Do you suffer from hammertoes? If so, you know they can cause many problems that affect your daily life. For one thing, hammertoes affect the way your feet look. They also cause pain and discomfort when walking, wearing shoes, and going about your daily life. When hammertoes worsen without treatment, you could become limited in your daily activities. When you first begin to develop hammertoes, the best course of action is to seek a hammertoe surgeon in Brooklyn, NYC, who can properly diagnose and treat your condition.
If you’re experiencing any hammertoe symptoms, don’t delay seeking treatment. Early detection and consultation is the best way to minimize your discomfort. In this article, we’ll explore what hammertoe is, what causes it, and what your surgical and non-surgical treatment options are.
What Is Hammertoe?
Hammertoe describes an abnormal bending of the toe joints. Often, the toe next to your big toe becomes affected. You’ll typically have a visible deformity from your hammertoe – the end of the toe will bend downward, while the middle joint will stick upwards. Hammertoe changes how your toe looks, but it can also cause significant pain. Often, patients find it increasingly hard to move the affected toe.
What Causes Hammertoe?
A variety of factors can cause hammertoe, and it’s not always easy to know exactly what’s to blame. The most common causes include the following:
- Wearing shoes that are too narrow and tight. This is common among Brooklyn, NYC patients who wear fashionable high heels. It’s also common among children who outgrow their shoes too quickly.
- Being born with a genetic tendency to develop the condition
- Suffering a foot injury
- Having diabetes
One of the best ways to prevent hammertoe is to wear well-fitting shoes. However, some patients still develop hammertoe despite their best efforts.
If My Hammertoe Goes Untreated, What Problems Can It Cause?
Without treatment, your hammertoe will likely worsen and become more painful over time. It can also cause blisters, calluses, and corns to develop on your feet. That’s because hammertoe changes the shape of your foot, causing abnormal friction between your shoe and your foot. As hammertoe advances, patients often notice swelling in the affected joint and increasing stiffness in their toe. Over time, you may develop serious infections due to untreated hammertoe.
How Will My Brooklyn, NYC Hammertoe Surgeon Treat My Condition?
Are you considering seeking treatment for hammertoe? The podiatrists at Best Foot Doctor NY know how to fix hammertoe with surgical and non-surgical methods. They’ll thoroughly examine your feet and discuss your condition with you before developing an individualized treatment plan.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Hammertoe
Conservative treatments for hammertoe include measures like these:
- Changing your footwear. Choose shoes with wide toe boxes, and opt for flexible materials instead of hard, stiff surfaces when possible.
- Perform toe exercises that can reduce stiffness in the affected toes. Your Brooklyn, NYC hammertoe surgeon at Best Foot Doctor NY can help you determine the best exercise regimen.
- Wear orthotic inserts to minimize discomfort while wearing shoes.
- Take medications to reduce pain and swelling. While medication won’t do anything to resolve your hammertoe, it can make the symptoms more bearable.
Surgical Treatment Options for Hammertoe | NYC Hammertoe Surgeon
When non-surgical treatment options aren’t enough, it’s time to consider hammertoe surgery in one of our NYC offices. The hammertoe surgeons at Best Foot Doctor NY can offer quick pain relief using the most up-to-date surgical techniques. Some of these include:
- Tenotomy and capsulotomy to cut tendons and joint capsules and return your toe to its normal position
- Arthroplasty to remove cartilage and bone and correct a deformed joint
- Bone spur removal to reduce the amount of pressure in the affected area
- Osteotomy to cut through an affected bone and allow it to be realigned
Hammertoe surgery may be performed in your podiatrist’s office, or it may be performed at an outpatient surgical center or hospital.
Call Best Foot Doctor NY And Get Lasting Relief From Hammertoe | Brooklyn Hammertoe Surgeon
You don’t have endure the pain and inconvenience of hammertoe any longer. Schedule a visit at one of our six convenient locations, and consult with a hammertoe surgeon to find solutions. Call Dr. Emmanuel Fuzaylov today at (718) 291 9020!