Matthew
The best treatment for bunions in Australia is a non-surgical treatment that combines the use of orthotics to provide a ‘bunion-shield’, padding to relieve friction, and an ice pack to reduce inflammation. This type of treatment is available in Adelaide Bunion Clinic and is highly effective at reducing pain and improving the quality of life for people with hallux valgus or bunion deformity.
A bunion is a painful, swollen bump caused by a malformation of the big toe joint, called the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. A bunion develops when the big toe becomes excessively bent or deviated from its normal position, causing the MTP joint to become enlarged and prominent in the front of the foot. It is a result of abnormal biomechanics and/or poor-fitting shoes that compress the toes and force them into an unnaturally bent position. It can be extremely difficult to walk comfortably and to find footwear that fits well.
Non-surgical treatment options for bunions include changing to shoes with a wide toe box that does not compress the toes, padding to relieve friction and providing a ‘bunion shield’, the use of orthotics to take pressure off the big toe and prevent it from becoming deviated, icing and using anti-inflammatory medications. However, these treatments do not always provide significant relief and often only offer short-term improvements in the symptoms of a bunion.
In addition, these traditional surgical procedures can be invasive and complicated with lengthy recovery periods. Research has found that many patients who undergo bunion surgery are dissatisfied with their results and experience postoperative pain. Furthermore, the surgery can lead to complications such as infection and a recurrence of the bunion.
Fortunately, the field of surgery is evolving to offer less-invasive options for bunion correction that deliver superior outcomes and faster recoveries than the traditional approach. Minimally invasive bunion techniques have become more popular among surgeons, with new devices such as procedure guides and specialized instrumentation offering enhanced reproducibility and patient satisfaction.
The latest advancements in minimally invasive bunion correction allow surgeons to make poke-hole incisions and achieve clinical outcomes that are equivalent to, or better than, open procedures and Lapidus fusions. Stryker’s PROstep MIS platform includes an all-in-one procedure guide that enables the surgeon to perform joint preparation, triplanar reduction, and a three-screw construct that’s engineered to create a tension band effect for biomechanical stability.
The system allows the surgeon to make a single, fixed incision for all components of the operation, enabling precise and reliable screw placement without needing a separate assistant to help with each step. Its intuitive guide also simplifies the procedure, allowing the surgeon to customize adjustment settings easily and with confidence. In addition, the PROstep MIS Business Screw comes pre-packaged and sterilized for immediate surgical use, eliminating the need for additional sterile preparation. This allows the orthopedic device manufacturer to streamline the product and increase the speed of surgery for increased efficiency in the operating room.
