Now that I have your attention and you have that song running though your head, or perhaps just the riff sampled from the original Rick James bouncing around in your cerebral cortex, it’s time to talk toes. And specifically a question that is posed to me probably a lot more than most people who are not Bronx podiatrists – do I need a pin to hold my hammertoe straight? And the answer is found below in this most holy blog that is even holier as I write it from the holy city of Jerusalem. Holy hammertoes that’s a lot of holy.
As we’ve discussed together many times in the annals of this most entertaining and engaging blog about your feet and ankles and various other topics of interest to my dear NYC podiatry patients, a hammertoe, as you know by now is a condition in which one or more of the toes is bent in one or more of the small joints, and may be rigid or flexible. For most patients this is not much of a problem beyond the cosmetics, however in many cases this is painful either due to the pressure within the joint, from shoes, or the annoying and unsightly corn that develops on top or on the tip of the toe. Treatment, as with most conditions, initially consists of trying a bigger shoe, padding, and other accommodations. If this fails, the toe can be straightened surgically, in many cases as a straightforward office procedure, and generally fixation, in the form of a removable pin or permanent implant is not necessary. However in the case of a more severe or rigid deformity, an implant may be placed in the toe to maintain the position and correction. Fear not, however as this is either removed in the office or can remain in the toe permanently. Either way the outcomes are generally very good, complication rates are low and satisfaction rates are high.
Well hope that answers all questions. In most cases fixation is not required for hammertoe procedures, but as with any treatment, each case is different. As with all journeys, the first step begins with one toe.
If you or someone you love suffers from hammertoes, contact our office today to make an appointment.
See you in the office.
Ernest Isaacson
