Hammertoe Surgery: Considering Foot Construction Season

Stiff Hammertoes May Need SurgeryNo driver enjoys construction season. It’s inconvenient to follow detours and deal with the extra traffic. You don’t have to drive far to see those orange barrels and cones closing off lanes or protecting workers as they pound and hammer away. Road construction can be frustrating, especially since it seems to drag on and on. A different type of “hammer” that can painfully drag on as well is your hammertoe. If you’ve been dealing with the issue for a while, you might want to consider hammertoe surgery.

A hammertoe can be flexible and responsive to noninvasive treatment, but it can also be stubbornly painful, stiff, and problematic. It’s fairly common for the condition to accompany other issues as well, such as bunions. So what do you do if nothing improves it?

In some cases, surgery may be your best option. If your toe becomes fixed in the bent position, it can cause friction against your shoes, which can lead to blisters and corns. The pressure can make it uncomfortable to walk around as well. Since the digit is stuck, conservative methods may not be effective for relieving your pain. Even if the toe doesn’t become fixed, everyone’s feet and comfort levels are different. Your foot may not respond to noninvasive therapies well enough to eliminate your discomfort.

If this happens, directly addressing the damaged tissues through surgery may be your best option for relief. How the procedure is performed will depend on the extent of the damage and your individual needs. Sometimes a simple tendon transfer will help provide more connective tissues to keep the digit straight. Other cases may need to cut and realign the toe bones.

Deciding if you need a procedure and which one will work best for you is something to discuss with experienced surgery professionals, like our team at West Law Podiatry Associates. Hammertoe surgery is a big step, so make sure you are well-informed by specialists you trust. If you have any questions, or are interested in an appointment to examine your hammertoe, contact our office in the Reading county area by calling (610) 678-4581 or using the website request page.

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