Treat Your Toes Right

Orthopedic foot and ankle specialists agree that toes can cause a disproportionate amount pain for their size. Other bones and joints seem to dominate the human body, but toes may be the driving force behind your overall balance and mobility.

Orthopedic toe doctors strive to provide the most advanced treatment options for all toe injuries and disorders, from bunions to Morton’s neuroma. A few of the most common orthopedic toe treatments performed at Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital – Arlington include:

• Bunionectomy with wedge osteotomy
• Bunion correction with scarf and akin osteotomy
• Cheilectomy
• Hammertoe correction
• First metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint arthrodesis
• Morton’s neuroa excision

Orthopedic Care for Toe Joints

The base of the big toe frequently develops arthritis after an injury. The cheilectomy is a toe treatment that removes bone spurs and sometimes part of the foot bone in order to reduce mild to moderate pain and stiffness around the metatarsophalangeal joint.

Other MTP joint surgeries involve:

• Fusing the bones (arthrodesis) after removing cartilage and stabilizing the bones with pins, screws, or a metal plate
• Toe joint replacement (arthroplasty) with the installation of an artificial toe joint

Many Options to Stop Bunion Pain

Bunion pain relief may be found with simple nonsurgical treatments like wearing wider shoes or using padded inserts to cushion around the toes. Orthopedic toe surgery to fix bunion deformity sets the goal of realigning the position of the big toe using various techniques to operate on bones, tendons, ligaments and nerves.

Bunion surgery techniques may include repairing tendons/ligaments around the big toe while also shifting the position of the bone with an osteotomy. The bunion correction osteotomy uses small incisions and sets the bones with pins, screws, or plates. A second bunion correction procedure is arthrodesis, where the orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon clears out arthritic joint surfaces, then inserts screws, wires, or plates.

When the bump is removed from the big toe joint, toe pain experts refer to the procedure as exostectomy. Ortho doctors note that this is often one step in an extensive toe pain treatment program involving bones, toe joints, and soft tissues. Finally, bunions can also be treated by removing the damaged part of the joint, creating a space for a flexible scar joint. Resection arthroplasty works well for many elderly patients who’ve had failed bunion repair or severe osteoarthritis.

Finding Relief for Hammertoe

Treating hammertoe pain may not require orthopedic surgery, but nonsurgical options are plentiful. Your ortho doctor may prescribe toe exercises or suggest you wear straps, cushions, or corn pads to relieve toe pain. Corrective surgery for hammertoe can be done on an outpatient basis to reduce stiffness and swelling.

For the benign tumor-like growths termed Morton’s neuroma, toe pain can be reduced by changing shoes, adding custom orthotics, or injecting corticosteroid medication. If that does not succeed, patients sometimes try removing the thickening tissue to allow more room for the nerve being compressed under the ligaments in the forefoot.

To consult with an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon about your toe pain and its possible solutions, call Baylor Scott & White – Arlington at 855-41-ORTHO.