Anyone with experience of clawed toes?

freakyogre

Sorry if this is a bit rambly first of all.

I have suffered with bad feet for years now (i'm only 24). It all came to light when I joined a new doctor when I was about 15 and he asked me to step on the scales. I couldn't stand flat and was perched on my tiptoes! I never really thought much of it, it was just a quirk that I got used to.

Anyway, this led to an operation when I was about 17 where I had the tendon stretched in on leg. All went well and although I still can't walk or stand completely flat (still have slightly arched feet), it's a lot better.

After all that I noticed that whatever footwear I wore (even flipflops) rubbed my toes. I went to my (new) doctor at the time who told me nothing could be done. I left it until my next visit and luckily had a stand in doctor so mentioned it to him. I was referred to the hospital and also a podiatry/biomechanics place.

I had some nerve tests done at the hospital which were fun and was told I suffered from clawed/hammer toes. At the biomechanics place (not sure what it's called!) they again checked my feet and gave me a couple of options (this is where it becomes a bit complicated..!)

Aswell as my toes rubbing, if I walk in flat shoes for longer than say, an hour, the muscles in my legs really hurt and the following day I struggle to put my feet flat again as it pulls my tendons to tend to walk on my tiptoes. To try and counteract this I started wearing heels more and more as they didn't affect my legs. They did however hurt my toes.

The options I was given was 1) wear bits of rubber (cut to heel shape) in any flat shoes I wear. I tried this for a while and didn't really get on with it as they kept moving in the shoe, plus it didn't resolve the toe issue. I also had to regularly "sort my toes out" as the rubbing causes hard skin which I need to remove (sorry, probably a bit gross!) Option 2 was surgery.

Since then I have moved house twice so not really given it much thought, but I really think I need to consider it now as can only see this problem getting worse as I get older.

I can put up with my tendons as it's only a day or two of pain, but the toes are another story I also find that if i'm driving for a longish period of time, my toes go completely numb which is probably not very safe.


To get to the point of this post, has anyone here suffered from this? If so, did you have surgery to rectify it? My main concern with surgery is how long i'll be out of action for afterwards (just started a new job). I assume that i'll be unable to drive/walk for some time, although not sure if this is true.
If anyone has had the surgery, what did it involve? In my mind all I can think is that they'd need to break my toes and reset them, but again, that may not be true!!

Thank you for any help and again, sorry to ramble!

lolly5648

A girl I used to work with had this operation and was out of action for six weeks - at least this was the time she booked off work.

Have you googled the operation to see what they say about recovery time?

freakyogre

Wow, didn't realise it would take that long. Hmm, think i'll have to put it off again for now

I have looked at several sites, but they seem to differ as to what treatment would be given and a lot of other information.

I will mention it when i'm next at the doctors, just hope I don't have to go through it all again.

Thanks for your reply

Margaret52129

Hi, I had a foot op last year (Sept) for a claw toe and had my bunion done at same time. I only had 1 toe affected where it rubbed on my shoes on the 'knuckle' and the underside was digging into my shoes which made it painful to walk. Skin was really thick in those parts too.

I was referred to the hospital and they did the op within 6-8 weeks and I was off work for 6 weeks, although if you work in an office and don't need to walk around you may be able to return sooner. Although it looks fine and straight, I still have problems with swelling of the foot and none of my original shoes fit so am having to get new ones (very hard I know!) but it's expensive to do.

The toe bone has been 'fused' so it's straight, but it was only the one toe and perhaps it's not quite the same as yours. Foot was only painful for about 1-2 days then I just had to be careful when walking with crutches and you've to have plenty of rest with foot raised. You can only drive again once you can put your foot down on the floor quickly with no pain (for emergency stops I presume).

I'd do it again though as my foot looks great now (hated to wear flip flops etc.) and can understand why people have plastic surgery as I feel I've 'normal' feet again! Also during the op the surgeon 'paints' iodine all over the foot and over a few weeks all the thick skin is rubbed away. Couldn't have a shower till I had the spike taken out, about 6-8 weeks and the spike doesn't sound as bad you think it may be!

BTW I'm quite a bit older than you being 56 so perhaps you'd recover quicker.

Good luck in whatever choice you make,

freakyogre

Margaret52129 wrote: »

Hi, I had a foot op last year (Sept) for a claw toe and had my bunion done at same time. I only had 1 toe affected where it rubbed on my shoes on the 'knuckle' and the underside was digging into my shoes which made it painful to walk. Skin was really thick in those parts too.

I was referred to the hospital and they did the op within 6-8 weeks and I was off work for 6 weeks, although if you work in an office and don't need to walk around you may be able to return sooner. Although it looks fine and straight, I still have problems with swelling of the foot and none of my original shoes fit so am having to get new ones (very hard I know!) but it's expensive to do.

The toe bone has been 'fused' so it's straight, but it was only the one toe and perhaps it's not quite the same as yours. Foot was only painful for about 1-2 days then I just had to be careful when walking with crutches and you've to have plenty of rest with foot raised. You can only drive again once you can put your foot down on the floor quickly with no pain (for emergency stops I presume).

I'd do it again though as my foot looks great now (hated to wear flip flops etc.) and can understand why people have plastic surgery as I feel I've 'normal' feet again! Also during the op the surgeon 'paints' iodine all over the foot and over a few weeks all the thick skin is rubbed away. Couldn't have a shower till I had the spike taken out, about 6-8 weeks and the spike doesn't sound as bad you think it may be!

BTW I'm quite a bit older than you being 56 so perhaps you'd recover quicker.

Good luck in whatever choice you make,

Bit of a delayed reply, but didn't realise i'd have another post on here!!

I mentioned it to my doctor last time I was there (last week) and she arranged for a letter to be sent to the hospital/me. I received that 2 days later and have arranged an appointment for August (although may have to move that). Very impressed with how quickly they dealt with it.

I think it's going to be difficult fitting it in as if i've read the above correctly, I wouldn't be able to drive for a while so wouldn't be able to get to work! Although I wouldn't have to move a lot at work, i'd have no way of getting there to start with.

Mine are clawed on 3 toes on each foot (only the big toe and little toe are ok) so not sure whether they'd need to do one at a time or all at once.

Thanks for your reply, i'll have to wait and see what happens.

GotToChange

Hi - just a little more info for you (that won't put you off hopefully); my (ex-) husband had this condition too (he was 23 when we met) - all of his toes were clawed on one foot. He had the operation to straighten - toes broken and re-set with spikes through them (with cute little corks on the end). He was in a plaster cast/crutches for yonks and couldn't drive, work etc for what seemed like ages. I had to drive him all over the place in his brand new car so I didn't mind - not that that's relevant.

As it affects your quality of life, you should of course go ahead but be aware that there will be some limitations for a while and your toes will look as though they have zips up them.......

Good luck with it - oh and watch out for stubbing your toes/corks - sheer agony I'm told.

x

freakyogre

GotToChange wrote: »

Hi - just a little more info for you (that won't put you off hopefully); my (ex-) husband had this condition too (he was 23 when we met) - all of his toes were clawed on one foot. He had the operation to straighten - toes broken and re-set with spikes through them (with cute little corks on the end). He was in a plaster cast/crutches for yonks and couldn't drive, work etc for what seemed like ages. I had to drive him all over the place in his brand new car so I didn't mind - not that that's relevant.

As it affects your quality of life, you should of course go ahead but be aware that there will be some limitations for a while and your toes will look as though they have zips up them.......

Good luck with it - oh and watch out for stubbing your toes/corks - sheer agony I'm told.

x

I read this a while ago, but didn't comment and started thinking it didn't sound that bad...since then I watched a programme where someone had something similar (spikes/hooks in toes) and seeing them there didn't bother me. It was when they said they had to pull them out I kinda went :eek: I'm not sure why that bothers me, afterall, they have to come out somehow!

When I had my tendon stretched I was in plaster for a while. I went back to the hospital to have that removed and the nurse started pulling at the stitches. She pulled and pulled and I winced and winced, then she disappeared. She came back and apologised as it turns out they were dissolvable stitches so she was pulling them for no reason. God that hurt

I have since been to the local hospital and had my feet x-rayed which have been sent to the other hospital. I have an appointment there on Thursday so will see what they say.

I have also since lost my job, so time off work isn't an issue at the moment. But when I do start a new job, the operation (or whatever they decide on) will probably have to wait as I need a job more than straight toes

GotToChange

freakyogre wrote: »

I read this a while ago, but didn't comment and started thinking it didn't sound that bad...since then I watched a programme where someone had something similar (spikes/hooks in toes) and seeing them there didn't bother me. It was when they said they had to pull them out I kinda went :eek: I'm not sure why that bothers me, afterall, they have to come out somehow!

When I had my tendon stretched I was in plaster for a while. I went back to the hospital to have that removed and the nurse started pulling at the stitches. She pulled and pulled and I winced and winced, then she disappeared. She came back and apologised as it turns out they were dissolvable stitches so she was pulling them for no reason. God that hurt

I have since been to the local hospital and had my feet x-rayed which have been sent to the other hospital. I have an appointment there on Thursday so will see what they say.

I have also since lost my job, so time off work isn't an issue at the moment. But when I do start a new job, the operation (or whatever they decide on) will probably have to wait as I need a job more than straight toes

Thank you for updating. That sounds horrid with the stitches - its making my toes curl thinking about it (pardon the pun). Sorry to hear about your job (the reason my XH had so much time off was because he had quite a physical job; he managed well with everything else with the crutches and my help). See what the hospital advises - I don't think the condition is going to clear itself up and you might as well get it done now then it's all over with - I don't recall too much agony when pins out; tbh I'm not sure what gets left in and what gets taken out.

Good luck.

x

geri1965_2

I can't really help with any advice about the op, but when a girl at work broke her foot, my company agreed to pay for her to get taxis to and from work, because it was cheaper for them to do that and have her at work, than to have to pay for her sitting and home and not doing anything.

Just might be worth asking them, that's all.

londoner1998

freakyogre wrote: »

Bit of a delayed reply, but didn't realise i'd have another post on here!!

I mentioned it to my doctor last time I was there (last week) and she arranged for a letter to be sent to the hospital/me. I received that 2 days later and have arranged an appointment for August (although may have to move that). Very impressed with how quickly they dealt with it.

I think it's going to be difficult fitting it in as if i've read the above correctly, I wouldn't be able to drive for a while so wouldn't be able to get to work! Although I wouldn't have to move a lot at work, i'd have no way of getting there to start with.

Mine are clawed on 3 toes on each foot (only the big toe and little toe are ok) so not sure whether they'd need to do one at a time or all at once.

Thanks for your reply, i'll have to wait and see what happens.

hello! I have just read your post. I don't have problems with my feet as such (although a bit with a knee due to hard quadriceps), but I have been practising yoga for years now and have seen all sorts of feet, many with your problem and tons with bunion joints (thanks to high heels, many of them). Two things- before you go for surgery, think long and hard- it is your feet, so you will be unable to move properly for a long time. Second- anything that affects your feet will affect the rest of your spine, up to your neck and including your hips, so you need to do something, and even with surgery, you will need to work on it for life. Obviously I won't give medical advice, but I have seen people dramatically improving problems like yours (short tendons, bunion, etc...) with remedial yoga. There is a specific school of yoga that focuses on alignment and harmony that it is used to treat a lot of problems and they always work from the feet (a lot of dancers and athletes have used it). They use bespoke props if necessary and it builds up strength and stamina as well as harmonising your tendons, muscles, etc... I have seen broken knees recovering fantastically well (with a lot of work, don't be fooled!!). Only teachers qualified in remedial work can do this, but it is an alternative to surgery, which generally needs re-doing after a while, much less expensive and great for overall well-being. You have to think of when you get older, as everything hardens! It might be worth exploring your case and see what can be done.If you want more info, pm me. You are still very young, so you would recover pretty well.

Margaret52129

londoner1998 wrote: »

hello! I have just read your post. I don't have problems with my feet as such (although a bit with a knee due to hard quadriceps), but I have been practising yoga for years now and have seen all sorts of feet, many with your problem and tons with bunion joints (thanks to high heels, many of them). Two things- before you go for surgery, think long and hard- it is your feet, so you will be unable to move properly for a long time. Second- anything that affects your feet will affect the rest of your spine, up to your neck and including your hips, so you need to do something, and even with surgery, you will need to work on it for life. Obviously I won't give medical advice, but I have seen people dramatically improving problems like yours (short tendons, bunion, etc...) with remedial yoga. There is a specific school of yoga that focuses on alignment and harmony that it is used to treat a lot of problems and they always work from the feet (a lot of dancers and athletes have used it). They use bespoke props if necessary and it builds up strength and stamina as well as harmonising your tendons, muscles, etc... I have seen broken knees recovering fantastically well (with a lot of work, don't be fooled!!). Only teachers qualified in remedial work can do this, but it is an alternative to surgery, which generally needs re-doing after a while, much less expensive and great for overall well-being. You have to think of when you get older, as everything hardens! It might be worth exploring your case and see what can be done.If you want more info, pm me. You are still very young, so you would recover pretty well.

I've already had my bunion done by op, so this may be irrelevant, but how on earth does yoga straighten a big toe which has overgrown bone on it, or a claw toe being unclawed? I have no doubt it will take a lot of hard work, and a long time too I guess, but personally, the pain I had on walking with my claw toe was removed quickly and walking and shoe wearing is now comfortable again.

The lady in the next bed to me in hospital had both feet rid of claw toes at the same time and when we had our spikes removed (6 weeks?) she was walking without crutches and said it was worth it.

But freakyogre will have to decide for herself on what is best for her. She may have the time to do your yoga (where do you find the groups that do this sort of yoga?) but then again, it may be quicker to get them done in an operation, and then have yoga to help afterwards.

PS Mine were definitely NOT caused by wearing high heels or narrow toed shoes. I've never been able to wear these as my feet are quite broad and I'm not a 'dainty' person.