Bunions Be Gone!: The Swiss Compression Technique

by Barb Tate

Have horror stories about aggressive bunion removal frightened you into accepting the golf-ball sized foot growth for the rest of your life? The future has arrived with a limited-downtime, limited-pain, aesthetically pleasing procedure on the market: the Swiss Compression Technique.

WHY ON EARTH DO I HAVE THESE BUNIONS?

If you have a bunion, you might not be alone. Over 3% of Americans have at least one on their feet. The most common causes for bunions are hereditary factors. As you age, your bunion-plagued foot will go through a bit of an unnatural development. The forefront of the foot is spread by an inherited laxity in the tendons. This loose attribute causes the big toe to rotate towards the rest of the toes, causing a peculiar growth on the big toe joint and pressing the metatarsal on the smallest toe into a wedge angle. When it’s all said and done, your bunion foot will have a wide, diamond shape to it.

If you simply refuse to blame genetics, there are other reasons why you may be suffering from bunions. These include constant walking upon hard surfaces, binding footwear, and injury. So be careful, ladies. If you’re going to stomp the sidewalk in suffocating stilettos, you might just one day start to develop a dreaded bunion.

WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?

Although you may not feel notable pain from your bunion for several years, it is still wise to research your options for correcting this problem. Over time, because of the misalignment of metatarsals and their cartilage, bunion sufferers can develop degenerative joint disease. This ailment can create an increasing amount of pain if not treated- eventually leading to a high-level degradation of cartilage where your toes will literally be grinding against bone.

WHAT IS THE SWISS COMPRESSION TECHNIQUE?

The Swiss Compression Technique realigns the metatarsal foot bone in 25-40 minutes under local anesthetic. Rest and light medication will allow you to be back on your feet in only a few short days.

Pain associated with bunions stem from misaligned bones and worn cartilage (bone cushioning). The Swiss Compression Technique realigns the bone by pushing the bone out and maneuvering it back into its natural, straight position. This movement aligns joints and will reduce future damage done to cartilage.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN THIS PROCEDURE

To begin, a 1 ¼” incision is made on the inside of the big toe. The incision site is distant from arteries and veins in that region of the foot- allowing for a safer cut and, ultimately, less swelling. To allow freedom of movement, the metatarsal bone is severed in two pieces. The bone is then realigned and rotated, allowing the healthy surfaces of cushioning to connect with each other at the base of the big toe. This realignment increase straightness and stability- returning the proper level of cartilage to cartilage contact. This movement will not register any nerve damage.

Finally, the surgeon will insert a small screw to hold the bone pieces in place. A small surgical steel wire may be wrapped around the bone to prevent the bone pieces from rotating around the screw. This level of stabilization will increase healing time.

Although the ideas of bone sawing and steel wiring might still frighten you off, be aware that these steps are necessary for most bunion corrective surgeries. This treatment attempts to minimize the amount of surgical manipulation to your bones as much as possible- hence the short incision. If you are interested in the Swiss Compression Technique or would like to research your options for bunion removal, please visit Plastic Surgery Portal. Contact our team of representatives to find your perfect doctor or search for one near you today !