If you’ve had Hammer Toe Surgery

[GrnThumb]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.

[GrnThumb]

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[chrissy2231]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.
I have a very high hammer toe.
I use a sleeve Sorry! Something went wrong! (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hammertoe+sleeve&gclid=CjwKCAiA5Y6eBhAbEiwA_2ZWIcpEV5zh4vlOe3s-Maj9arFp6sqlWoVDHcCzFe9fwbHtOSqOx7P-)
FBoC7xAQAvD_BwE&hvadid=409982097754&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9011519&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=15970081192498077660&hvtargid=kwd-424795787212&hydadcr=21632_11233286&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_9jphyxofmz_e

also bought sneakers 1/2 size larger on orthofeet.com

use BigelOil for pain bought from Amazon. Best pain killer I've found & tried them all.

Had bunion surgery & it was a big mistake. I think you should try alternatives first.

[RICH1]

Waiting to hear , that the podiatrist nailed it!

[salpal]

I had the surgery for my hammertoe two years ago. After surgery had to wear an orthopedic clumsy sandal with a pin sticking out from the offensive toe. That went on for 3 weeks and had pin and stitches removed. Still have a hammertoe. Went back to Doc and asked him to cut the nerve so I would not feel the pain of my hammertoe hitting the tops of my shoes. Surgery took place and still have same problems. I now just wear larger shoes.....not happy, considering going to different doc.

[JMintzer]

Waiting to hear , that the podiatrist nailed it!

That joke is "corn"y...

[JMintzer]

I had the surgery for my hammertoe two years ago. After surgery had to wear an orthopedic clumsy sandal with a pin sticking out from the offensive toe. That went on for 3 weeks and had pin and stitches removed. Still have a hammertoe. Went back to Doc and asked him to cut the nerve so I would not feel the pain of my hammertoe hitting the tops of my shoes. Surgery took place and still have same problems. I now just wear larger shoes.....not happy, considering going to different doc.

Complications -do- happen...

I've been doing hammertoe surgery for 35 years. It's one of the most "patient satisfying" procedures I do.

But... They don't always work out as planned. Sometimes there is bone regrowth. Sometimes the amount of correction is inadequate. Sometimes there is residual pain and swelling...

Have I had to do a 2nd procedure to fix a post-op complication? Yup! But it's VERY rare. I'd estimate that 98% of the patients were very satisfied with the results.

I would -definitely- get a 2nd opinion.

[toeser]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.

All of my toes on both feet are hammertoes, although my big toes are only slightly. If I have been able to make do for 79 years, I sure as heck am not getting surgery now. All surgery has risks. They usually only bother me with Pickleball.

[lawgolfer]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.

The recover from surgery is not pleasant. With the pin sticking out of the front of the toe, you must be careful to not "stub" the toe.

However, if the surgeon is competent, the result will be a great improvement. I urge you to use a podiatrist and not a general surgeon or orthopedist. Hammer toe correction is a specialty of podiatrists and an experienced one will have done hundreds more of them than other doctors.

After you have healed, the toe will be rigid and will only bend at the highest joint. If you hold your foot off the floor, the surgical toe will point towards the floor. The surgery is done this way as the goal is for the toe to lie flat on the floor and in line with the other toes when standing. However, this results in a minor problem as the toe will "snag" when putting on socks or hosiery. This is more an annoyance than anything, and the benefit of straightening out the toe and removing the related bunion on the bottom of the foot far outweigh going to the trouble of having the surgery.

[dtennent]

I have had bunion surgeries on both feet and had hammer toes fixed at the same time. With the hammer toes, the forward most knuckle was fused. My toes all align and I have been pain free for over ten years. Would highly recommend that you talk with several surgeons and their patients before going through with the surgery. I would recommend my guy but he is in western NY.

[OhioBuckeye]

Can’t answer you about surgery but if you can get, “My Aching Feet” on TV watch it. Most people go to them because a lot of other Drs. made their feet a lot worse. They do show you the actual surgery.

[jimjamuser]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.
No one has mentioned this so far.......in times way past, like Greek and Roman days, hammer toes were considered a "mark of royalty". So, for some reason that I have never heard, it must have some advantages. Also, evolutionary biologists somewhere probably have written a paper about it - whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage.
....One of my personal experiences with my hammer toes was in about 4 the grade, I found out that if I put my foot on the base of the kid's desk in front of me - I could make a thumping, "hammering" sound that no one in the class (teacher included) could determine where it was coming from. I thought of it as my personal "superpower". As I got older and wiser (?) I stopped doing that ( at about a sophomore in College).
......One problem as I played baseball or football in high school, was that my hammer toe became "black toe" and there was some pain. It only got black on my right foot and I assumed that was because I was right-handed and my right foot was bigger. It was just a small nuisance, so I never thought about surgery.
........So I will continue to believe that I am ROYALTY and if you are in a local classroom and you hear a THUMP, THUMP ........its probably me.

[NewRealms]

GrnThumb, I've had them all my life. Never had surgery as there were no guarantees of success. I'd rather have MY toes the way Mother Nature gave them to me. :icon_wink:

[JMintzer]

No one has mentioned this so far.......in times way past, like Greek and Roman days, hammer toes were considered a "mark of royalty". So, for some reason that I have never heard, it must have some advantages. Also, evolutionary biologists somewhere probably have written a paper about it - whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage.
....One of my personal experiences with my hammer toes was in about 4 the grade, I found out that if I put my foot on the base of the kid's desk in front of me - I could make a thumping, "hammering" sound that no one in the class (teacher included) could determine where it was coming from. I thought of it as my personal "superpower". As I got older and wiser (?) I stopped doing that ( at about a sophomore in College).
......One problem as I played baseball or football in high school, was that my hammer toe became "black toe" and there was some pain. It only got black on my right foot and I assumed that was because I was right-handed and my right foot was bigger. It was just a small nuisance, so I never thought about surgery.
........So I will continue to believe that I am ROYALTY and if you are in a local classroom and you hear a THUMP, THUMP ........its probably me.

You're confusing a hammertoe with an "Aristocratic Foot" which usually has a "Morton's Toe", which is a long 2nd toe... It is a weak foot, from a biomechanical standpoint, not made for heavy use or work of the common man/woman...

Which is probably why no one has mentioned it... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Access Denied (https://www.stamfordhealth.org/healthflash-blog/podiatry/aristocratic-foot/)

[JMintzer]

GrnThumb, I've had them all my life. Never had surgery as there were no guarantees of success. I'd rather have MY toes the way Mother Nature gave them to me. :icon_wink:

Congratulations! Many people never need surgery to correct their hammertoes. I've turned many more patients away from surgery than I've operated on.

My philosophy has always been, "If it don't hurt, leave it alone"...

[Bonsai Golfer]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.

Check with your podiatrist. One thing that can be done is to cut the tendon underneath the toe. This is a very simple five minute procedure, done under local anesthetic, that requires no painful rehab. In fact, no rehab at all! You walk out of the office and that is that other than a follow up visit. Now, this is not meant to correct a severe hammer toe but it might relax the toe just enough so it doesn't rub on your shoe. I have had this done on two toes and while they look the same, they are down just a bit so they don't bother me any more. My wife has also had this done. If you're concerned about having the more radical surgery, talk with your podiatrist and see if this might be something you can try first.

[Carlsondm]

We’re you pleased with the results or are you sorry you had the surgery. Any pros or cons or tips on post surgery recovery? Thx.
I had the surgery. Mine was simple. I was in and out with no down time. They did snip something. I am a dancer and walker and it caused no problem. I know .. I should have asked more questions, but I trusted my doctor.

[JMintzer]

Check with your podiatrist. One thing that can be done is to cut the tendon underneath the toe. This is a very simple five minute procedure, done under local anesthetic, that requires no painful rehab. In fact, no rehab at all! You walk out of the office and that is that other than a follow up visit. Now, this is not meant to correct a severe hammer toe but it might relax the toe just enough so it doesn't rub on your shoe. I have had this done on two toes and while they look the same, they are down just a bit so they don't bother me any more. My wife has also had this done. If you're concerned about having the more radical surgery, talk with your podiatrist and see if this might be something you can try first.

Most of what you said is true, but that procedure only works on "flexible" hammertoes, not "rigid" ones. And it is most commonly used on what is called a "mallet toe", where the contraction is at the last joint, closest to the toenail...