Routine surgery left active woman no longer able to run

Pamela was a keen runner and had surgery to remove a bunion and resolve nerve issue but substandard care by orthopaedic surgeon resulted in further corrective surgery.

43 year old Pamela was used to running over 20 miles per week. In August 2009, she began to feel sharp pains in her foot which felt like shards of glass. She sought advice from her GP and physiotherapy was organised through her private medical insurance policy.

However, in 2010, after very little improvement, it was felt that she may have a condition known as Morton’s Neuroma, which affects one of the nerves that runs between the long bones in the foot. Usually, simple treatments such as changing footwear can ease this but in longer term cases, such as Pamela’s, surgery is needed.

Pamela’s surgeon said that she also had the beginnings of a bunion and that he would treat the two conditions at the same time – even though the bunion was not causing Pamela any pain or discomfort at the time.

She had the operation to correct the bunion and resolve the nerve issue in May 2010. Following the surgery, Pamela was in a lot of pain; her big toe was rigid as the surgeon had inserted a metal pin inside and there was a lot of scarring. The pain when walking caused Pamela to lean over on her foot and over time, this meant she suffered with back pain, her other toes began to claw and her foot looked abnormal.

Pamela suffered with this pain and discomfort until July 2012 when she sought a second opinion. The surgeon explained she would have to undergo corrective surgery to put right the mistakes made in 2010 but that any surgery would not give her a normal foot.

The corrective surgery eased the pain and she was able to return to work as a University Lecturer. She was also able go back to Pilates but she is still unable to run for pleasure as she used to.

We were able to win £22,750 in compensation for the pain and suffering Pamela had endured following the substandard treatment she experienced by the first orthopaedic surgeon in 2010

Lesley Herbertson acted for Pamela and commented:

Fortunately, Pamela’s foot injury did not prevent her from working but what it did do was to interfere with a number of the activities that she really did enjoy such as running, skiing and windsurfing.

Whilst it is expected that she will be able to most sports again in the future, she will never be able to return fully to her love of running.