A Brief Look into The Surgical Methods for Curing Hammer Toe

A hammertoe or a hammer toe is a type of foot deformity that causes the toe to bent upwards in mid-section which makes it resemble like a hammer. A hammer toe deformity frequently occurs in conjunction with some other toe problems. Sometimes corns develop on a hammer toe on top of middle joint. In most cases, foot doctors try to manage the condition by medically treating the symptoms. Some of the common methods of curing hammer toe include changing to a different footwear or a stretching shoe for comfort or simply padding the toe. In case the preliminary non-surgical methods fail to produce the desired results and the foot pain continues, the doctor may recommend a hammer toe surgery to rectify the anomaly.

In most cases, the hammer toe can be moderately flexible or stiff. The type of surgical procedure to be used depends greatly on the toe’s flexibility. The other factor that can influence the surgical procedure is the preference of the patient for the orthopedic and podiatric ankle and foot surgeon. When it comes to carrying out a hammer toe surgical procedure, it is always better to get in touch with a reputable hammer toe clinic that has the best medical infrastructure to carry out such a process. The hammer toe clinic should also have a panel of experienced doctors who have previously attended to patients with hammer toe problems.

Here are some of the common procedures that are carried out by a foot surgery London expert when it comes to treating a hammer toe problem.

Flexible Hammer toe:

If the hammer toe of the patient is flexible, the orthopedic surgeon will first try to straighten the toe. This can be done by tendon transfer procedure which is highly effective when it comes to correcting such a problem. It involves surgically rerouting the tendons to the top section of the toe from the bottom where it is actually sticking up. This procedure helps to pull the bent toe joint effectively into straight position.

Fixed Hammer toe:

In case the hammertoe has progressed to become stiff or fixed, there are 2 different options for treatment. A procedure known as joint resection can produce good results when it comes to treating the fixed hammertoe. An incision is first made over top section of the toe. The tendons and ligaments may be sliced to assist with the straightening of the toe. End of the hammer toe bone is surgically removed in order to allow complete straightening of the toe. Pins can be used for temporarily holding the toe straight. After about 3 to 4 weeks from the surgery, the pins are removed by the specialist.

Fusion surgery for hammer toe:

Fusion is another effective surgical technique for treating a fixed hammertoe. The tendons and ligaments are first cut to assist with straightening of the toe. Next, the foot doctor cuts the end sections of the bone to get the toe straightened. Screws, pins or other types of implants are used for keeping the toe straight so that the bone ends are healed together.