Modern treatment of hallux valgus – interview with a patient of the Wilmed clinic

We discuss the course of micro-surgical hallux valgus treatment with a patient of the Wilmed clinic – Ms. Barbara.

Please tell us, what were the causes of your hallux valgus? How did the related symptoms manifest?
The appearance of hallux valgus in my case was caused by two factors. Primarily, it was a genetic issue, as my mother also struggled with this problem. Unfortunately, I also contributed to the condition myself by frequently wearing uncomfortable footwear. It was important for me that the shoes looked nice, and only later that they were comfortable… This quickly affected the condition of my feet. They were swollen, painful, and corns and calluses appeared between my toes. My feet looked unsightly, and even walking became problematic. In my case, the condition involved not only the hallux but also the deformity of the other four toes. Eventually, I could no longer buy any shoes, not even sports shoes, that would fit my foot. That’s when I sought treatment at the Wilmed clinic.

What was the diagnostic process and preparation for the procedure like?

Everything went very quickly, smoothly, and in a pleasant atmosphere. An X-ray of my foot was taken, and then I came for a consultation. The doctor recommended a micro-surgical procedure, explained the method, possible symptoms, post-procedure care recommendations, and the recovery period. Before the procedure itself, I underwent a set of recommended laboratory tests and came to the clinic with their results.

How were your first moments after the procedure?

The procedure was performed under regional anesthesia, so immediately after it ended, I had to lie down for several hours. I received painkillers and returned home the next day. The discomfort was minor. For two days, I took mild painkillers in tablet form. After that, it was no longer necessary.

What was the recovery period like? Did you have to limit your activity?

The doctor’s recommendation was primarily to walk on the operated foot from the very beginning – of course, carefully, as much as possible. After the procedure, I did not have a cast on my leg; the foot was only properly bandaged, and I wore a special soft shoe – a type of orthosis. The first check-up took place ten days after the procedure. Everything was healing perfectly, and there were no stitches on the micro-punctures in the skin. They were so small that stitches were unnecessary. Two weeks after the operation, I was able to return to my English course, which I had to interrupt because of the procedure.

More than five months have passed since the operation; I no longer need to use the orthosis and walk in normal comfortable shoes. The leg is slightly swollen, and this condition may persist for a little over half a year, but I certainly do not feel any pain. My weekly visits to the pedicurist to remove the constantly growing painful corns have also ended.

Would you recommend this treatment method to other patients?

I definitely encourage everyone with similar problems to improve their quality of life and have their hallux valgus operated on, which interferes with daily life. It is important to remember that over time, hallux valgus enlarges and causes deformities of the other toes. I also do not advise waiting as long for surgery as I did because the deformities developed so much that they became a real problem in daily life. Just a few years ago, it was not possible to perform such minimally invasive hallux valgus surgeries, and traditional surgery involved a difficult and very long period of regaining full fitness. I could not afford to be out of life for several months – the operation at the Wilmed clinic was the best solution.

Thank you for the interview!

Left and right foot before the operation (only the left foot was operated on):

Left foot after the operation: