Imagine the joy of waking up to a beautiful view of a new city surrounded by your loved ones and ready to explore all the area had to offer. Now imagine struggling to walk down the street, having to take breaks to sit down and keeping a fake a smile on your face as you felt excruciating pain in your feet. For 44-year-old West Virginia resident Ann, this scenario was all too real. “My husband and I have three kids and we love to travel and explore new cities together,” she said. “But during our last trip to Boston, I could barely keep up. The trip I had looked forward to for months quickly became a nightmare.”

Ann had suffered from a bunion on her right foot for several years and it had only grown worse over time. “In the beginning, the pain would only come when I was on my feet for a long time,” she explained. “But soon the pain would come after even a short outing with my kids. I felt intense pain after a regular gym workout and soon the throbbing became a constant presence.” Like many people who develop bunions, Ann tried to adjust her routine to minimize the pressure and pain on her foot. She swapped high intensity workouts and long runs for lower impact Pilates classes, avoided wearing high heels and took frequent breaks, but nothing worked. “I reached my breaking point when my daughter and I began discussing a potential trip to Disney World and I knew I would never be able to keep up,” Ann said. “I did not want to be left behind, so I began researching my options online.”

A quick Google search led her to information on Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™. Ann explained, “At first, I was really surprised to see something new and innovative being used to correct bunions.” She continued, “My grandmother had bunions, so I knew that the older surgery was associated with a lengthy recovery time. The idea of a quicker recovery time was exciting to me.” As she continued reading, she was also reassured that the Lapiplasty® Procedure involved surgeons using special tools to correct all 3 dimensions of her bunion before permanently securing the previously unstable joint (which caused the bunion in the first place) with special titanium plates. Eager to learn more, Ann reached out to a local surgeon, Dr. Robert Santrock at West Virginia University, to see if she was a candidate.

Ann almost expected Dr. Santrock to tell her she may be too young for a surgical correction. Instead, he explained that bunions impact people of all ages and that this technology would help to realign her anatomy to a more natural position. He also explained that if a bunion is left untreated too long, additional related problems such as hammertoe and/or arthritis may occur. As one of the surgeon designers of Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™, Dr. Santrock walked Ann through every step of the procedure and explained that unlike traditional 2D osteotomies used to correct bunions, most patients who opted for the Lapiplasty® Procedure had a lower risk of the bunion returning. He also explained that most patients treated within his practice were back on their feet in a walking boot within about two weeks. Eager to return to living her life without pain, Ann scheduled her surgery.

Ann had her bunion corrected with the Lapiplasty® Procedure in December 2018. “I remember being nervous when I woke up— groggy and nervous,” she laughed. “But a few hours later after being discharged I was shocked to find myself in a boot, walking out of the hospital. I could not believe it!” Three days later, Ann attended a family Christmas party at her brother’s home. “I was already able walk around in my boot, enjoying the festivities and mingling. I was not just sitting in the corner in pain like everyone expected.”

Another milestone came only seven days after surgery when Ann was able to get up in the stands in her walking boot to watch her son’s wrestling match. Three weeks after surgery she was back at the gym performing low impact activities on the elliptical machine. “My ability to return to normal activities in such a short time was the most surprising part of this experience for me,” Ann said. “Now, I look forward to outlasting even my own children on our next big family trip.”

Only a surgeon can tell if Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™ is right for you. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary and this experience is unique and specific to this patient only. There are potential risks with surgery and recovery takes time. Potential risks include, but are not limited to: infection, discomfort from the presence of the implant, loosening of the implant, and loss of correction with nonunion or malunion.