Several Important Questions About Treating Your Hammer Toe

When you are unfortunate enough to start suffering from feet problems, you may find that your quality of life is severely impaired by these issues. Hammer toe can be a particularly common problem that people may develop over their lives, and if you have found yourself suffering from this condition, you may want to improve your understanding of this painful and disruptive foot problem.

What Does It Mean For A Patient To Suffer From Hammer Toe?

Patients that have developed hammer toe will find that the joint on one or more of their toes will start to become severely misaligned. This can lead to a large and painful knot forming on the top of the toe joint. While this knot may not be visible during the early stages of this condition, patients may still recognize the need for treatment by a persistent pain in their toe joint that is likely worsened by wearing shoes or standing for long periods of time.

Will You Need Surgery To Correct And Restore Your Toe Joint?

It is frequently assumed that surgery will always be the best option for repairing a patient's hammer toe. While hammer toe surgery can be extremely effective at treating this problem, it is unlikely to be the first treatment attempted by the doctors. Rather, you may find that you are asked to wear special shoes and toe support. These devices will help to force the toe joint back into its normal position. Depending on the severity of the hammer toe, you may find that you need these treatments for several weeks before you show noticeable improvements. When this option fails, surgery may be the next option as it the doctor may need to manually adjust the joint and remove any scar tissue that may have formed as it can prevent the joint from healing.

How Long Will You Need To Recover From The Hammer Toe Surgery?

Patients will typically be hesitant about undergoing any type of surgery due to concerns about lengthy recovery periods. When a person undergoes hammer toe surgery, they may expect to need at least a couple of weeks to fully recover. During this time, the patient will be unable to run or engage in other strenuous activities for the feet. Also, the feet should be kept elevated for as much time as is possible during this period. This simple step will help to stop swelling and fluids from gathering in the surgery site as this can be extremely painful, and it may delay the overall healing process.

Contact a medical clinic like Collier Podiatry PA for more information and assistance. 

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