[pct-l] toe surgery

[CClark]

Herb

One person who responded to me offline suggested massaging the toes frequently.  I talked to my physical therapist, who has now set me up with a PT who specializes in structural massage.  He says he can work out some of the long-term knots and imbalances in the muscles, which could actually help straighten the toes.  It's expensive and painful, but I'm going to try it.

I can't wear minimalist shoes because I'm older and the fat pads have worn off the bottom of my feet.  But I've also purchased a pair of Altras, which do have a zero drop and a pretty beefy sole.  

To get toe boxes that fit, I have to buy shoes with heels that are way too wide for me. You'd think with all the people who have bunions and hammer toes, that shoe companies would design shoes with super large toe boxes and narrower heels.  I think New Balance and Altra are headed that way, but not there yet.  It any entrepreneur is reading this list, they could make a fortune designing such shoes. 

Thanks
Carolyn

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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 20:39:13 +0000
From: Herb Stroh <HStroh at sjmslaw.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] toe surgery
To: CClark <dr_carolyn at yahoo.com>
Cc: PCT-L Backcountry <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Message-ID: <D0579C1A-0A9D-4957-A2C8-C634D5BE471E at sjlmlaw.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

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
>