Surgical Flat Foot Correction

Discover how surgical flat foot correction can effectively restore natural alignment and improve your quality of life. While flat feet in children often correct themselves during development, persistent flatfoot into adulthood or later in life may require surgical intervention to restore the foot's arch.

The goal of flat foot surgery is to realign the foot naturally, enabling comfortable standing, walking, and engaging in preferred activities without pain or instability. This is typically achieved through a personalized combination of procedures tailored to each patient's specific needs, involving bone cuts to repair damaged tendons and ligaments supporting the foot's arch.

Before undergoing flat foot surgery, a comprehensive evaluation is conducted to assess any related foot issues, such as muscle, tendon, or ligament abnormalities, that may also require correction. Patients are evaluated for their walking and balance abilities, and lifestyle factors like smoking are considered, with patients often encouraged to quit smoking before surgery to optimize circulation and tissue healing.

Performed under general or regional anesthesia, surgical flat foot correction involves various techniques aimed at correcting bone deformities and repairing damaged tendons or ligaments. Common procedures include:

Medializing calcaneal osteotomy: Corrects heel bone alignment by cutting and repositioning part of the heel bone.
Tendon and ligament procedures: Repair stretched or damaged tendons and ligaments supporting the foot's arch.
Lateral column lengthening: Corrects outward foot rotation by adding length to the heel bone.

Double/triple arthrodesis: Fuses foot joints to address inflexibility.
Medial cuneiform dorsal opening wedge osteotomy: Addresses elevated big toe due to arch problems.

First tarsal-metatarsal fusion: Corrects big toe issues by fusing mid-foot bones into a new position. Following surgery, patients may require casting or splinting, with gradual weight-bearing allowed after several weeks. Ankle braces, inserts, and physical therapy are often recommended to support recovery, which can take up to a year for full resolution. Non-surgical options like NSAIDs, custom orthotics, and physical therapy are explored before surgery, but if symptoms persist or worsen, surgical intervention can offer significant relief.

Overall, surgical flat foot correction provides a viable solution for individuals experiencing persistent foot pain and instability, offering the opportunity to regain mobility and improve quality of life.