• 목록

Can Men Who Don't Wear High Heels Have Hallux Valgus? Director Hong-Joon Choi’s ‘MICA’ Solution at Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic

While hallux valgus is often considered exclusive to women who enjoy wearing narrow, high heels, there has been a significant increase in male patients visiting hospitals due to congenital factors such as flat feet and flexible flatfoot, as well as office workers who wear narrow dress shoes. Located near Gangil Station in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic is an orthopedic institution specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of all foot and ankle disorders, including male hallux valgus. In many cases, men begin to develop deformities as they wear hard, narrow shoes for the sake of design despite having wide feet, or when excessive load is applied to the big toe joint during intense exercise. Particularly compared to women, men tend to have heavier body weights and higher activity levels, leading to a faster rate of deformity. If the big toe fails to function properly, pressure on other toes increases, easily leading to secondary conditions such as calluses or Morton’s neuroma. Director Hong-Joon Choi of Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic—a former researcher at Harvard Medical School’s Foot and Ankle Research Institute and a specialist with clinical experience in over 9,000 foot and ankle surgeries—performs precise corrective treatments that consider the skeletal characteristics and gait patterns of male patients.

The clinic utilizes advanced precision diagnostic equipment, including foot-specific CT, high-resolution ultrasound, C-arm, and X-ray, to diagnose the angle of big toe deformity and bone alignment without error. Furthermore, through gait and body type analysis systems, the clinic identifies the impact of hallux valgus on knee or pelvic alignment, catching even the causes of invisible pain. Director Choi deeply understands that male patients often hesitate to seek treatment due to concerns about post-operative pain and long recovery periods. To address this, Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic focuses on performing Minimally Invasive Chevron-Akin Osteotomy (MICA), which corrects the bone by making only three to four microscopic holes in the skin. The MICA technique not only leaves almost no scarring but also significantly reduces pain due to minimal surrounding tissue damage, allowing for a fast recovery where walking in corrective shoes is possible the day after surgery. This serves as a major advantage for busy professional men, and many patients visit not only from Gangdong-gu but also from Hanam and Misa after hearing about the clinic’s reputation. After surgery, patients can recover stably under the care of a dedicated medical team in a pleasant ward environment ranging from private to four-person rooms.

Director Hong-Joon Choi’s medical philosophy begins with honest care. He reviews ultrasound or CT images with the patient to explain the cause of the deformity in detail and proposes the optimal treatment suited to the patient’s lifestyle rather than unconditional surgery. In the early stages where the deformity is not severe, inflammation and pain are systematically managed through manual therapy, physical therapy, and customized insole prescriptions, combined with cryotherapy (cold spray therapy) and extracorporeal shock wave therapy. However, in situations where surgery is essential, he promises a definitive correction without recurrence based on the skilled expertise proven by 9,000 surgical data points. After surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises are combined to restore the toe’s range of motion and return the patient to a normal walking pattern, enhancing the completeness of the treatment. As a hub for orthopedics near Gangil Station, Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic helps male hallux valgus patients regain a confident and comfortable stride based on Harvard-level expertise and a patient-centered ward environment. When Director Choi’s precise diagnosis meets the skilled MICA surgery, male hallux valgus can be fully treated without worry of pain or recurrence.

Hallux Valgus, Male Hallux Valgus, Minimally Invasive Hallux Valgus Surgery, MICA, Hallux Valgus Surgery, Best Place for Hallux Valgus Surgery, Hallux Valgus Specialist, Big Toe Deformity, Foot and Ankle Surgery, Foot and Ankle Orthopedics, Foot and Ankle Surgeon, Foot and Ankle Specialist, Best Place for Foot Surgery, Gangdong-gu Orthopedics, Gangil Station Orthopedics, Hanam Orthopedics, Misa Orthopedics, Director Hong-Joon Choi, Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic, Gait Analysis, Cryotherapy, Foot and Ankle Inpatient Ward