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Have you heard or read other people’s stories about bunion surgery? For many decades, it’s been described as extremely painful, while typically requiring at least a couple months before full recovery.

Some patients would also experience a loss of mobility in their big toe joint. In fact, the recovery was so hard it made some podiatrists reluctant to even recommend surgery.

But now, minimally invasive bunion surgery techniques have advanced to the point where you experience almost no pain and can literally be walking again in just days.

What Is “Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery?”

It actually refers to a variety of techniques. In the past, bunion surgery involved techniques that cut your big toe joint deeply or removed it entirely. As you might guess, that led to intense pain and long recovery times.

With minimally invasive bunion surgery, however, you get tiny incisions about ⅛” to ½” inch in size. Traditional bunion surgery made incisions 2” – 6”.

Your surgeon then accesses the bone through these much smaller incisions. Put simply, podiatrists minimally invasive techniques modify how your bunion is cut. A podiatrist may also simply shave small parts of the bone off. Advancements have also been made in the application of local anesthetic.

These changes also result in less scarring and stiffness around your big toe, in addition to the almost non-existent pain and recovery time.

Are You a Good Candidate for Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery?

Most bunions can be treated with these new minimally invasive surgical techniques. Moderate bunions and patients who typically maintain a healthy and active lifestyle are the ideal candidates for this surgery.

However, in the hands of our skilled and experienced podiatrists, nearly every bunion can be corrected with minimally invasive techniques. Less experienced podiatrists, however, may not be able to use minimally invasive surgery for more extreme cases. Performing this type of surgery requires a steep learning curve not all podiatrists can handle.

Overall, minimally invasive bunion surgery makes good sense for most patients because it nearly eliminates pain and recovery time.