Do you have a deformity that causes your toe to bend in the middle so that it looks like a hammer? Does the deformity cause pain and even interfere with your movement ability? You have a condition called hammertoes pico robertson, beverly hills, which makes your joints stick upward. Over time, a callus may appear on the affected joint and cause rigidity, pain, and hindered movement. Hammertoes may worsen over time, especially if you wear unsupportive shoes. Usually, you will begin with conservative treatments and resort to surgery if all these treatments fail. Read on to find out about hammertoes.
What are The Types of Hammertoes?
Hammertoes can happen in three types. You can develop flexible hammer toes when the condition is still developing, but you can still move your joints. Semi-rigid develops when your hammertoe begins to stiffen. Over time, it will progress to rigid hammertoes where you cannot move your toes because tissues and tendons are tightened. You will likely develop a hammertoe when you wear unsupportive shoes and high heels.
What Symptoms Develop From Hammertoes?
Your symptoms will include a rigid joint in your toes, pain at the top of that toe and in the ball of your foot, corns and calluses, redness and inflammation, swelling, and restricted motion. Your hammertoes usually get worse if you wear unsupportive shoes.
Can You Prevent Hammertoes?
You can reduce the risk of hammertoes when you try practices that include wearing sensible shoes. You can put on a shoe with good arch support to prevent worsening the condition. You may need to wear proper shoes that can accommodate the shape of your feet. Secondly, calluses and corns may develop on the hammertoe and cause discomfort when putting on shoes. Therefore, use a pumice stone to reduce their appearance and keep the area soft. Your doctor may also suggest foot exercises to help strengthen your toes and keep them moving. You can extend your toes, move them individually and splay them to prevent possible hammertoe.
What Corrections Treat A Hammertoe?
Your doctor will likely recommend custom shoe inserts to control your foot’s functioning. You can take anti-inflammatory medications and get cortisone shots to relieve pain. Your doctor may recommend using insulating padding to minimize pressure around the hammertoe. You may need surgery if you have severe hammertoe pain, especially if it interferes with your daily activities. During surgery, your doctor will remove the prominent part of your toe and then align your joint to correct your toe position.
How Long Before Full Recovery from Surgery?
You will likely experience redness, swelling, and stiffness after surgery for up to six weeks. Your doctor will ask you to limit your activities while putting little pressure on your toe to allow your feet to heal. You can also elevate your feet as much as you can to speed up recovery.
Hammertoes develop when you have abnormal muscle balance that increases pressure on your joints, leading to this condition in your toe. You will develop rigidness in the joint, pain, swelling, corns, and calluses. Hammertoes can progress from flexible to rigid hammertoes where you cannot move your toe anymore because of tightened soft tissues. They will not go away without treatment and will continue causing discomfort. However, treatment will resolve deformities and align your toe to the correct position. You can also prevent the worsening of hammertoe by practicing lifestyle remedies.
