Do You Need Foot Surgery?

By Dr. Akhtar
March 6, 2019

Do you need foot surgery? Do you worry that the procedure may be invasive, painful, or limiting of your daily routines? At Optimal Ankle & Foot in Wayne, and Fort Lee, New Jersey, your foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Affan Akhtar is Board Certified in Foot & Ankle Surgery. While conservative treatments are tried first, sometimes the lower extremities need corrective surgery to look, feel, and function normally. You can trust Dr. Akhtar’s expertise to put you on the right path to wellness.

Evaluating Someone for Surgery

When simpler measures such as splinting, rest, analgesics, shoe orthotics, and more cannot help a podiatric problem, Dr. Akhtar may recommend in-office or outpatient surgery performed with benefit of local or general anesthesia.

Before scheduling an operation, your Wayne/Fort Lee, NJ, foot and ankle surgeon will examine your foot and watch you walk. Podiatrists call this gait analysis, and it helps the doctor determine what stresses are placed on your foot and where and how your medical condition is impacting your movement and level of comfort.

In addition, Dr. Akhtar will carefully review your medical and medication history. He may order lab work and other diagnostic studies, including digital X-rays and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. From there, he’ll formulate your treatment plan, including pre-operative preparations and post-operative care.

Types of Podiatric Surgeries

Today's podiatrist offers a wide range of surgeries, which correct deformities, relieve pain, and normalize function. Some of the most common foot and ankle operations include:

Bunionectomy, which removes a pronounced bump at the base of the big toe and re-aligns the metatarsophalangeal joint

Tendon surgery, to shorten or straighten connective tissue for conditions such as Achilles Tendonitis

Fusion of the foot or ankle, which places stabilizing hardware such as screws and plates after someone has suffered a severe fracture or sprain of the foot or ankle

Plantar fasciitis surgery, which releases a tight band of connective tissue which runs across the bottom of the foot (sometimes involves removal of a co-existing heel spur)

Matrixectomy or partial removal of the toenail when deformity or disease warrants

Removal of common benign tumors--called neuromas--in the ball of the foot

Metatarsal surgery, to correct deformities of the foot bones behind the toes (except for the big toe)

Count on Compassionate Accurate Care

With surgery from Dr. Akhtar, you'll feel better and be back to your usual routine quickly. If you suspect that you have a podiatric medical problem, please call one of our offices at (973) 692-1113 for a consultation. Optimal Ankle & Foot, has an office in Wayne, and Fort Lee, NJ.


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