I usually warn my patients that surgery is a last resort, and heel spur surgery is no exception. Surgery is required in less than 5% of heel pain patients, according to the expertise of the foot doctor in Houston. Outside of surgery, there are several options for treating heel pain.
Patients in my Houston podiatry practice frequently use heel cups, pads, or cushions before seeing me for the first time. Take a peek at the options on any pharmacy’s foot care aisle to see how popular they are! However, they frequently fail to alleviate the discomfort.
There are a variety of shoes that look…. rare…and claim to be able to alleviate lower extremity pain, including heel pain. MBT, Masei Barefoot Technology, is one such shoe that has been available for several years. These shoes have a soft heel and a rocker sole, which forces the foot to work more on the midfoot. Some patients have found relief with these shoes, and I would recommend them on occasion, but many find that the drastic change in gait causes new problems. These are not to be confused with “toning shoes” like Sketchers Shape-Ups, which have no therapeutic value.
The key source of hammertoe pain is pressure from pressing against a shoe, which results in the formation of corns. Some things ease pressure from the shoe and alleviate the pain.
Hammertoe is a condition that causes the toes to bend inwards. It most often occurs in the second toe and is usually caused by wearing tight shoes.
Hammertoe is a condition that causes the toes to bend inward, typically because of wearing tight shoes. The condition most often occurs in the second toe and can be painful, especially when walking. Hammertoe can be treated with surgery or corrective footwear.
A splint cannot cure a hammertoe. It aids in the loosening of contracted soft tissue and may result in a modest reduction. Most hammertoes have a contracture involving the bones and joints that hammertoe splints cannot affect.
Although hammertoes are not inherited, the foot type that causes them is. If you have ever spotted a parent or grandmother with toes that hump up, you are at risk of developing one. It is a crucial distinction because if you observe your toes starting to buckle, take steps to avoid the development of a hammertoe. Hammertoes are caused by the foot’s mechanics and overall stability of the foot and not by your shoes.
