After Toe Joint Replacement, Yoga Instructor is Back on Her Feet

Ruth is a dedicated yoga instructor who injured her big toe almost 7 years ago.

“I was doing my yoga teacher training and I fell and hurt my toe,” she recalls.

Her toe pain was so severe that it began affecting all of her favorite activities, especially yoga. When the toe pain didn’t subside, she went to see a physician who eventually put a screw into her big toe.

(The Baptist Health South Florida News Team hears from Thomas San Giovanni, M.D., orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon with Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, about toe joint replacement. Interview footage by George Carvalho)

After a short period of time, her pain returned. Ruth’s doctor recommended that she go see an expert in the field: Thomas San Giovanni, M.D., orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon with Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.

Dr. San Giovanni and Ruth both agreed a toe fusion, which limited mobility, was out of the question as she wanted to return to teaching Yoga. They agreed on a treatment that included a total toe joint replacement surgery, which allows for increased mobility. This option would allow her to get back to doing what she loved most. Just six weeks after surgery, Ruth was back to teaching yoga and couldn’t be happier with her decision.

“I feel like this all led me to be able to do my life’s calling,” says Ruth.