Stepping into relief
Medical spa owner Stacy Ruff is passionate about her clients always feeling confident and looking their best.
“I want others to feel empowered and beautiful in their skin,” said Stacy.
Whether standing daily for her job or being a busy mom to her two daughters, Stacy is constantly on the go. Over the last several years, she noticed bunions developing on both feet.
Stacy pushed through the pain until she couldn’t. It hurt to stand all day for work, and she could no longer participate in her favorite hobbies, such as cycling and running. She wanted to seek the best care.
Stacy asked friends for suggestions and soon scheduled an appointment with Mark W. Scott, D.P.M., Board-certified Podiatric Surgeon at Genesis Foot & Ankle.
Fearful that she would be off her feet for months, Stacy didn’t want to miss any of her family’s activities or be away from clients for too long.
“Dr. Scott was highly recommended,” said Stacy. “From the start, he was easy to talk to. I trusted him.”
Causes and treatment
Most common in women, bunions can be caused by short Achilles tendons, improperly sized footwear, wearing high heels, weakened foot muscles or conditions such as arthritis. Bunions can also be hereditary.
“A bunion is often mistaken for a growth on the side of the foot,” said Dr. Scott. “Bunions are a result of the big toe bone moving to another position inside the foot.”
Initial treatment options include properly sized shoes, inserts, physical therapy and medications. When bunion pain limits daily activities and interferes with a patient’s health, surgery is often the next step.
Open surgery has been used for many years to correct misaligned toe bones. Traditional open bunion surgery involves one or more larger incisions, resulting in increased risk of infection, pain, recovery and scarring. However, open surgery is often limited based on the patient's age, bone quality, activity level and degree of the bunion.
An alternative approach
A minimally invasive bunion procedure is a newer treatment available at Genesis. Dr. Scott is the only Genesis doctor who performs the surgery. Advantages of the procedure include:
Limited anesthesia
Fewer, smaller incisions
Reduced pain
Faster recovery
Improved cosmetic results
Less need for prescribed pain medicine after surgery
“Patients come in with a painful irritation and ask for fast relief,” said Dr. Scott. “With the new procedure, patients can return to their activities faster and have less pain.”
Stacy’s trust in Dr. Scott made it easy for her to decide to have the procedure. She chose to have her left foot done first.
“I was worried about giant ugly scars and losing too much time,” said Stacy. “But the outcome was great. I stayed off my feet for a few weeks as directed. I returned to work sooner than I expected.”
Dr. Scott said he is glad Genesis can offer the minimally invasive procedure because it improves foot function and reduces downtime.
“It’s important to see patients return to their routine very soon,” said Dr. Scott.
Stacy is back to riding, running and driving her girls to their activities. She plans to have the procedure on her right foot in the near future.
“I highly recommend the procedure,” said Stacy. “I feel great and can’t wait to wear open-toed shoes.”
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Stacy’s trust in Dr. Scott made it easy for her to decide to have the minimally invasive bunion procedure.