I am a surgeon, but I encourage all my patients to at least consider all other treatment modalities before discussing surgery. It is important to identify the simplest, least risky treatment to solve your problem.
Doing Nothing
The good news is that time is a great healer. It not unreasonable as a first line of treatment to wait. Most minor injuries and aches and pains heal on their own and don’t need any treatment.
Foot Wear
What we wear on our feet has a huge impact on how comfortable our feet are. It is fine to wear fashionable heels, or the like, some of the time, but it is sensible to wear good shoes most of the time.
My definition of good shoes is something with a stiff sole and soft spacious uppers that can accommodate deformities. A good example is a walking shoe or boot that one might find in an outdoor activity shop. Have a look at my leaflet on good footwear.
Pain Killers
Analgesia can certainly help with some types of pain. It is sensible to try simple medication first such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatories. In fact this combination are very effective if taken together. They are synergistic.
It is important to make sure they do not interact with any other medication you take. I find that pharmacists at your local chemist are the most accessible, informed and helpful with these topics.
Don’t forget if your can’t take them orally then there is almost always a topical version that you can rub into the sore bit.
Orthotics
Orthotics are inserts for your shoes that change how your foot interacts with the ground. They can be life changing for many problems. Good examples are metatarsalgia and plantar fasciitis. I will point you in the direction of an appropriate orthotic or orthotist if we decide that its appropriate.
Injections
Injections can take many different forms and are of course an invasive treatment with potential complications. Steroid injections are particularly effective and act as a powerful, localised anti-inflammatory. There are many other types of injections that are indicated in certain situations that I can discuss with you.
Surgery
Despite being a surgeon, I view surgery as being a last resort. This is because the majority of foot and ankle problems can be treated with less complex and invasive treatment. Having said that there are good surgical options for most pathologies if all else fails.
I am very happy to discuss them all with you and you can get in touch via the button below.
