Is Hammertoe Surgery a Good Option for You?
Posted on: 6 July 2021
If you're constantly taking medications or soaking your foot to ease the pain caused by hammertoe, speak to a foot and ankle doctor today. Medications, warm water soaks, and toe wraps aren't the only treatments available for hammertoe. A foot and ankle doctor, or podiatrist, can also use noninvasive surgery to repair the damaging effects of hammertoe. Learn whether or not hammertoe surgery is a good option for you below.
Why Should You Consider Hammertoe Surgery?
If you struggle to walk, exercise, or even work because of the excruciating pain in your toe, then surgery may be the best option for you. Podiatrists use hammertoe surgery to repair deformities in the toe joints. However, podiatrists normally don't consider surgery as a first option unless the condition interferes with your ability to carry out everyday tasks or causes you severe and relentless pain.
Surgery may also be something you need if your condition doesn't respond well to conventional hammertoe treatments, such as pain medications and warm water soaks. The tendon or joints in your toes may be too stiff, disjointed, or aggravated to respond well to the treatments. If you can't find relief from your current conventional treatments, then hammertoe surgery may be the right choice for you.
What Type of Hammertoe Surgery Should You Get?
Many adults steer clear of surgery because of fear. However, hammertoe surgery is generally noninvasive, which means you don't have to spend unnecessary time in the operation room. A doctor will generally discharge you after they complete the procedure.
In addition, a podiatrist offers several types of hammertoe surgery to patients, including flexor tenotomy and joint resection. A foot and ankle doctor uses flexor tenotomy to straighten out deformed toes. A podiatrist does this by placing a small cut in the tendon connected to the hammered toe. After the procedure, the affected toe will slowly move into the correct anatomical position.
A podiatrist uses joint resection surgery to repair damage in the toe joint. Hammertoe can cause the middle joint in the toe to bend out of its natural alignment in the forefoot. During joint resection surgery, a doctor surgically removes the stiff and damaged end of the toe joint. A doctor will then insert a small pin into the toe to keep it straight until it heals. A doctor will remove the pin once the toe heals in place.
The hammertoe surgeries above are just a couple of procedures you may qualify for today. You can find additional solutions for your condition by contacting a podiatrist online or by telephone.
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