Hammer toe surgery is an outpatient procedure performed to treat an abnormal curve or bend in the middle joint of the toe. This deformity often makes moving the affected toe painful and difficult. Oftentimes, the affected toe will rub against the inside of a patient’s shoe, resulting in corns and calluses, causing additional discomfort. If conservative treatments such as orthotics and toe strengthening exercises fail to ease the associated discomfort, hammer toe surgery is often a remedy.
A hammertoe is a deformity that causes a toe to become bent upward in the middle so it resembles a hammer. Hammertoes often occur in conjunction with other toe problems. It is possible to develop corns on top of the middle joint of the hammertoe.Patients who have hammertoes try to manage them by treating the symptoms. This involves padding the toe and changing or stretching shoewear for comfort. If you still experience discomfort from the hammertoe you may consider surgery.
The hammertoe surgery can be flexible or stiff. Depending on the flexibility of the toe and the preference of your orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, several different surgeries can be used to treat the
hammertoe.
Your Recovery You had hammer toe surgery to straighten a curled toe. After your surgery, your toe may be stiff, red, and swollen. Depending on the type of surgery you had for your hammer toe, these symptoms can last for weeks to months. They will slowly get better with time.After surgery, you will need to wear a special type of shoe to protect your toe and to keep it in the right position for 3 to 6 weeks. Your doctor will remove your stitches or sutures about 2 weeks after the surgery. If your doctor put a pin in place to keep your toe straight while it heals, it will be removed 3 to 6 weeks after surgery.
There are several surgical methods to correct a hammer toe. Your physician will decide which method will be most beneficial to you depending on the severity of your deformity, the direction the toe is deviating and the length of the affected toe. Some common surgical methods include:
A hammertoe is a deformity that causes a toe to become bent upward in the middle so it resembles a hammer. Hammertoes often occur in conjunction with other toe problems. It is possible to develop corns on top of the middle joint of the hammertoe.Patients who have hammertoes try to manage them by treating the symptoms. This involves padding the toe and changing or stretching shoewear for comfort. If you still experience discomfort from the hammertoe you may consider surgery.
The hammertoe surgery can be flexible or stiff. Depending on the flexibility of the toe and the preference of your orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, several different surgeries can be used to treat the
Your Recovery You had hammer toe surgery to straighten a curled toe. After your surgery, your toe may be stiff, red, and swollen. Depending on the type of surgery you had for your hammer toe, these symptoms can last for weeks to months. They will slowly get better with time.After surgery, you will need to wear a special type of shoe to protect your toe and to keep it in the right position for 3 to 6 weeks. Your doctor will remove your stitches or sutures about 2 weeks after the surgery. If your doctor put a pin in place to keep your toe straight while it heals, it will be removed 3 to 6 weeks after surgery.
There are several surgical methods to correct a hammer toe. Your physician will decide which method will be most beneficial to you depending on the severity of your deformity, the direction the toe is deviating and the length of the affected toe. Some common surgical methods include:
- Arthroplasty– To promote straightening, half of the joint located directly underneath the crooked part of the toe is removed.
- Arthrodesis (fusion) – To promote straightening, the joint directly underneath where the toe is crooked is completely removed. A wire or pin is inserted to aid healing.
- Tendon transfer– Performed alone or in combination with other procedures, a surgeon will take tendons from under the toe and “re-route” them to the top of the toe to promote straightening.
- Basal phalangectomy– Performed to assist patients with severe stiffness, this procedure removes the base of the bone underneath the toe.
- Weil osteotomy– Performed to assist patients with severe stiffness, this procedure involves shortening the metatarsal bone and inserting surgical hardware to aid healing.
