I am a 54 year old woman and I have hallux valgus, a lump on the side of my foot. My doctor says I should only have surgery if it starts to hurt a lot. Isn’t it better to prevent this by taking action now?
Anonymously
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
If you’re not in pain, I wouldn’t do it. The simplest surgeries are only aimed at fighting pain. To straighten the toe, usually the bone has to be cut and the joint fixed. After such an operation you will have pain for a number of weeks, sometimes even months, and you will need rehabilitation. The deformation can also return.
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