A Solution for Foot Pain
While both men and women have bunions, a painful misalignment of the great toe, women are more likely to suffer from the condition. For Cynthia Long, the condition worsened after the birth of her second child.
“While I’d had complex bunions since birth, they didn’t bother me for many years,” says Cynthia, a patient of Paul R. Benoit Jr., MD, FAAOS, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. “After my children were born my bunions started to hurt, and my primary care physician recommended I talk to Dr. Benoit about surgery.”
Successful Intervention
After discussing her condition with Dr. Benoit, Cynthia’s surgery was scheduled for November 2004. Although she was able to go home the same day as her procedure, the repositioning of Cynthia’s bone, ligaments and tendons required six weeks on crutches and physical therapy. She learned to bend her toe, walk properly, and go up and down stairs correctly. Cynthia is currently planning to have surgery on her left great toe in the fall of 2005.
The Outcome
“Having the procedure to fix my toe is the reason I can keep up with my 1-year-old and 3-year-old without pain,” says Cynthia. “I’m now committed to taking care of my body and am happy to have received such wonderful care from the professionals at Cape Cod Hospital. Life couldn’t be better.”