Serving a Solution to Bunions at the 2023 USA Pickleball Championships

The 2023 BiOFREEZE USA National Pickleball Championships held in Dallas from November 5-12 is projected to be the largest pickleball tournament in history with tons of food and beverage vendors, family friendly activities with sponsors and local businesses, and live music. The tournament itself will host 4,000 amateur and professional pickleball players. As a physician in the Dallas area with more than 15 years of experience, it’s amazing to see the challenges that many of these players overcome to qualify for the tournament—especially those who deal with medical problems during their training.

While these athletes are playing the game they love, many will likely suffer silently from bunions, which are a painful and progressive deformity that affects nearly 25% of American adults[1]. There is a common misconception that bunions are simply overgrowths of bone on the side of the big toe, but the problem is far more complex. The condition is caused by unstable bones sliding out of alignment near the top of the foot, which allows the big toe to drift out of place and form a telltale bump on the side of the toe.

During my tenure as a podiatrist at the Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas, I have treated a wide variety of injuries and conditions, but bunions are one of the most common and disruptive problems my patients experience. Patients often try to manage their pain, discomfort and swelling using noninvasive methods including shoe inserts, splints and pads, but the only way to correct the root cause of the deformity is with surgery[2]. Traditional surgical approaches known as 2D osteotomy procedures involve shaving down the protruding bone on the side of the toe and shifting the remaining bones over. This option addresses the cosmetic aspect of the bunion but also often requires patients to remain off their feet for six to eight weeks, which can be burdensome[3]. The 2D osteotomy procedure also does not correct the underlying cause of the deformity.

When I learned about the Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction®, a relatively new approach to bunion correction, I couldn’t wait to be trained on the surgical procedure and offer it to my patients. The Lapiplasty® Procedure addresses the root cause of the bunion and corrects the deformity in all three dimensions, unlike traditional surgery. Patients who have undergone this procedure have also seen a very low risk of bunion recurrence, with clinical trials showing a recurrence rate of only about .9-3.2% in 13 and 17-month clinical trials, respectively[4],[5]. Many of them are able to resume their regular physical activities around four months after surgery[6].

I am excited to attend this year’s USA National Pickleball Championships because it will give me an opportunity to speak with attendees and provide them with information about bunion deformities and how innovations such as the Lapiplasty® Procedure can help them return to their lives without bunion pain. Whether you're a pickleball player, an athlete or someone just trying to navigate through daily life without bunions, hope and solutions are available.

To schedule an appointment with me, call (817) 416-6155 or visit www.faant.com.

Only a surgeon can tell if the Lapiplasty® Procedure is right for you. This experience is unique and specific to this patient only. Individual results may vary depending on age, weight, health, and other variables. There are risks and recovery takes time. For more information about recovery from the Lapiplasty® Procedure, see the recovery information and discuss the post-surgery recovery process with your doctor. Risks include infection, pain, implant loosening and loss of correction with improper bone healing. For more information on benefits, risks and recovery, visit Lapiplasty.com.

[1] Nix S, et al. J Foot Ankle Res. 2010. 27:3:21.

[2] American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Website ©2023.

[3] Catanzariti AR, et al. J Foot Ankle Surgery, 38:325-32.

[4] Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2020, 59(2): 291-297.

[5] Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960.

[6] Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2019. 58:427-433.