Patient Stories
Sutter Orthopaedic Institute
Porfiria - The Right Moves
When Porfiria was a young girl, Argentina Tango music always played in her childhood home in Mexico. In college she minored in dance and as a high school teacher she created dance troops and held recitals. Once retired, Porfiria took up the dance of her dreams-the tango.
"It's a beautiful dance of steps," she says. "Once you learn the tango steps, you can't stop dancing."
Unfortunately, Porfiria had to hang up her beloved tango shoes after her left foot began to fail. She tried dancing through the pain but could not override the unbearable discomfort. Eventually she could barely walk.
Dr. Masoud Ghalambor, her orthopaedic surgeon, diagnosed her with Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD), the most common cause of flat foot deformity in adults. He recommended an All-American hindfoot reconstruction.
In the three months following her surgery, Porfiria started with a wheelchair, progressed to a walker and later began walking slowly on her own. Five months after her surgery Porfiria danced at her daughters wedding.
Today, she has resumed tango lessons, taking classes three times a week. "I'm so happy with the results of the surgery," said Porfiria. "It was a complete success."