If the issue is judged medically essential, hammer toe is usually covered by insurance or Medicare. If you have one of the following conditions, your doctor may consider surgery to be medically necessary:
Insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of correcting a hammer toe for cosmetic reasons.
According to the Healthcare Bluebook, the out-of-pocket cost of hammer toe surgery is around $4,265.
How long before you can walk after hammertoe surgery?
In general, it takes 6 to 3 months for a person to fully recuperate from surgery. Many patients can walk in a stiff-soled surgical shoe or boot right after surgery. After 2-3 months, patients are usually able to resume normal activities.
How painful is hammer toe surgery?
Outpatient hammer toe surgery is the most common type of hammer toe surgery. This means that a patient may be able to return home the same day as their procedure.
Surgery is frequently performed with a local anesthetic that just numbs the toe, allowing the patient to remain awake during the procedure. This can help you recover faster and avoid the risks that come with general anesthesia.
Under general anesthesia, hammer toe surgery can also be performed. The hazards and benefits of each strategy should be discussed.
If a patient is squeamish, doesn’t want to observe the surgery, or is afraid of knives or needles, general anesthesia may be the best option. People who have had severe reactions to general anesthesia in the past or who wish to recover as quickly as possible may prefer a local anesthetic.
Before surgery, a doctor would usually do blood tests and inquire about the patient’s medical history. Before or during surgery, some people will receive intravenous (IV) medicine. An IV can be used to deliver anesthetic or a medicine that makes a person feel more calm while they are awake.
A person will not be able to feel the procedure itself while under local anesthetic, although they may feel pressure or pulling. The operation should be painless.
A person’s toe will usually hurt after surgery, so they’ll need someone to drive them home. Those who choose for general anesthesia may not be permitted to eat before to the procedure.
How much does it cost to get your toes straightened?
Over 75% of persons in the United States claim to having foot pain, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. Only one-third of them, though, seek treatment. Hammertoes are one of the most commonly reported foot disorders that cause discomfort. A hammertoe can cause pain in one or more toes, but if left untreated, it can soon lead to other issues.
Have you ever seen a pair of feet where the toes appear to be pushed together and overlapping? A hammertoe can sometimes result in this. Hammertoe is a condition in which one of the three middle toes is affected. It is a tendons and joints condition that causes an unnatural bend in the affected toe. While some people can manage their symptoms by making a few lifestyle modifications and using good footcare products, others may require surgery.
If the issue is judged a medical necessity, hammertoe surgery is frequently covered by insurance. Insurance is unlikely to cover hammertoe repair if surgery is done solely for cosmetic reasons. On average, hammertoe surgery costs $4,200 out of pocket.
When a toe gets malformed and protrudes above the other toes, it frequently affects the toe next to it. Because it grinds against the shoe, that toe may develop calluses, blisters, and corns on top of the hammertoe. Fortunately, some patients can benefit from a few non-surgical treatments.
Keep in mind that if you don’t treat your hammertoe, it will only get worse and more painful. Hammertoes generally stiffen and become less receptive to non-surgical treatment methods with time.
The most popular procedures for addressing a painful hammertoe are two forms of surgery.
- Fusion Surgery – During this procedure, the surgeon will cut the hammertoe’s ligaments and tendons to straighten it. In addition, the toe’s end of the bone is frequently removed to aid in toe straightening. Because these bones must fuse together to heal properly, your surgeon will use screws or pins to reconnect them so they can heal properly.
- Joint Resection Surgery – The ligaments and tendons will be straightened and corrected, and the surgeon may cut them to expand your toe. The operation removes the end of the toe bone to assist straighten and stretch the toe back into a natural position. This type of surgery may also include the use of pins or rods to keep the toe straight as it heals.
Although hammertoe surgery is frequently performed as an outpatient procedure, full recovery can take several weeks. While your toe heals, you’ll probably need a walker or crutches to get around. Both types of surgery will likely result in a toe that is longer or shorter than before, as well as pain and stiffness for a period of time. Keep your foot elevated during recuperation to alleviate this.
You will most likely need to return a few weeks following surgery to have any temporary rods, pins, or screws removed. The good news is that hammertoe is unlikely to resurface in your life, especially if you wear shoes that fit properly.
Does a podiatrist do hammertoe surgery?
Avoid squeezing your toes into shoes that compel them to flex abnormally to avoid hammertoes. Those tendons can get tight and cause a claw-like bend in your toe. Always wear shoes that are soft and big enough to accommodate all of your toes.
Stretching your toes can also help avoid hammertoes by keeping the tendons in your toes relaxed. Straighten and stretch your toes using your hands, or try picking up something with your toes, such as retrieving something from the floor. Sitting on a blanket and grabbing the ends with your toes will help to relax your feet.
While these pain-relieving techniques can make your toe feel better at home, you may need to see a podiatrist to get the problem fixed.
According to Timothy C. Ford, DPM, head of the podiatric residency program at Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s HealthCare in Louisville, Ky., “surgical intervention is required to address the deformity.” He suggests visiting a podiatrist to discover the etiology of the hammertoe, which will help determine the best course of action.
A trip to the podiatrist helps ensure that you’re not harming the skin of your toe, which could lead to an infection. “Ulceration or a breakdown of the skin overlying the contractive joint can develop if it’s severe enough,” explains Alan K. Mauser, DPM, a podiatrist in Louisville, Ky.
Dr. Mauser emphasizes that hammertoe surgery is a quality-of-life concern. Surgery to straighten the toe or remove a portion of bone is an option. In more serious cases, surgery may entail more than just bone removal.
Early detection of a hammertoe, pain relief, and, if necessary, a visit to a podiatrist can help keep treatment uncomplicated.
Can you drive after hammertoe surgery?
The primary purpose of hammertoe surgery is to realign the crooked toe into a more functional position. A surgical break is frequently made at the damaged knuckle or joint to accomplish this. Often, an internal pin or screw is required to keep the adjustment in place. If a pin is utilized, it may protrude for a short amount of time from the end of the toe. This allows your surgeon to keep track of your healing process and effortlessly remove the device when it’s no longer needed.
Typical hammertoe surgery is performed under IV conscious sedation at an outpatient surgical setting.
Walking is normally permitted right after surgery in a protected post-operative shoe. This is mostly utilized to accommodate the thick bandaging and any exposed pins. Sutures in the skin are removed two weeks following surgery. Unless there is an external pin, normal bathing of the foot is allowed once the sutures are removed. If a pin is present, the foot must be maintained clean and dry throughout the healing process to avoid a pin-track infection.
After surgery, activity will be restricted, and soreness in the ball of the foot and toe is expected. For several weeks, your walking will be slowed. Impact-type activity, such as walking or running, is normally not comfortable until 6-12 weeks after surgery. Swelling of the toes is a frequent side effect of surgery, and it can last anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months until it goes away completely.
If the surgery is LEFT-SIDED and the automobile is an automatic, you can drive virtually immediately. Driving for RIGHT-SIDED foot might take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the person. Driving while wearing the post-op shoe is not advised.
Better fitting within shoegear and less knuckle pain are reasonable long-term hopes from having your hammertoe repaired. Because the joint was totally or partially fused to straighten the crooked knuckle, it is frequently chronically stiff. Recurrences are possible, but they are uncommon.
Do you need physical therapy after hammertoe surgery?
As soon as your surgeon permits, you should begin Physical Therapy at Philip Physical Therapy. It is frequently recommended that therapy begin as soon as the stitches are removed.
If you’re still needing crutches at your initial appointment with Philip Physical Therapy, your Physical Therapist will make sure you’re getting the most out of them on both level ground and stairwells. The length of time you will need crutches varies by patient, but it is recommended that you use crutches, or even just one crutch, or a stick/cane, until you can walk almost without a limp. Limping can cause a variety of additional problems in your knee, hip, or back, so it’s best to keep using a walking assistance until your Physical Therapist says you’re walking well enough to stop.
The type of Physical Therapy treatment you receive at Philip Physical Therapy will be determined by the surgical procedure performed on your toe.
If you’re still in pain after the surgery, your therapist may employ modalities like electrical current, ultrasound, ice, or moist heat to help you feel better. They may also employ gentle massage on your foot and calf, as well as minor mobilizations or traction on the toe and foot joints, to help with discomfort and swelling, as well as improve foot mobility.
Due to the surgical process, your altered walking pattern from pre-surgical pain, and the use of crutches and a specific shoe, your range of motion and strength in your foot, and most likely your entire low limb, will be reduced. Your Physical Therapist will recommend toe, foot, and calf stretching activities as well as strengthening exercises for these regions. The stretches’ purpose is to get your toe and foot back to normal (or as near to it as possible), as well as to stretch out any muscles that are tugging on the foot and toe and generating unneeded strain. The purpose of foot strengthening exercises is to correct any muscle imbalances in the tiny muscles of the foot as well as to strengthen the arch of the foot to maintain normal foot alignment. These exercises can be as easy as scrunching a towel with your toes or pressing your toes flat against the floor, or they might include resistance from exercise bands. Your therapist will analyze your whole lower limb alignment and suggest strengthening exercises for any regions that require it, as the alignment of the foot is maintained by not just the muscles of the foot, but also those of the hip, knee, and core area. Maintaining good alignment is also critical to minimize future foot and surgical toe issues.
As you gain strength, your Physical Therapist will prescribe more challenging exercises to help you build muscle endurance, such as standing on one foot on an uneven surface, repeatedly elevating up onto your toes, and maintaining that position for a prolonged amount of time. These exercises can also help you enhance your proprioception, or your capacity to sense where your foot is without looking at it.
The last step in our treatment at Philip Physical Therapy will be to make sure you’re walking correctly. Due to the fact that each individual takes thousands of steps per day, walking inefficiently or with bad alignment can quickly and easily lead to additional discomfort and difficulties in your foot, ankle, knee, or hip. When you’re on crutches or wearing a particular shoe, you’re more likely to develop a bad walking pattern that persists until you’re off the crutches or out of the shoe. Any incorrect walking pattern will be addressed by your Physical Therapist, and you will be taught how to rectify it. The strengthening activities we recommend (described above) can help you gain the strength and control you need to walk normally after your operation.
Once your foot has recovered its mobility and strength, we will encourage you to walk for longer lengths of time to increase your endurance.
We’ll also ask you to include periods of uphill walking, which helps to enhance toe range of motion and foot strength.
Any pain experienced while exercising, especially during endurance sports, should be taken seriously as a symptom of overdoing it.
Your therapist will address footwear with you in addition to verifying that you are walking well.
As previously said, you will need to wear a special shoe for 2-4 weeks after surgery to protect your toe and prevent it from bending. After that, you’ll be able to gradually return to normal footwear. Your therapist will go over which shoes are best for you to wear in the future to avoid foot pain. As previously said, incorrect footwear is one of the primary causes of hammer and claw toes, thus footwear advice should be followed. Soft-soled shoes, as well as large and deep toe boxes, are advised. The usage of high heels by women should be limited.
We feel that it is critical for you to maintain your cardiovascular fitness while recuperating from toe surgery at Philip Physical Therapy. Although extended endurance walking or jogging is not recommended until later in your recovery, you can still utilize a stationary bike, a rowing machine, or go in the pool once the scar has healed to participate in water running or aerobics in the early stages. Your therapist can help you choose a cardiovascular program that is right for you.
Surgery for a hammer or claw toe usually results in a quick recovery. If you do not improve as quickly as your Physical Therapist at Philip Physical Therapy expects, we will ask you to contact your surgeon to ensure that there are no complications from the surgery or problems with your foot that are preventing you from recovering.
Do you need crutches after hammertoe surgery?
For the first four weeks after surgery, you should avoid putting any weight on your front foot or toes. After your pin has been removed, you can resume normal walking and gradually transition into a regular shoe as you get more comfortable. Crutches or a walker may be used as needed for comfort, but they are not required.
Can you straighten hammer toes without surgery?
When offered the choice between a non-surgical alternative and a surgical option, most individuals choose the formeras long as both may lead to a successful outcome.
On this, we completely agree with you. Despite the fact that Dr. Bobrowski is a board-certified foot surgeon with over 20 years of surgical experience, he still believes that conservative therapy should be used first whenever possible.
Unfortunately, the answer to the question posed by the headline of this blog is a resounding no. Without surgery, hammertoes cannot be straightened. Conservative treatments alone will not be able to reverse the toe’s bent; they can only slow its advancement. We understand that this isn’t the news you were hoping to hear, but it’s the truth.
This does not, however, imply that surgery is your only viable therapeutic option.
Confused? It all boils down to the fact that treating a hammertoe does not always need “straightening” it.
Can you bend your toe after hammertoe surgery?
Before you begin any form of foot activity after hammer toe surgery, be sure you acquire permission from your foot surgeon. Your surgeon should also provide you with a referral to a physical therapist as well as some basic “Dos and Donts” for your workout routine.
- Pilates, yoga, and other kinds of whole-body exercise are excellent ways to get a solid workout without having to put any weight on your feet (and have the added benefit of improving posture, alignment and balance from head to toe)
- While your toes are healing, you can get some low-impact cardio activity by swimming or water jogging.
- It’s crucial to include foot training routines targeting the muscles and connective tissue in your feet, ankles, and toes in addition to resuming regular exercise.
- Foot exercises that improve foot strength, flexibility, range of motion, and balance can be done in as little as 5-10 minutes, 2-3 times per week to see results.
Remember that no two bodies are the same, so consult to your surgeon and a physical therapist who has experience with hammertoe surgery recovery before starting any form of activity for your feet or the rest of you.
Can you bend your toe after hammertoe surgery?
At the MTP joint, you’ll be able to flex your toe (where the toe joins the foot). You won’t be able to bend the middle toe joint if permanent screws or bone fusion were used.
When can you drive after hammertoe surgery?
Results may vary depending on your overall health and the type of surgery performed, but you should be able to drive again in 4 to 6 weeks.
Walking after hammertoe surgery
Around 4 weeks after surgery, you should be able to put some weight on your foot again. You’ll need to utilize a scooter, crutches, or a wheelchair until then (in limited amounts as instructed by your doctor).
For the first 3-6 weeks after surgery, you’ll need to wear a special shoe to protect your foot and keep it in the proper position.
You won’t be able to walk as quickly as you did before the procedure. Begin with walking for a few minutes each day and gradually increase the time.
How long does pain last after hammertoe surgery?
The pain from the procedure varies from patient to patient, but it usually goes away quickly. For the first few days after surgery, your doctor may prescribe pain medication or recommend over-the-counter pain relievers.
If your pain does not improve with medicine, or if you notice greater pain, warmth, or redness, call your doctor right away. These could be indicators of infection.
How much does hammertoe surgery cost?
The cost of hammertoe surgery varies depending on the type of hammertoe surgery you require and whether you have any additional toe-related ailments.
Our foot doctors and billing staff will work with you to reduce costs as much as possible, and we can assist you with patient financing options for any out-of-pocket charges.
How long is hammer toe surgery?
Hammertoe is a fixed toe. Pins keep the joint straight for the time being. Stitches will be used to close the incisions, and they will be removed two weeks after surgery. 11 After the surgery, your foot will be wrapped. Surgery for hammertoes should take less than an hour.