There may be a way to avoid surgery, but it depends on the nature of your condition. There are a number of non-surgical treatment options, and all of them should be applied before considering surgery.
For example, toe padding and foot orthotics can greatly relieve the pressure on your misshapen toe, giving you back some of the lost balance and dexterity in your foot. Pads can also be used to protect the top of the toe from rubbing against the insides of your shoes, preventing corns and calluses from forming.
The most effective non-surgical method for relieving hammertoe pain is wearing shoes with enough room to allow the bent toe to stretch completely, and a wide enough toe box to accommodate all of the toes without crowding. Since recurrence of the condition is one of the most common hammertoe surgery side effects, your doctor may want to counsel you on your footwear choices—whether or not you decide to have surgery.
Hammertoe surgery may be necessary only if your toe deformity is:
- Extremely painful
- Interfering with your normal daily activities
- Rigid (unable to be bent or flexed)
- Unchanged after all non-surgical treatments have been tried
The trusted Philadelphia podiatrists at HealthMark Foot & Ankle Associates can tell you if you are a good candidate for hammertoe surgery in your first consultation. Call us today at 610-565-3668 in Media or 610-933-8644 in Phoenixville to get started.
Want more information on living a foot-pain-free life? Click the link at the top of this page, and we’ll send you a FREE copy of our book, The Foot is Not an Island: Recognizing Vitamin D Deficiency & How to Correct It.