Hammertoes are one of the most common foot deformities, and they can be both painful and embarrassing. The abnormal bending of the toe joints causes corns, calluses, and difficulty fitting into shoes. When conservative measures like wider shoes and padding fail to provide relief, surgery is often the next step.
At the Bregman Foot-Ankle & Nerve Center, we specialize in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) for hammertoe correction. This advanced approach offers a dramatically better experience than traditional open surgery, with smaller incisions, less pain, and a much faster return to normal footwear and activities.
What Causes a Hammertoe?
A hammertoe occurs when the muscles and tendons that control the toe become imbalanced, causing the toe to bend at the middle joint. This can be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight or too short, which forces the toe into a bent position over time. It can also be related to an underlying foot structure issue, such as a bunion, which pushes the big toe against the second toe, causing it to buckle. Nerve damage or muscle weakness can also be contributing factors.
There are two types of hammertoes:
- Flexible Hammertoe: The toe can still be straightened manually. This is an earlier stage of the deformity and is more amenable to conservative treatment.
- Rigid Hammertoe: The joint has become stiff and fixed in the bent position. Surgery is typically required to correct this.
The MIS Approach to Hammertoe Correction
Traditional open hammertoe surgery involves a significant incision on the top of the toe, cutting through skin, tendons, and joint capsule to access and reshape the bone. Recovery involves bandaging, limited activity, and often weeks before returning to normal shoes.
MIS hammertoe surgery achieves the same correction through a tiny incision, often less than a centimeter, using specialized instruments. The procedure is performed under fluoroscopic (live X-ray) guidance to ensure precision. The benefits are significant:
- Immediate Weight-Bearing: Patients walk out of the procedure in a surgical shoe.
- Faster Return to Normal Shoes: Most patients are back in comfortable sneakers within 2–4 weeks.
- Less Post-Operative Swelling: The minimal tissue disruption means far less swelling and a more comfortable recovery.
- Minimal Scarring: The tiny incision heals to a virtually invisible scar.
Combining Hammertoe and Bunion Correction
Hammertoes and bunions frequently occur together, as the bunion deformity is often the underlying cause of the hammertoe. The good news is that both conditions can be corrected simultaneously using MIS techniques in a single procedure. This is a significant advantage over traditional surgery, where combining multiple procedures would dramatically increase the complexity and recovery time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my toe be completely straight after surgery?
The goal of surgery is to straighten the toe and relieve pain. For most patients, the result is a significantly straighter, more functional toe. The exact outcome depends on the severity of the deformity and the specific technique used.
What if my hammertoe is flexible?
For flexible hammertoes, we always try conservative measures first, including wider shoes, toe stretching exercises, and custom orthotics to address any underlying biomechanical issues. Surgery is only recommended when these measures fail to provide adequate relief.
How long does the surgery take?
The procedure typically takes 15–30 minutes per toe, depending on the complexity of the deformity.