How I Got Back to Diving After Lapiplasty®

When my college diving career began at Marshall University, I should have felt excited about what was to come. Instead, all I could think about was the pain I had in my feet. I always noticed that I had bunions on my feet, but when I got to college, the pain became unbearable. When the condition started to impact my ability to train for diving and my daily life, I knew I had to find a treatment option.

Throughout my first semester of college, I tried several nonsurgical methods to treat my bunions. Unfortunately, nothing eased the pain. It was frustrating and depressing to think that there might never be a way to fix my feet. I just wanted to be able to walk and train without worrying about them. The chronic pain really took a toll on me. After months of injections, steroid pills and wearing wider shoes, I was beginning to experience the emotional effects of living with bunions when my trainers recommended that make an appointment with Dr. Michael Gentile at Marshall Health in Huntington, West Virginia.

During my first appointment with Dr. Gentile, I learned about Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, a relatively new procedure that used a different approach from traditional surgery. Dr. Gentile explained that Lapiplasty® differs from traditional bunion treatments in that it involves properly aligning and securing the bones in the foot, correcting the joint’s deformity at its root cause. While traditional 2D osteotomy surgery merely cuts & shifts the bone in the big toe to address the cosmetic bump, Lapiplasty® corrects the structure of the bones and secures them to provide a stable foundation and get patients back on their feet relatively quickly.

Prior to visiting Dr. Gentile, I was not convinced surgery would be the best option for me. I heard about the traditional 2D osteotomy but was discouraged by the possibility of a painful and long recovery process. As a college athlete, I did not want to take an extended period off from diving. I met with Dr. Gentile to discuss my options which included the Lapiplasty® Procedure. After speaking with him, I decided to move forward and schedule surgery.

After my procedure, I was non-weight bearing in a soft cast for two weeks before I was cleared to bear weight while wearing a walking boot. For the next six weeks, I was able to do physical therapy until I was able to progress to wearing a regular tennis shoe. After only four months of recovery, I was back to diving. I underwent surgery again to correct my right foot just six months after my first procedure. This time, my recovery was during the summer and I had help from my parents.

It has been more than a year since my procedures and I am back to diving every day and training for 20 hours a week. My feet feel stronger and more stable than ever. This summer, I coached gymnastics at a camp. I am studying health sciences and plan to be a strength and conditioning coach after graduating.

Lapiplasty® has changed my life by allowing me to return to the activities I love. Being able to wear heels again, or really any shoe longer for than an hour, getting back to walking or running for long periods of time and practice without foot pain has made a world of difference. I never thought I would be able to do that.

To learn more about Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, visit Lapiplasty.com.

Only a surgeon can tell if Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ is right for you. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary and this experience is unique and specific to this patient only. There are potential risks with surgery and recovery takes time. Potential risks include, but are not limited to: infection, discomfort from the presence of the implant, loosening of the implant, and loss of correction with nonunion or malunion.