When Plano, Texas resident Miranda was about 18 years old, she noticed that a bunion was starting to form on her right foot. She knew right away what the telltale bump on the side of her toe was because many of her family members dealt with the same condition. She has several aunts that have undergone multiple bunion removal procedures over the years and Miranda couldn’t bear the thought of having to experience similar surgeries.

“I was very young when I noticed the bunions starting to appear,” said Miranda. “I was also very aware of how painful they could become because of the experiences other members of my family had with them.”

Miranda’s foot pain was manageable at first. She only noticed it when she wore high heels. But eventually she was in severe discomfort even when wearing tennis shoes or flats. As a result, Miranda found herself modifying her lifestyle. She once enjoyed exercising, but eventually she couldn’t even take a walk without being disrupted by pain. Miranda’s inability to do the things she loved without pain took an emotional toll.

“When I was younger, running and exercising were addictive and made me feel great,” recalled Miranda. “I used to run twice a day when I had time to. I missed having a consistent routine and it was depressing to have to give it up.”

After years of searching for an effective solution to her bunion pain, Miranda’s friend and coworker told her about Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction®, a surgical procedure that used a different approach to correct all three dimensions of a bunion deformity. Miranda researched the procedure online and was encouraged by the information she found. After using the Lapiplasty® website’s Find a Doctor tool, she made an appointment with Dr. Mojgan Tavakoli, a specialist at Foot & Ankle Centers of Frisco and Plano.

Dr. Tavakoli explained that the Lapiplasty® Procedure differs from traditional surgery in that it involves using a system of patented titanium plates to correct the positioning of the bones in the foot. By addressing this instability, the protruding bump on the side of the toe is corrected as well. Dr. Tavakoli and Miranda agreed that she was an ideal candidate for this procedure, which she underwent in March 2021.

“My case was unusually complicated because Dr. Tavakoli addressed multiple problems in my foot during my surgery,” said Miranda. “My bunion progressed and caused the development of hammertoes and a tailor’s bunion. I was surprised at the lack of pain I had after surgery and was shocked to be able to return to working from home only four days after. I was walking in a surgical boot a week after the procedure.”

Because of the complexity of Miranda’s foot problems, Dr. Tavakoli advised her to take a “slow and steady” approach to recovery. Now more than a year into her recovery, Miranda is excited to be able to walk on the treadmill again and she hopes to be able to re-establish a running routine. She is planning to have her left foot corrected with the Lapiplasty® Procedure in the near future so that she can fully return to the lifestyle she enjoys.

“I would recommend that anyone suffering from bunions research the Lapiplasty® Procedure and visit a surgeon to see if they are a candidate,” says Miranda. “It can be frustrating to have to give your body time to heal, but this treatment option allowed me to get back to my regular life relatively quickly. Having this surgery was a great experience and everything I hoped it would be.”

Lapiplasty® is a surgical procedure. Only a surgeon can tell if Lapiplasty® Procedure is right for you. This experience is unique and specific to this patient only. Individual results may vary depending on age, weight, health, and other variables. There are risks and recovery takes time. For more information about recovery from the Lapiplasty® Procedure, see the recovery information and discuss the post-surgery recovery process with your doctor. Risks include infection, pain, implant loosening and loss of correction with improper bone healing. For more information on benefits, risks and recovery, visit www.Lapiplasty.com.