Prevention
How We Can Help You for Hammertoe
Our doctors have the expertise and experience needed to precisely diagnose and treat hammertoe, the condition where one or more toes bend abnormally in the middle joint, making the toe bend downward.
We deliver world-class care to help relieve symptoms, which may include pain and swelling, growth of bunions or calluses, and trouble walking. Beyond relieving your symptoms, our goal is to help you return to your normal activities as quickly and safely as possible.
Our team offers the full range of treatment options but always emphasizes the least invasive approach possible. In some cases, completely noninvasive treatment, such as comfortable footwear, toe pads, shoe inserts, or medicine, may be recommended. In addition, if needed, we offer the full range of surgical procedures, from the common to the most complex.
Our skilled foot and ankle specialists, orthopaedic surgeons, podiatrists, physical therapists, and other specialists work closely together to develop a complete care plan personalized to your condition and unique needs. In addition, Stanford Health Care patients with hammertoe may have opportunities to join research studies of new treatment approaches not yet available anywhere else.
What We Offer You for Hammertoe
- Specialized expertise from one of the world’s leading programs focused on diagnosing and treating hammertoe and other orthopaedic conditions.
- Team-based treatment planning that brings together highly experienced specialists who create a comprehensive care plan personalized to your unique needs.
- Advanced treatment options, always emphasizing the least invasive approaches possible but also providing state-of-the-art surgery whenever needed.
- Full support that includes care planning and follow-up, always with a focus on relieving the pain of hammertoe while helping avoid complications such as infection, especially if you have diabetes or poor circulation.
- Clinical trial opportunities to join research studies of new innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of hammertoe.
- Easy access to highly trained specialists conveniently located close to where you work or live.
Treatments for Hammertoe
Hammertoe is a condition in which one or more toes have an abnormal bend in the middle joint, which makes the toe bend sharply downward. The bend usually results from problems with the muscles and tendons that work together to straighten and bend your toe.
Stanford’s skilled foot and ankle specialists use sophisticated new techniques to treat hammertoe and relieve pain and other symptoms. When possible, we begin with nonsurgical treatments to care for moderate cases of hammertoe.
We offer advanced surgery, both open and minimally invasive, to treat people who have more severe cases of hammertoe. Using the latest advances in joint and bone implants, our orthopaedic surgeons can correct severe joint deformities and preserve the toe’s ability to bend.
Stanford’s experienced orthopaedic surgeons use advanced implants to correct hammertoe without sacrificing joint movement.
Nonsurgical Treatments
Surgery
Based on your age and overall health, our team will discuss several treatment options with you, and these include:
Footwear
Wear comfortable shoes with plenty of room in the toe area. Avoid tight, narrow shoes and high heels to allow your toes room to stretch and flex.
Toe pad
Use padding placed over the joint to cushion and protect it from rubbing.
Exercises
Our orthopaedic rehab specialists offer physical therapy to help you learn ways to improve flexibility in your toes. These exercises include using your toes to grab objects like marbles or towels.
Orthotics
Talk to a podiatrist about using specially made pads or inserts in your shoes to minimize pressure on the joint.
Medicine
Take anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce pain and swelling.
For severe cases of hammertoe that don’t respond to nonsurgical treatment, we usually recommend surgery. The type of surgery we perform depends on our personalized evaluation of your medical history, symptoms, and goals for treatment. We treat hammertoe with several outpatient surgical methods, including:
Phalangeal head resection
We perform arthroscopic surgery, which uses small incisions to access the joint. Your surgeon first cuts the affected tendons, then removes part of one of the toe bones so the joint fits together evenly. The surgeon straightens the toe joint with wires or pins, which we remove after several weeks, and then reattaches the tendons to allow the toe to move.
Joint fushion (arthrodesis)
Using an arthroscopic surgical procedure, your surgeon accesses the toe joint and release the tendons near the joint. Our surgeons straighten the toe bones and hold them together with wires or pins, which stay in the joint. Joint fusion surgery permanently straightens the toe.
Joint implant (arthroplasty)
We make an incision to attach a small cap and screw to the end of one bone, creating a synthetic joint. This procedure allows us to leave your original tendons in place so that you retain the full range of motion in the affected toe.
Based on your age and overall health, our team will discuss several treatment options with you, and these include:
Footwear
Wear comfortable shoes with plenty of room in the toe area. Avoid tight, narrow shoes and high heels to allow your toes room to stretch and flex.
Toe pad
Use padding placed over the joint to cushion and protect it from rubbing.
Exercises
Our orthopaedic rehab specialists offer physical therapy to help you learn ways to improve flexibility in your toes. These exercises include using your toes to grab objects like marbles or towels.
Orthotics
Talk to a podiatrist about using specially made pads or inserts in your shoes to minimize pressure on the joint.
Medicine
Take anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce pain and swelling.
close Nonsurgical Treatments
For severe cases of hammertoe that don’t respond to nonsurgical treatment, we usually recommend surgery. The type of surgery we perform depends on our personalized evaluation of your medical history, symptoms, and goals for treatment. We treat hammertoe with several outpatient surgical methods, including:
Phalangeal head resection
We perform arthroscopic surgery, which uses small incisions to access the joint. Your surgeon first cuts the affected tendons, then removes part of one of the toe bones so the joint fits together evenly. The surgeon straightens the toe joint with wires or pins, which we remove after several weeks, and then reattaches the tendons to allow the toe to move.
Joint fushion (arthrodesis)
Using an arthroscopic surgical procedure, your surgeon accesses the toe joint and release the tendons near the joint. Our surgeons straighten the toe bones and hold them together with wires or pins, which stay in the joint. Joint fusion surgery permanently straightens the toe.
Joint implant (arthroplasty)
We make an incision to attach a small cap and screw to the end of one bone, creating a synthetic joint. This procedure allows us to leave your original tendons in place so that you retain the full range of motion in the affected toe.
close Surgery
INTERESTED IN AN ONLINE SECOND OPINION?
The Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion program offers you easy access to our world-class doctors. It’s all done remotely, and you don’t have to visit our hospital or one of our clinics for this service. You don’t even need to leave home!
Visit our online second opinion page to learn more.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future.
What is Hammertoe?
Our Clinics
Our service offers easy access to innovative foot and ankle care personalized to your needs. Our team seamlessly coordinates complete services to diagnose and treat the full spectrum of foot and ankle conditions, from the common to those so complex.
RELATED CLINICS
Suite 211
Los Gatos, CA 95032
To schedule an appointment, please call 650-723-5643.