Demystifying Bunion Surgery: What to Expect from the Procedure?
Bunions, medically known as hallux valgus, are a progressive and complex deformity affecting the front part of the foot, characterized by a deviation of the big toe and a bony protrusion in the joint of the first toe. This condition, which develops gradually throughout life, can cause pain and other associated deformities, such as claw, hammer or gooseneck toes. Bunion surgery is presented as a definitive solution to correct this deformity, and thanks to advances in surgical techniques, today you can opt for minimally invasive surgery. This article seeks to demystify this procedure, explaining what patients can expect before, during and after the operation.
Before Surgery
Before deciding on bunion surgery, a thorough evaluation is essential. This includes a detailed physical examination and imaging studies, such as x-rays, to determine the degree of deformity. The specialist will explain the surgical options available, considering factors such as the patient’s age and associated medical conditions.
During Surgery
Minimally invasive bunion surgery is performed under local anesthesia and does not require screws or pins. Depending on the degree of bunion deformity, there are two main approaches: Surgery without osteotomy for mild bunions: Involves simple resection of the bony deformity of the bunion, allowing rapid recovery with minimal discomfort. Surgery with osteotomy for moderate to severe bunions: Involves resection of the bony protrusion and correction of the toe angles. In cases of associated deformities such as claw toes, they will be addressed in the same procedure. These techniques allow a less invasive intervention, with small incisions, reducing the risk of complications and favoring a faster recovery.
before and after bunionette surgery
Postoperative and Recovery
The postoperative period varies according to the technique used. For mild cases, the postoperative period usually lasts about a week, with almost immediate mobility and little pain. In more complex cases, recovery can take up to 40 days, although patients can walk from the first day with a special post-surgical shoe. During this time, it is important to follow the specialist’s instructions, such as rehabilitation exercises, wound care and, in some cases, the use of orthopedic insoles.
Realistic Expectations
It is crucial to have realistic expectations about the results of surgery. While the goal is to correct deformity, relieve pain and improve foot function, each patient is unique and results may vary.
Conclusion
Bunion surgery, performed using minimally invasive techniques, offers an effective solution to a painful and limiting condition. By better understanding the procedure, patients can make informed decisions and prepare for a successful recovery. As always, consultation with a specialist is the first step in addressing any concerns related to bunions and exploring available treatment options.
Very happy and grateful for the results of this operation. Pain free walking was a dream, and Dr San Roman made it happen with great care, expertise and kindness. The whole staff is knowledgeable and very helpful. Thank you so much. Highly recommended.
Tenía problemas serios en ambos pies de Halux Valgux, dedos en garra y otras deformaciones con dificultad para andar y con mucho dolor. Después de mucho buscar por internet, di con la Clínica San Román en Alicante. Tengo que dar las gracias al Dr. Israel San Román por sus enormes conocimientos, atención y esmero para solucionar definitivamente mi problema con microcirugía y a todo su personal de clínica, especialmente a María y Carla y los recomiendo para casos similares. ,
Después de muchos meses con dolor en mi pie izquierdo , gracias a la atención excepcional del Dr Israel san Roman he vuelto a poder andar sin molestia . Recomendable 100% un equipo excelente
Response from the owner:¡Muchísimas gracias por tu reseña, Vane! 💙
Después de tantos meses con dolor en tu pie izquierdo, nos alegra enormemente saber que ahora puedes volver a andar sin molestias. Ese es precisamente nuestro objetivo: ayudarte a recuperar tu calidad de vida lo antes posible 👣
El Dr. Israel San Román y todo el equipo te agradecen de corazón tu confianza y tu recomendación al 100%. Comentarios como el tuyo nos motivan a seguir trabajando con la máxima dedicación cada día.
Aquí nos tienes para lo que puedas necesitar en el futuro 😊✨
I had a minor foot surgery (hammer toe correction) at Clínica San Román in September 2025, and it was an excellent experience.
Dr. Israel San Román Sirvent, who performed my surgery, is not only highly skilled but also deeply committed to doing his work with precision and care. You can truly feel that he wants to achieve the best possible result for each patient.
I also had the pleasure of meeting his father, Dr. José Manuel San Román Pérez, who seemed sincerely proud to see his long experience being passed on to his son — a beautiful legacy of medical excellence.
The entire team — assistants, nurses, and staff — were kind, attentive, and very professional. The procedure was almost painless, and recovery went smoothly from the very first days. In fact, the doctor prescribed me paracetamol, but I barely needed to take it because I experienced no real pain.
It was a genuinely positive and reassuring experience from start to finish. I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Israel, Dr. José Manuel, and the whole team for their care, professionalism, and human warmth.
Response from the owner:Thank you very much for your detailed and generous review, Ibrahim.
It was a pleasure to accompany you throughout your hammer toe correction surgery and recovery process here at Clínica San Román. Knowing that everything went smoothly, that the procedure was practically painless, and that you barely needed any paracetamol is exactly the type of outcome we work for every day.
Dr. Israel San Román and the whole team truly appreciate your words about the precision, care and attention you felt during each step. We are also very grateful for your mention of Dr. José Manuel and the family legacy behind the clinic — we are proud to continue his path in minimally invasive foot surgery with the same dedication to medical excellence and humane care.
Thank you again for your trust and for recommending us. We remain at your disposal for any follow-up or future care you may need.
Warm regards from Dr. Israel, Dr. José Manuel and the entire Clínica San Román team.
Me operé de juanetes en Clínica San Román y absolutamente se lo recomiendo a todo el mundo. No sabemos lo importante que es la salud podológica hasta que no tenemos bien los pies. Amén de la estética, que ahora me sientan perfectos todos los estilettos, mocasines o sandalias de cualquier tipo. Antes lo tenía que haber hecho! Con la técnica que utilizan apenas hay 24-48 de “molestias”, ni siquiera dolor y no queda ningún tipo de marca o cicatriz. SE LO RECOMIENDO A TODO EL MUNDO.
Tanto el trato del doctor como de todo su equipo es fabuloso desde el primer hasta el último momento.
Response from the owner:Muchas gracias por la reseña, Amparo 🩵
Amparo, ha sido un verdadero placer acompañarte en tu cirugía de juanetes y en todo el proceso de recuperación. Saber que ahora puedes usar tus estilettos, mocasines y sandalias sin dolor y con total comodidad nos llena de alegría 😊
En Clínica San Román trabajamos cada día para que la cirugía mínimamente invasiva del pie permita una recuperación rápida, con pocas molestias y sin cicatrices visibles, tal y como comentas. Tu experiencia es el mejor ejemplo de que cuidar la salud de los pies mejora tanto la calidad de vida como la parte estética 👣
Gracias por confiar en el Dr. San Román y en todo el equipo, y por recomendar nuestra clínica “a todo el mundo”. Seguiremos aquí para lo que puedas necesitar en el futuro. 🙌✨
Dr Israel is the best foot doctor i ever seen. He's passionate about his work and has a lot of energy. I am so happy with his results. No other foot doctor what i had before can do this. He is amazing he did great work! His team Carla ,Maria and the rest are fantastic. His father is a wonderful man. I think many foot doctors in the Netherlands are yealous about him. I 've had 20 bad foot sugeries in the Netherlands. They did a terrible job. I'm so glad to find this foot clinic San Roman. The location is easily accesible. It's in the best spot in Alicante! Thanks so much!!!
Response from the owner:Hi Maryam,
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind and heartfelt review. After everything you have been through with your feet and so many previous surgeries, it means a great deal to us that you finally feel relieved and happy with the results.
Dr. Israel is truly passionate about his work, and the whole team (Carla, Maria and the rest) is delighted to know that you felt so well cared for. We will also gladly pass on your lovely words to Dr. San Román Sr.
We are very happy that you chose to travel to Alicante and place your trust in Clínica San Román. Knowing that you can now walk more comfortably is the best reward for our work. We are also glad that you found our location easy to access and convenient.
If you ever need anything in the future, we will be more than happy to welcome you back.
Warm regards,
Clínica San Román 💙
Tengo pies muy sensibles, y la experiencia fue realmente un gran alivio! Primero la recepción muy amable, luego me trato la podóloga Ana, con mucha delicadeza y profesionalidad. Fue un placer saludar al Director el Dr San Román. Absolutamente recomendable! Trato excepcional!
Response from the owner:Hola Judy,
Muchísimas gracias por compartir tu experiencia con nosotros 😊. Nos alegra especialmente saber que, teniendo pies muy sensibles, sentiste tanto alivio tras el tratamiento y que desde la recepción hasta la consulta con nuestra podóloga Ana te hayas sentido bien atendida.
Ha sido un placer también para el Dr. San Román poder saludarte. Comentarios como el tuyo nos animan a seguir ofreciendo un trato cercano, delicado y profesional.
Gracias de nuevo por tu recomendación y por confiar en Clínica San Román. ¡Aquí nos tienes para lo que necesites en el futuro! 💙
Uitstekende goede ervaring in SAN ROMAN.Al mijn tenen werden PIJNLOOS behandeld.Super dokter.Heel goede,vriendelijke en duidelijke begeleiding van alle personeel.Overtreft mijn verwachtingen.Ben heel blij met mijn “ nieuwe” voeten.👍
Na 40 dagen op controle geweest,heel vriendelijk professioneel ontvangen door dokter Israël en zijn team.De dokter is een echte perfectionist.Ben heel tevreden.Spijtig dat ik zo lang gewacht heb om mij te laten behandelen in de kliniek. Hartelijk dank aan Maria,Cinthia en Carla.
Response from the owner:Hallo Francine,
Hartelijk dank dat u uw ervaring met ons deelt ⭐. We zijn blij te horen dat de behandeling pijnloos verliep en dat het resultaat uw verwachtingen heeft overtroffen. Bij Clínica San Román zetten wij ons elke dag in voor hoogwaardige voetzorg, met een toegewijd team dat de patiënt stap voor stap begeleidt.
Wij wensen u veel plezier met uw “nieuwe” voeten 👣 en staan altijd voor u klaar wanneer u ons nodig heeft.
Met vriendelijke groet,
Team Clínica San Román
Ik heb in 2024 een hallux vagus operatie ondergaan. De operatie is uitgevoerd door Dr. Israël San Roman Sirvent. In samenwerking met zijn vriendelijke en zorgzame team.
Ik heb na de operatie weinig pijn gehad. En mijn herstel is voorspoedig verlopen. Ik ben erg tevreden met het resultaat. Dansen is mijn passie. Ik kan nú pijnloos dansen.
Ik ben blij dat ik voor San Roman Clínica heb gekozen. De dokter is zeer bekwaam in zijn vak. Hij kan je helpen om pijnvrij te kunnen lopen.
Response from the owner:Beste Vivian,
Hartelijk dank dat u uw ervaring met ons deelt. Het is heel fijn om te horen dat u na de hallux valgus-operatie weinig pijn had en dat uw herstel zo voorspoedig is verlopen.
We zijn ontzettend blij dat u uw passie – dansen – nu weer pijnvrij kunt uitoefenen. Dat is precies het resultaat waar wij als team naar streven.
Dank u wel voor het vertrouwen in Clínica San Román en in Dr. Israël San Román Sirvent en zijn team. Als u in de toekomst nog vragen heeft of een extra controle nodig heeft, bent u altijd van harte welkom.
Met vriendelijke groet,
Clínica San Román 💙
Over the last few years the bunion pains in my left foot were getting extremely painful with gout like symptoms. After surgery at Clinica San Roman all pain has gone and I now have a straight big toe to match the right foot. The staff and doctors were very friendly, spoke good English and made me feel at ease on the day of the surgery. The aftercare the clinic offered was superb, my toe was redressed twice and then I had a final checkup at the end of six weeks. I live in the UK but the NHS would not treat my bunion. I looked at private surgery in the UK and realised that for the same price I could have the surgery done in Spain, stay in an apartment for six weeks and enjoy heavenly weather. I highly recommend Clinica San Roman.
Response from the owner:Dear patient,
Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed review. We are delighted to hear that your pain has disappeared and that you are happy with the alignment of your big toe after surgery at Clínica San Román.
Our whole team strives to provide clear communication, a welcoming environment and thorough follow-up care, so it is very rewarding to know that you felt well looked after and at ease on the day of surgery and during your recovery.
It means a great deal to us that you chose to travel from the UK and place your trust in our clinic for your bunion surgery. We hope you continue to enjoy walking comfortably and staying active for many years to come.
If you ever need anything in the future, we will be very happy to assist you again.
Warm regards,
Clínica San Román 😊
SAN ROMÁN CLINIC
Discover Clínica San Román
We want you to get a closer look at how we work and what you can expect when you visit us. In this video we show you our facilities, our medical team and how we approach each case in a personalized way.
We are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of foot problems, from common ailments to surgical interventions with minimally invasive techniques. We are committed to close attention, unhurried and focused on you.
If you have discomfort when walking or are looking for a definitive solution for your feet, this is your place. Press play and get to know us.
Clínica San Román es un centro especializado en podología y cirugía del pie con más de 45 años de experiencia. Nuestro equipo médico, liderado por expertos en cirugía mínimamente invasiva, comparte información confiable y actualizada sobre el cuidado de los pies, tratamientos innovadores y consejos para mejorar tu bienestar.
