From the Desk of Dr. Hammer
Meet Richard
Richard has been a patient of mine for over a decade. He has type II diabetes and subsequently has developed neuropathy. Neuropathy in the feet is a dangerous condition. It means that you don’t feel pain or injury. If you don’t feel pain, it is very easy to have an...
Meet Walter’s Toe
He first came to see me with an infection of that toe due to the wound on the tip. This wound is called an Ulcer, and it forms because of the Hammertoe alignment of the toe. Too much pressure to that part of the toe, and it literally "breaks open". I did a simple...
Why I HATE the word BUNION
Whenever you hear the word Bunion, the immediate conclusion is that it is an inconsequential “old lady” problem. It isn’t. Bunions are extremely common and can affect all age ranges, even teenagers. Men or Women. A Bunion is a JOINT DISLOCATION deformity that happens...
What to Expect From Bunion Surgery
The main goal of bunion surgery (bunionectomy) is to better align the big toe joint (1st MPJ). A bunion deformity is the result of a slowly progressive joint dislocation process that can occur slowly throughout a person's life. Over-pronatory (excessive lowering of...
What to Expect From Cheilectomy Surgery
The main goal of performing a Cheilectomy is to "clean-up" the arthritic joint of the big toe knuckle (1st MPJ). Often there are painful and prominent bone spurs that can be removed allowing for better shoegear fitting and overall increased comfort. If the cartilage...
What to Expect From Decompression Osteotomy Surgery
The main goal of this kind of surgery is to "decompress" the big toe knuckle (1st MPJ) due to jamming from early arthritis. This kind of arthritis is slowly progressive and is expected to slowly worsen throughout a person's life. Over-pronatory (excessive lowering of...
What to Expect From Hammertoe Surgery
The main goal of hammertoe surgery is to re-align the crooked toe into an improved anatomic alignment. This is usually done by creating a surgical break at the affected knuckle or joint. Often it is necessary to hold the correction with an internal pin or screw. If a...
What to Expect From Neuroma Surgery
The main goal of neuroma surgery is to remove the painful nerve that has become traumatized in-between the toes. As the nerve is being removed, it is expected that there will be permanent numbness in-between the toes. Most of the time, this sensation of numbness is...
What to Expect From Toenail Surgery
Toenails can become injured or painful for many different reasons. The most common cause is from an ingrown toenail or nail edge that has become excessively "incurvated" or grown into the skin. When this causes pain or disability, it can be easily fixed with a minor...