Hammertoe Surgery: When to Consider Surgery vs. Conservative Treatment

Hammertoe is an abnormal bend of the toes at the middle joint. It usually occurs as a result of muscle imbalances, the wearing of tight shoes or underlying conditions such as arthritis. While hammertoes are flexible in early stages and can be treated conservatively, severe cases may require hammertoe surgery for permanent correction and pain relief.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Hammertoe’s can cause toe pain, redness, swelling, corns, calluses, difficulty in wearing shoes and the inability to walk due to the associated pain. A podiatrist diagnoses the condition by a physical examination and X-rays to examine the joint structure. Untreated, a hammertoe becomes rigid, which causes, at times, excruciating pain, making it hard to straighten the foot. The best option is a surgical intervention for a hammertoe to bring limbs back to their rightful position. Hammertoe surgery in Houston will help to relieve the symptoms, improve the foot condition, suggest proper remedies and thus improve your living and wellbeing.

Conservative Treatment Options

For mild to moderate hammertoe issues, non-invasive treatment methods may alleviate symptoms and stop the deformity from getting worse over time. Wide, low-heeled shoes with soft insoles may reduce pressure. Toe stretching and strengthening exercises can increase flexibility. Orthotic devices and padding offer extra support, and over-the-counter pain relievers can help ease the inflammation and pain caused by a hammertoe.

Medical tape can provide repositioning of the toe and provides technologically advanced materials that prevent the over-friction, reducing the risk of corns and calluses from occurring. When inflammation is severe, doctors may advise cortisone injections to reduce swelling and pain. Although such measures can offer relief, they do not address the deformity itself. Persistent symptoms may call for surgery next.

When to Consider Hammertoe Surgery

Surgery is indicated when conservative treatment is not responsive. In the case that pain remains, even after making adjustments to footwear and practicing therapy techniques, surgery may be needed. Severe cases can include stiffness, difficulty walking, or open sores from pressure. When conservative measures no longer provide the quality-of-life individuals deserve, hammertoe surgery is often the only viable option.

If you can’t straighten the toe manually because it has become rigid, you would need surgery. Other signs are painful corns, ulcers, or an increasing malformation affecting daily life. A hammertoe without surgical correction can become chronic causing pain and dysfunction. Thus, early surgical referral is a sensible decision for a patient’s long-term foot health.

Types of Hammertoe Surgery

Hammertoe surgery depends on the level of the condition severity. A flexible hammertoe can be treated by cutting the tight tendons (muscles) that pull the toe out of alignment (tenotomy). In more severe cases, we treat with joint fusion (arthrodesis), fusing the joint to keep it straightened permanently.

Joint resection (arthroplasty) — removing part of the joint to improve movement — is also a common procedure. Surgeons can also use implants or pins to realign the toe while it heals. Each surgical method has different recovery times and depends on the patient’s condition and medical advice.

Recovery and Post-Surgical Care

Hammertoe surgery recovery time varies with the type of surgery the patient undergoes. Most patients will need to wear a protective surgical shoe or a surgical boot to support the foot. Limiting weight-bearing activities, together with keeping the foot elevated, reduces swelling and promotes healing. Your foot doctor may also prescribe pain medications to help control any post-surgical discomfort.

Gentle toe exercises and physical therapy are commonly prescribed to regain mobility and strength. Crucial to a safe recovery is monitoring for complications like infection, significant pain or swelling. Proper aftercare significantly contributes to a smooth recovery and minimizes the likelihood of complications that might hinder the overall functionality of the foot in the future.

Conclusion

Whether a conservative approach or a surgical intervention is implemented, depends on the severity of symptoms and the degree to which they impede life. A podiatrist can provide guidance on the best approach to take, depending on individual needs. Whichever treatment option to take, non-surgical methods or hammertoe surgery, that is right for you, taking action sooner rather than later can make all the difference in achieving greater comfort, mobility, and foot functionality to better serve you in your daily life.

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