Anyone with experience of clawed toes?

freakyogre

Thanks for the replies again.

I'm not sure yoga exercise will help to be honest as they are quite bad and it's never really been suggested by anyone.

I had my appointment on Thursday with the specialist. He asked me to stand flat (which I couldn't fully) then asked me to walk, stand etc.
He asked if it was just my toes and I told him it was my little fingers as well, but they really don't bother me (they're bent at an almost 90 degree angle...handy for checking corners )

Anyway, he poked and prodded my feet and asked if there was any pain. I said no, only really when I was wearing shoes. I said that when I wear flat shoes for more than about an hour, the next day the backs of my legs hurt and it's even harder to put my feet flat. He showed me the x-rays and my arches are really high which seems to be making the toes go like they are. He then tried to sort of straighten the toes, but the toe next to my big toe on both feet are the worst (think he said they're 'locked') so they weren't going anywhere.
He asked me to stand on my toes which was easy as that's what i'm used to, then stand on my heels which I struggled with because when I had the surgery before, they did say there could be some nerve damage and part of my heel can go quite numb now.

He didn't want to go straight for surgery as there was no pain (there is when I put a shoe on!) and he suggested the inserts/mould for my shoes again which I did say I tried before which no luck, but he said these will be fitted to my feet/shoes.

He was just recording it all on a dictaphone (I assume for the records) and when he'd finished I thought I better mention that my toes go numb quite a lot, I said just driving over there (about 40 minutes) my toes were numb when I arrived. He aid that i'd had the nerve tests before and I said yes, but wasn't sure what the outcome was. He has now asked me to phone them again on Monday to arrange for an ultrasound on my feet and once they have the results from that I need to go and see him again.

He did mention that if surgery does happen, they'd probably need to do one toe at a time as it's quite a big job.

GotToChange

Ah poor you. It all sounds no fun at all. It must be quite a hefty process then if each toe must be done individually (XH had all five done as I think I may have said). I always think that high arches look elegant up to a point (I have them) but definitely NOT of they cause a functional problem.

Will the surgery fix the problem once and for all or is it likely to recurr? (I don't see XH any more so don't know if his has; he also has some problem with straightening (some of) his fingers so guess it may have been the same as you have.)

I do wish you well with this; please keep updating.
x

freakyogre

Bit of a delay in updating, but here's the latest!

I had 3 seperate appointments booked starting in September, but decided to cancel them as I started a new job the week the first one was arranged for and didn't think it was a good idea to ask for time off straight away. I rebooked them all (and then stupidly missed one, so that's put them a bit out of order).

Anyway, I have since had an ultrasound on both feet which didn't seem to show anything unusual. I did mention to him that one of my toes has been numb for over 2 months now, but he said that wasn't in my notes (it happened after I saw the specialist, but thought it was worth mentioning seen as I can stick my nail in quite hard and not feel a thing)

I had another appointment last week where they measured my feet and arranged for insole/wedge things to be made to go in my shoes. He said that I wouldn't want their shoes though :P He doesn't think the insoles will work as my toes seem to be too far gone now, but he said to try them. He said to try and wear flat shoes more, which I would do, but everything I wear rubs my toes badly as they don't have enough space in the toe area (any ideas?!) He showed me 2 exercises to do, but said to be very careful doing them and if I have any pain to stop immediately as I could tear my tendon (eeek!)

I have another appointment next week to see the specialist, so hopefully he will decide there what they're going to do. I haven't received the insoles yet, so I have a feeling he will say to try those first, but I can't see them helping (and am a bit concerned they'll just make my toes rub more as my foot will be slightly raised). I wore some shoes for half an hour this week and my toes are red raw

freakyogre

Well, went to see the specialist/consultant today and honestly felt it was a waste of time. I went straight from work so was wearing boots (not that high, probably a 2" heel) and wish i'd now changed into the trainers I took with me!

He seemed to be more interested in my tendons/arched feet than my toes which is the main reason I went to them in the first place. He said I need to wear wider shoes (not neccessarily flat ones though) and I tried to explain that EVERY shoe will rub my toes, even flip flops and it was very hard to find a shoe that was wide enough and had enough space in the toe area.

He said that he didn't want to consider surgery yet as I was still young and wants to see how the insoles go. I said that my toes were getting worse and at the back of my mind was thinking 'surely as I get older, they're only going to get even worse?' =/ I have another appointment in 6 weeks, but as of yet the insoles haven't arrived so no doubt that will be extended.

I can't see how the insoles are going to help my toes. Yes, they will probably help my arched feet, but not the toes. He said today that one is totally 'locked' and it's the same on both feet.

I mentioned that my toes on both feet go numb all the time and one toe has been numb for a while and he said he couldn't do anything about it. I understood his explanation to be that it is the end result of it all, so until something is done, that won't change.

Blah. It really would be easier to take a hammer to them!

vixarooni

Im 23 and when i was a baby my mum had to massage my feet because i would walk "clawed" and the doctor told her to massage them out. I got to about 11 and i could only walk a few metres without being in awful pain (mainly in my right foot) I was told so many conflicting opinions, i had this rubber insole because they said i had fallen arches, one dr said my tendons are too small for my foot and are being stretched whenever i walked and that i would need an operation. Basically i got to about 17/18 and the pain lessened and lessened to what i get now (have to walk a long distance now for the pain to return) During that time i had a cycst develop on my left foot and i had that operated on when i was 16. Im 23 now and i get pain in the foot i had operated on and i have gone back to my doctor because im fed up of all this bull the doctors feed you sometimes. My toes get numb sometimes, and tingle. I think im doomed with feet, i dream to wear heeled boots (i cant get them on since the operation on my left foot) its stupid.

My advice is to get it sorted, if were like this at 23/24 what will we be like in 20...30 years time? The trouble is they wanna offer the cheaper solutions first, which is a false economy if its not going to work in the first place!

McKneff

What an interesting thread, i have multiple joint arthritis and just in my right foot i have dropped metatarsles so have rather large bumps under my foot which gets big callouses which i have to shave every month - not pleasant but it better than felling as if i am trying to walk on pebbles.
(Those bumps on either side of pedestrian crossings are a killer)
One of my toes, next to big toe is
clawed and also bends over my big toe. I have learnt to live with it, i thought i just had to. I have to try and straighten my toe and whach it in my shoe quickly before it pops back over my big toe lol. getting shoes is a nightmare,
soft tops, soft bottoms but my lump still shows through the top of my shoe.
Might have a word with my doc next time i go.

brook2jack

Dr martens do a range of ladies shoes not beautiful looking but have very wide toe box. Inserts fit well and they are very wide so toes are not squashed. Www.cloggs.co.uk normally stock them. I'm currently in the middle of multiple surgeries on my ankles and Achilles tendons and these are one of the few shoes I can wear. Without inserts try clarks school shoes if feet below size 6 as they often have a wide toe box and choice of widths.

[Deleted User]

I had this op done in 1992 (age 26) - they took out the last joint in my toe, put a pin in which allows new bone to form in the gap where the joint was (so your toe remains the same size) and then remove the pin after 6 [I think] weeks... the painful bit was when the doctor grabbed my foot to pull out the pin with the pliers - not realising that my foot was bruised and swollen. :eek: No warning to me either that skin grows around the pin in the 4 weeks so that adds to the interest when the pins are removed... a paracetmol an hour beforehand would have been useful. I had two weeks where I couldn't move... just when the labour and conservative party conferences were on the TV :rotfl: It wasn't a great time to have off work - I lost my job too as the company I worked for went bust... clearly couldn't run without me :rolleyes:

ANYWAY... back to the point. My father has a similar problem, but he didn't have surgery, he has the insoles and he's had no problems with them, whereas my toes can still irritate. I'd truly recommend the insoles route - it's been a miracle for my dad. PS: My dad has the finger thing too.

Please do let us know how you get on.

freakyogre

Thanks for your replies

McKneff wrote: »

(Those bumps on either side of pedestrian crossings are a killer)
One of my toes, next to big toe is
clawed and also bends over my big toe. I have learnt to live with it, i thought i just had to. I have to try and straighten my toe and whach it in my shoe quickly before it pops back over my big toe lol. getting shoes is a nightmare,
soft tops, soft bottoms but my lump still shows through the top of my shoe.
Might have a word with my doc next time i go.

I avoid those bumps when i'm out, people must think i'm weird as I walk around them, but they really hurt the balls of my feet!

Ouch, that sounds painful and a pain. I bought some shoes after i'd been to the hospital this week, nice and flat, rounded toe, soft leather. Wore them for half an hour tonight to walk to the library and back and they've cut my heel already...my toes were ok though! I will persevere with them.

Speak to them about it, I put mine off for too long and wish I hadn't as it just seems to be taking forever.

brook2jack wrote: »

Dr martens do a range of ladies shoes not beautiful looking but have very wide toe box. Inserts fit well and they are very wide so toes are not squashed. Www.cloggs.co.uk normally stock them. I'm currently in the middle of multiple surgeries on my ankles and Achilles tendons and these are one of the few shoes I can wear. Without inserts try clarks school shoes if feet below size 6 as they often have a wide toe box and choice of widths.

Clarks is a good dea, hadn't thought of them and if I remember correctly they do half sizes which would be handy. I'm not sure i'd wear Dr martens to be honest, they always seem big, heavy and clumpy to me and I don't think the weight would help (and to be completely honest, I really don't like them!)

Deleted_User wrote: »

I had this op done in 1992 (age 26) - they took out the last joint in my toe, put a pin in which allows new bone to form in the gap where the joint was (so your toe remains the same size) and then remove the pin after 6 [I think] weeks... the painful bit was when the doctor grabbed my foot to pull out the pin with the pliers - not realising that my foot was bruised and swollen. :eek: No warning to me either that skin grows around the pin in the 4 weeks so that adds to the interest when the pins are removed... a paracetmol an hour beforehand would have been useful. I had two weeks where I couldn't move... just when the labour and conservative party conferences were on the TV :rotfl: It wasn't a great time to have off work - I lost my job too as the company I worked for went bust... clearly couldn't run without me :rolleyes:

ANYWAY... back to the point. My father has a similar problem, but he didn't have surgery, he has the insoles and he's had no problems with them, whereas my toes can still irritate. I'd truly recommend the insoles route - it's been a miracle for my dad. PS: My dad has the finger thing too.

Please do let us know how you get on.

You're making it sound so appealing :eek: I will give the insoles a go (when they arrive, I plan to phone on Monday as it will have been 3 weeks since I was there)

Did the insoles help his toes then? I can understand how they'd help my feet, but am still a bit confused how they would help my toes as 2 (the ones next to my big toes) are locked in the position now, so I can't see how anything other than surgery would help.

How do yours irritate you now? Did the operation actually work in straightening them? Sorry for so many questions!

I mentioned my fingers to the man who measured me for the insoles and he said there is a name for it, but for the life of me I can't remember what he said. Lucky us eh having all these weird things?!

freakyogre

vixarooni wrote: »

Im 23 and when i was a baby my mum had to massage my feet because i would walk "clawed" and the doctor told her to massage them out. I got to about 11 and i could only walk a few metres without being in awful pain (mainly in my right foot) I was told so many conflicting opinions, i had this rubber insole because they said i had fallen arches, one dr said my tendons are too small for my foot and are being stretched whenever i walked and that i would need an operation. Basically i got to about 17/18 and the pain lessened and lessened to what i get now (have to walk a long distance now for the pain to return) During that time i had a cycst develop on my left foot and i had that operated on when i was 16. Im 23 now and i get pain in the foot i had operated on and i have gone back to my doctor because im fed up of all this bull the doctors feed you sometimes. My toes get numb sometimes, and tingle. I think im doomed with feet, i dream to wear heeled boots (i cant get them on since the operation on my left foot) its stupid.

My advice is to get it sorted, if were like this at 23/24 what will we be like in 20...30 years time? The trouble is they wanna offer the cheaper solutions first, which is a false economy if its not going to work in the first place!

Thanks for your reply, it didn't quote with the others for some reason.

Sounds very similar, it's not nice is it? The doctor encouraged me to walk more in flat shoes, which I am trying to do (and usually do at the weekend) but when I walk in flat shoes for more than an hour, the following morning my tendons are SO tight in the back of my legs I can't put my feet flat without thinking they're going to tear.
I wore some flip flops when we went on holiday last year and didn't realise how much walking we'd do one day. It got to about lunchtime and I was close to tears (sorry sis, I know I whined a lot! :P) as it felt like something/someone was crushing the top of my foot. Not sure what that was, but it wasn't pleasant.

That's my worry to be honest, I don't understand his explanation that they don't want to operate because of my age, surely it makes sense to do it now rather than when I can't walk?!

I will do as he says and try the insoles and hope they work, but i'm really not convinced.