A Look at Non-Invasive Treatments for Hammertoe

When hammertoe starts making it difficult to walk, climb stairs, and even simply wear shoes, you need a prompt solution. Although surgery is an option for severe cases, it’s often best to start with non-invasive treatments with help from your Austin, TX, podiatrist. Here’s a look at several hammertoe treatments you might want to try.

Switch Up Your Footwear

Although most footwear will cause discomfort as your hammertoe rubs against its rough material, certain shoes can cause excruciating pain. In that case, it’s necessary to quit wearing those shoes altogether as it’s likely making the problem worse.

Instead, seek out footwear that only causes mild discomfort at worst plus wear shoe inserts. The inserts can help shift your weight to relieve friction and make it possible to get through the day with shoes on your feet. You can also bandage your hammertoe to shield your skin from friction.

Consider Taping or Splinting

If a simple bandage doesn’t provide enough relief, you can buddy tape it to an adjacent toe to ease it back into the proper position. This can ease the pain temporarily as you go about your day, although it’s important to minimize how much time the toe remains taped up.

When tape doesn’t quite do it, you can wear a splint that gently straightens the joint and holds your toe flat. Eventually, the splint and other methods will fail to work as the toe becomes more rigid. At that point, you’ll need to discuss surgery with your Austin podiatrist.

Complete Your Exercises

When you visit your podiatrist, they will give you a series of exercises to complete at home to keep the joint flexible. Each exercise focuses on stretching out the ligaments, tendons, and ligaments in the affected foot. Although exercise will slow it down, the hammertoe is likely to grow more rigid over time anyway, resulting in the need for permanent correction through surgery.

Ready to Seek Hammertoe Treatment in Austin TX?

Are you more than ready to say goodbye to the pain and discomfort caused by hammertoe? You can seek hammertoe treatment in Austin, TX, with a visit to Jeffery LaMour, DPM, PA. Just call 512-451-3668 to schedule a visit, so you can get an exam and discuss all the treatment options, including surgical correction.