Freeing Myself from Bunion Pain Thanks to Lapiplasty®

I like to consider myself an active individual who likes to run marathons and play pickleball and tennis. When I first developed bunions, a condition that many women in my family have, I jokingly referred to it as the “curse of the sixth toe.” In 2017, I underwent a traditional 2D osteotomy procedure on my left foot, but the bunion reoccurred just two years later.

Bunions are a progressive and disruptive bone deformity caused by an unstable joint in the foot that slides out of alignment, resulting in a bump on the side of the big toe1,2. Bunions can impact any individual regardless of their gender, shoe choice or lifestyle3,4. The condition is common, with approximately 25% of American adults suffering the deformity5.

I describe myself as a go-getter, but the constant foot pain was limiting, which was a hard pill to swallow. When I saw how severe my mother’s bunions became as she got older, I knew I had to undergo correction surgery again. The longer you go without treatment, the worse the deformity becomes6.

I connected with Dr. Douglas Dockery at the Foot and Ankle Clinic of the Virginias after a friend recommended him to me. Dr. Dockery went into detail about Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction® and explained the Lapiplasty® Procedure’s advantages, risks, recovery process, and low risk of recurrence the procedure has demonstrated in clinical studies7,8,9. I underwent the Lapiplasty® Procedure on my right foot in March 2023 and had my left foot corrected in August of the same year.

I was nervous before the first surgery because my daughter was graduating law school that May and I didn’t want to show up wearing a surgical boot. I was surprised by how fast the recovery process was for me.

The typical recovery protocol for the Lapiplasty® Procedure has many patients transitioning back to comfortable shoes at six to eight weeks post-op10. After each of my surgeries, I was cleared by Dr. Dockery to bear weight in a surgical walking boot about two weeks after each surgery and at four weeks post-op, he cleared me to begin wearing comfortable sneakers11. Dr. Dockery cleared me for full activity about four months after each procedure12.

Since undergoing the Lapiplasty® Procedure, I don’t wake up with foot pain and I can stand for extended periods of time. At work, I was able to host a fundraiser and stay on my feet through the whole event without any foot discomfort.

Now that I’m fully recovered, I wish I would have undergone the Lapiplasty® Procedure sooner. If I had known then how good my feet would turn out, I would not have hesitated. I can’t recommend the Lapiplasty® Procedure enough to those who are good candidates for it. It is definitely worth it.

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.