What are the Surgical Options for a Flatfoot?

If you’ve tried nonsurgical treatments for flatfoot, but still have pain from your flatfeet, then you may be a surgical candidate for flatfoot surgery. 

The surgeons at Southwest Orthopedic Group and Dr. Stautberg can diagnose and treat your flatfoot. They customize treatment to an individual’s needs, goals, and the severity of the flatfoot. 

What are the surgical options for flatfeet?

The type of surgery you may need for flatfeet depends on the severity of the deformity and if arthritis is present. Regardless, surgery involves a constellation of procedures that help align your foot and treat your underlying deformity. 

Importantly, surgery is not performed for cosmetic purposes. The surgery treats a painful flatfoot with a worsening deformity and/or arthritis. 

What is a flexible flatfoot deformity surgical correction?

In the absence of arthritis, a flexible flatfoot deformity correction can be considered. This involves multiple procedures, which may include a combination of the following:

• Achilles lengthening
• Calf lengthening
• Calcaneal osteotomy (cutting and shifting the heel bone)
• Tendon transfer
• Ligament repairs
• Midfoot osteotomy (cutting bone in the midfoot)

What procedures correct flatfoot and arthritis?

If you have developed a rigid flatfoot deformity or significant arthritis in the foot, a fusion procedure is often recommended. A triple arthrodesis is used to correct the deformity and treat the arthritis at the same time. Sometimes, the Achilles tendon also needs to be lengthened. 

What is the surgical recovery for flatfoot reconstruction?

On the day of surgery, some patients stay one night in the hospital, and some are able to go home the same day. A nerve block can be used for pain control. 

Regardless of the type of flatfoot surgery, patients undergo a period of immobilization. Often splints or casts are used for a number of weeks. 

Then, patients are transitioned into a walking boot. Physical therapy is often initiated. The good/bad news is that patients have a long runway for recovery, and often see improvements in their foot up 12 to 18 months from surgery.

Will my ankle need to be fixed too?

If the ankle has deformity or arthritis, surgical correction of the ankle can be considered as well. This can be done at the time of the flatfoot surgery, or in a staged fashion. 

What are the risks of flatfoot surgery?

Talk to your orthopedic surgeon about your specific risks of flatfoot surgery. 

The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) has more information about flatfoot surgery at FootCareMD.

For more questions or to set up an evaluation, contact Dr. Stautberg’s office at 281-977-4870. 

Author

Eugene Stautberg, MD