[pct-l] toe surgery

[Herb Stroh]

I know you suggested replying off-line, but I am interested in any responses you might get in don't mind telling my experience.

I have a hammertoe issue that causes    painful rubbing in almost every kind of shoe. But I do get considerable relief using minimalist shoes. They are generally designed to allow your toes to splay as you walk, and the added space helps greatly. 

I did see a Dr., who said surgery was possible but not recommended (at least for me) due to likely side effects. 

You might try minimalist shoes and see if they provide any relief. Go with the zero drop shoes if you can. New Balance has a nice pair of zero drops that are very light and exceptionally comfortable. But note that you have to build foot strength before you can go any distance in minimalist shoes. Start slow and gradually increase the distance and difficulty of terrain. 

The other downside of minimalist shoes is that they wear out quickly. My new balance zero's started to rip after 200 miles, and I would not expect to get more than 400 trail miles on a pair.

Herb

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 21, 2014, at 6:52 PM, CClark <dr_carolyn at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> I’m considering having surgery done on my hammer toes. My doc says the surgery will fix the way my 
> toes rub against my shoes, but will take away my ability to flex or push off with my toes. This could
> impact my balance and my gait slightly.
> 
> I’m debating whether I should do the surgery, or just keep on dealing with sore toes from rubbing. (I’ve
> tried wearing huge & wide shoes, many kinds of socks, and inserting many sorts of padding, but so far, nothing
> has solved the problem.) 
> 
> I would appreciate hearing offline from anyone who has knowledge about this
> topic, and the trade-offs involved.
> 
> Thanks in advance for your comments,
> Carolyn
> Dr_carolyn at yahoo.com
>