I am 15 and considering bunion surgery, but I need a little advice on my options.
Posted , 3 users are following.
I have had bunions for the longest time. I played volleyball in club and school for 5 years. The pain was on and off. I recently started track, but had to quit because the pain in my feet got worse. I went to the doctor expecting to be told that I needed surgery, but he said that he wouldn't recommend it. Instead he talked about orthopedic shoes that might reduce the pain, but it still wouldn't get rid of the bunions. I am not really worried about the recovery time because I'm not playing a sport right now and summer is coming up soon, but I'm still lost. He is worried about possible growth plates shifting or me growing more even though my other doctor said I was done growing. Also that they might come back in later years.
He said the decision was ultimately mine to decide. I can either get the surgery to remove them and hopefully prevent the from recurring again from orthopedic shoes... all of which would happen soon while I'm not planning to do any sports or major activities. Or, I could try out orthopedic shoes to help fix the pain without getting the bunions removed and they might not even work.
Is it a good idea to wait and try out the new shoes or just go straight to the surgery and get the shoes after?
0 likes, 4 replies
aly616 briana24279
Posted
Hiya, I too had bunions at your age, the pain would come and go, and they always looked awful and I hated my feet and the way they looked. Over the years I have tried many othorpedic insoles, customised and shop bought, however 30 years later I still have pain and still used insoles, I also had yeas of not being able to wear heels or pretty sandles. Last October I had my right bunion removed which I am recovering from its nearly there now and it looks amazing, having the left one done this year. Basically the long and short of it is, I wish I had had the surgery done earlier, and then looked after my feet, however if they did return during my life I would have just had them done again. If you have bunions no insoles or aids will cure you, only help relieve some pain. This is my opinion and experience only and I am not advising you to go for surgery as I am obviously not a surgeon or qualified in bone growth for your age etc, only you, your doctor and your family can decide this, good luck, I hope you come to the right decision soon 😊
briana24279 aly616
Posted
Thank you very much. I talked to a few friends who just got the surgery within the last 6 months. One of them was my age and they are already back playing sports, and the other is in his late 40's and said the exact same thing you did. I really appreciate your input and I have called the doctor to inform him that I'd like to continue with the surgery and will see my podiatrist later this week. Thank you again!
aly616 briana24279
Posted
You're welcome, I'm sure you won't regret your decision, you are young and will heal really quickly, good luck and here's to beautiful pain free feet 👍😁
caylab00 briana24279
Posted
I'm 16 and just had both of my feet operated on! It's definitely worth it! We're young so we heal a lot faster. I was back doing normal day things, and going to work in 2 weeks. With my left foot I was back doing normal things in less than a week. The pain isn't too bad, because I think getting my wisdom teeth hurt worse than these two surgeries. I tried many things before the surgery, but I needed to get the surgery. If you do sports then the surgery is probably your best option. You might have sensation problems at first, but if that happens go to a physical therapist and they'll fix it within a few months. You'll need to expect to be out of sports for at least 6-8 months with the surgery...