Don’t wait to take care of that pesky bunion

Friday, May 17, 2024

"When your feet hurt, it affects everything," says Boscobel resident Julie Kendall. What started out as more of an annoyance eventually putthe brakes on Julie's active lifestyle. Julie, like many, dealt with a painful bunion for years until recently opting for surgery.

"I feel like bunions are one of those health conditions that people are either too embarrassed to talk about or they put it off until they're in a lot of pain," Julie says.

A bunion is the swelling along the inner side of the foot at the base of the big toe. The more a bunion grows, the more the big toe will point inwards toward the lesser toes. While most people can live comfortably for years with bunions that do not cause pain, as they become more pronounced, you may experience swelling and discomfort as the foot begins to rub inside the shoe.

Julie recalls years of walking, taking the stairs and keeping up with kids at school and at the Boscobel pool. However, as her bunion grew, so did her end-of-day foot pain.

"I read every article and tried everything out there," she says. "From buying special inserts, bunion cushions, toe spreaders, wide shoes and then extra wide shoes, I spent years trying to alleviate the pain."

Though Julie began exploring bunion surgery in her 30s, it wasn't until years later that she decided to have her condition surgically repaired following a painful winter.

So that spring, Julie scheduled a consultation with Gundersen podiatrist Heather Chestelson, MD, who sees patients at the Gundersen Boscobel Specialty Clinic.

Julie recalls being so excited when Dr. Chestelsonsaid she could fix her foot.

"I was immediately relieved, excited and reassured all at the same time," Julie says.

"When your feet hurt, it affects your whole body," says Dr. Chestelson. "I love helping patients understand their anatomy and the root causes behind their pain or concern and then offer personalized treatment options that can improve their quality of life."

Dr. Chestelson'ssurgical experience and the highly successful Lapifuseprocedure, along with her caring and confident demeanor, helped take Julie from feeling incredibly fearful to feeling confident and reassured in her decision to have surgery.

Julie was in and out of the hospital on the same day, going home with all the information and tools she needed for a successful recovery. Julie was prepared to be off her feet for two weeks, so she had mentally prepared for this down time. After a week, she had a boot and a scooter and could scoot throughout the house.

Following surgery, Julie had the option to do physical therapy and chose Gundersen Boscobelfor this phase of her recovery.

"Therapists Hannah Cornell and Jen Kruger did an awesome job of helping me regain my confidence, balance and strength after favoring that foot for so long," Julie recalls. "They also gave me some gentler exercises to do at home in between sessions, which really helped me."

By January 2024, all of Julie's swelling was gone. And, at the one-year mark, Julie expects to make a full recovery.

Since the September surgery, she's thankful she didn't wait any longer.

"I knew I was going to be in really good hands, and I was," Julie says. "Dr. Chestelsonwas great and took the time to understand my lifestyle, my goals and the years of apprehension (and pain) that led me to this point."

Julie hopes her story can help others with similar apprehensions.

"Talking to Dr. Chestelsoncan help relieve your fears about the pain, the meds and the recovery," she says. "I highly recommend Dr. Chestelsonand the entire Boscobel team."

"To the worry warts out there, I'd say, 'Just do it! Pick a time that works in your life and get it done!'"

If you're ready to take care of your bunion or other foot issue, call (608) 375-6266 to schedule your consultation.