A hammertoe is a contracture, or shortening and rigidity, of the connective tissues in the smaller toes of either foot. The Institute for Preventive Foot Health states that about 7 million American adults have this condition and need treatment. At Clintonville/Dublin Foot & Ankle Group in Columbus, your podiatrists--Drs. Griffith, Thomas and Barron--see this progressive deformity all the time. They can help you have pain-free, functional feet again.

Causes and symptoms of hammertoes

Toes two through five can take on a claw- or mallet-like appearance--hence, the name hammertoes. Medically termed hallux abductovalgus, this painful problem crops up in women more than men, probably because of shoes with high heels and cramped toe boxes. Other causes are heredity, diabetic neuropathy, trauma and the simple wear and tear of the aging process.

As the problem progresses, the affected toe or toes stiffen, lose range of motion and can be very painful to walk on. Corn and callus formation adds to the discomfort as the toes rub against the inside of shoes.

Help for hammertoes

If your Columbus podiatrist examines and X-rays your feet early on in hammertoe development, he can more easily and successfully treat the condition without interventions such as cortisone injections or surgery (tendon release in the toe). Your foot doctor will develop a treatment plan to balance your muscles, bones, and connective tissues in the foot, allowing for more functional, free and comfortable movement of the toes.

Therefore, he likely will advise these interventions according to your specific needs:

• In-office removal of large and painful corns and calluses
• Corn and callus padding to reduce irritation
• Well-constructed foot wear with lower heels, sufficient room in the toes and proper arch support
• Custom-made shoe inserts (orthotics) to correct gait problems
• Splints to re-align the toe
• Over the counter pain medications

Many people who have a hammertoe also have a bunion, a bulging of the big toe joint and inward turning of the toe. Many of the same common sense measures which help hammertoes relieve the progression and discomfort of bunions, too.

Get some relief

At Clintonville/Dublin Foot & Ankle Group, your podiatrists and their professional team get people of all ages back on their feet and moving comfortably once again. If you are seeing and feeling changes in your foot structure, level of comfort and ability to move freely, call one of our three offices for a consultation. Hammertoes are just one of the many conditions we treat.

For Columbus, OH, phone (614) 267-8387. In Dublin, OH, call (614) 761-1466, and for the Southwest location, phone (614) 272-2313.

Are you dealing with pain, burning, tingling or numbness between your toes or in the ball of the foot? If you said “yes” then you could be dealing with a neuroma, a pinched nerve or benign tumor of the nerve that is often found between the third and fourth toes.

The classic symptom of a neuroma is pain, particularly when walking—a factor that leads many people to liken the condition to feeling like a pebble is in their shoe. You may find that the pain eases up whenever you aren’t walking or when you rub the pained area with your hands. While neuromas can happen to anyone, they are most commonly found in women.

Neuroma Causes

While the causes of a neuroma are still not clear, there are factors that can increase the likelihood of developing one, such as:

• Extremely high arches
• Flat feet
• Trauma that leads to nerve damage in the feet
• Improper footwear (high heels over two-inches tall; pointed toes)
• Repeated stress placed on the foot

Treating a Neuroma

A neuroma will not go away on its own, so it’s important to see a podiatrist if you are experiencing any of the condition's symptoms. The type of treatment or treatments recommended to you will depend on the severity of the neuroma.

Those with minor neuromas may be able to lessen symptoms by wearing shoes that provide ample room for the toes and offer thick soles that provide more support and cushioning for the toes and balls of the feet. Sometimes a podiatrist may recommend custom orthotics to place inside the shoes, as well.

Your podiatrist may also recommend padding or taping the ball of the foot to improve faulty biomechanics and reduce discomfort. While medication will not eliminate the problem, it can temporarily alleviate symptoms. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories can often briefly reduce pain and swelling, but for those dealing with more severe pain, steroid injections may be necessary to ease symptoms.

Surgery for a Neuroma

Surgery only becomes necessary when conservative treatment options have failed to provide relief, or when the neuroma has progressed enough that conservative care won’t be enough. During surgery, the inflamed nerve is removed through a simple outpatient procedure. Afterward, there is a short recovery period of a couple of weeks before patients are able to move about pain-free once again!

Give us a Call!

If you are dealing with new or worsening foot pain it’s important that you turn to a podiatrist that can help give you the answers you need. Schedule an appointment today.

A bunion is one of the most common foot deformities, often affecting the joint at the base of the big toe. Anyone can develop this painful condition but it most often occurs in women. A bunion affects the structure of the foot, causing the joint to become enlarged, which causes the big toe to lean inward towards the other toes. In some cases, the big toe even overlaps the toes. This deformed joint may often become red or swollen, especially when wearing certain shoes or after certain physical activities.

A bunion is a gradual deformity, which means that as soon as you begin to notice changes in the joint or you start to experience symptoms you should consult a podiatrist. While the only way to correct the deformity is through surgery this is usually the last treatment option. After all, a foot doctor can often create a treatment plan that will reduce pain and prevent the deformity from progressing without needing to turn to surgery.

The first course of treatment is usually more conservative. You may be able to manage your bunion pain and swelling by:

• Taking over-the-counter NSAIDs
• Icing the bunion for up to 15 minutes at a time, 2-3 times a day
• Placing orthotics into your shoes to alleviate pressure on the joint (talk to your podiatrist about creating custom orthotics)
• Splinting or taping the foot to improve the structural alignment
• Wearing appropriate and supportive footwear that doesn’t put pressure on the toes or bunion
• Applying a bunion pad over the area to prevent a callus from forming while wearing shoes
• Avoiding certain activities and sports that could exacerbate your condition

For many people, these lifestyle changes and simple at-home treatment options are all that’s needed to reduce bunion pain and discomfort, and to prevent the problem from getting worse. Of course, if you find that at-home care isn’t providing you with relief, or if bunion pain is persistent or severe, then you should turn to a podiatrist for an evaluation. Not sure if you have a bunion or not? Call your foot doctor.

When should someone consider bunion surgery?

As we mentioned earlier, bunion surgery is considered a last resort when all other treatment options have been exhausted and they haven’t helped get your bunion symptoms under control. You may also want to consider getting bunion surgery if:

• Your bunion is large and makes it difficult to wear shoes
• Your bunion pain is severe and chronic
• You have trouble walking or moving around because of your bunion
• Your bunion is affecting your quality of life

It can take up to 6 months to fully recover from traditional bunion surgery so it’s important to discuss all of your treatment options with your podiatrist to find the most effective method for getting your bunion symptoms under control.

Swelling, reddened flesh, shooting pain, and pus are just some of the incredibly uncomfortable symptoms of having an ingrown toenail. Although this condition can sometimes be successfully treated through home remedies, ingrown toenails often progress to the point of infection, a point that then requires professional treatment. Read on to learn what causes this problem, when it’s right to seek medical help, and how our podiatrists can help get your foot back to a healthy state!

The Causes and Symptoms

Before we cover how to treat ingrown toenails, let’s first review the core causes and symptoms that hallmark this condition…

Ingrown toenails initially develop due to a few different factors, including:

• Cutting the toenail too short
• Rounding the toenail during grooming
• Wearing improperly fitting shoes
• Experiencing toe trauma

If the flesh on the side of the toe has become red, swollen, and tender, you likely have an ingrown toenail. If you have caught this problem while it’s still in its early stages, you can try implementing some of the home remedies listed in the next section. However, if your toe is exhibiting some of the following signs of infection, you should seek professional podiatric help:

• Pervasive shooting or throbbing toe pain
• Regular bleeding
• The presence of a pus-filled blister
• The skin has started growing over the nail

Home Remedies

As mentioned above, if an ingrown toenail is caught before infection sets in, there are a few different methods that you can practice at home in order to clear up the issue. Some of these include:

• Around 3 to 4 times a day, submerge your foot into warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Regularly doing this should reduce swelling and provide pain relief.
• Following each soaking, use cotton to separate the ingrown toenail from the flesh that it is starting to grow under. This should allow the nail to grow above the skin again.
• Avoid snug or constraining shoes.

If these actions fail to clear up the problem in 2 to 3 days, you should pursue professional treatment.

Professional Treatments

In the case of a severe or recurring infection, there are a few different procedures that your podiatrist can perform to make your toe healthy again. Depending on the specifics of your ingrown toenail, one of the following treatments may be recommended:

• Partial Nail Removal: In the case of a severe ingrown toenail, your doctor can numb your toe before physically removing the ingrown portion of the nail.
• Nail and Tissue Removal: If the same toe is repeatedly experiencing the same ingrown toenail problem, this procedure can be performed to prevent future recurrences. It entails your podiatrist removing a portion of the underlying nail bed, thus preventing the nail from become ingrown again.

Concerned About Your Toe? Give Us a Call!

If your ingrown toenail needs medical attention, call our podiatric office today!

The human foot and ankle contain 33 joints, 26 bones and over 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles. While all of these parts of the foot should work together, there are certain conditions, injuries and diseases that can affect the health and functioning of your foot or ankle. There are many instances in which you should turn to a podiatrist for individualized care that you can trust time and time again.

• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendinitis
• Heel pain
• Ankle sprains and fractures
• Foot fractures
• Sports-related injuries
• Bunions and hammertoes
• Corns and calluses
• Diabetic foot care
• Fungal infections
• Ingrown toenails
• Heel spurs