for ankle arthritis. If pain, swelling or a joint deformity has become severe enough then you may need to get foot surgery in Torrance to get rid of your pain. Common surgeries for ankle arthritis include ankle fusion, triple fusion, and ankle replacement.

Achilles tendon disorder

As we age, the Achilles tendon starts to wear away. As this happens people often experience pain and swelling. If these symptoms are severe enough or if the Achilles tendon ruptures, surgery may be the chosen method for treating your condition and getting the tendon to fully function again. During surgery, the damaged tissue is often removed and then our Torrance foot and ankle surgeon will focus on repairing and rebuilding the tendon.

Don’t let foot pain and discomfort keep you from the life you deserve. If you’ve been fighting symptoms for too long then it’s time you called Precision Foot and Ankle Centers in Torrance to schedule a surgical consultation.

When foot problems don’t respond to conservative treatments, your podiatrist may recommend surgery to relieve pain, correct a foot deformity or restore function in your foot and/or ankle. 

Podiatric surgery is performed by board certified foot surgeons who specialize in surgery of the feet and ankles. An expert podiatrist can diagnose the cause of your foot pain and determine whether surgical intervention may be helpful for you based on factors such as type of procedure being performed, your age and medical history.

Precision Foot and Ankle Centers offer a variety of surgical procedures aimed to solve your lower extremity pains and deformities. Foot surgery is performed to treat many foot problems including:

• Bunions
• Hammertoes
• Fractures
• Heel pain
• Neuromas
• Flatfoot
• Warts
• Nail problems

Surgical treatment for foot and ankle problems can help you return to your active lifestyle while relieving pain and discomfort.  Benefits of surgery include:

• Resolution of painful, chronic foot problems
• Increased mobility and ability to perform and participate in everyday activities
• Improved foot appearance
• Ability to wear a broader range of footwear and walk more comfortably

Following surgery, your podiatrist will provide you with detailed instructions on caring for your foot/feet during recovery.  Your podiatrist will work with you to ensure the foot heals normally and without complications for the best possible outcome.

When your feet hurt, your entire body hurts. At Precision Foot and Ankle Centers, we do everything possible to get you back on your feet with the latest conservative treatments to resolve your problem without surgical intervention. And when conservative methods aren’t responsive, we can provide the highest quality of expert care for all foot and ankle conditions using the most current surgical techniques for shorter recovery times and an enhanced outcome.