Remember the easy carefree days of the mid 90’s, when life was simple and all we had to worry about was which plaid shirt to wear, who Arsenio’s next guest was going to be, and when the next Spice Girls tape was coming out?  Well, life is not so simple anymore.  Mel B is on TV, the other girls are somewhere doing something, and Posh has..gasp! – bunions.  And in an incisive and important news article, my NYC podiatry patients are learning that Victoria Beckham has been warned to have bunion surgery or risk serious problems.  Holy Vanilla Ice!  Can this be true?

In my NYC podiatry office, many patients seek advice about their bunions, and we have spent many a blog discussing various aspects of the surgical and non-surgical treatment of this deformity.  One question that is frequently asked is: at what point should one proceed with bunion surgery?  Of course this is a very subjective question and it differs for each patient based on lifestyle, severity of deformity, age and health of the patient.  Essentially it is a matter of quality of life: How does a bunion deformity affect a particular patient’s quality of life? How would quality of life be improved postoperatively?  If the deformity is negatively impacting one’s quality of life, it may be time to consider bunion surgery.

And as in the case of our friend Posh, is it necessary to proceed with surgery now, or can it wait?   As long as the deformity is not severe and the pain is tolerable, it is usually ok and may even be advisable to wait.  However, if the big toe is pushing the other toes up or over, it may be better to address the deformity earlier. Plus, a more mild deformity is easier for both patient and surgeon.  It’s important, as with any elective surgery, to be entirely comfortable with the surgery and the surgeon and to choose a convenient time for recovery and rehabilitation.  This is a big decision and patients must be prepared both physically and mentally.  In most cases, the surgery can wait and the deformity never becomes “inoperable,” although, I haven’t personally examined Posh’s tootsies.

So, Victoria Beckham, if you want to stop your big toe from bending like Beckham, this may be the time.  Your NYC bunion surgeon may be able to squeeze a 90’s celebrity like yourself into the schedule…

See you in the office.

Ernest Isaacson