Hammer toes are a common disorder in the population and it primarily affects people over the age of 20. Hammer toes can result due to improper gait biomechanics or systemic disorders (ex. Diabetes, Charcot-Marie-Tooth-Disorder). The term “Hammer toe” is an umbrella term that encompasses claw, and mallet toes, as seen in the image below. Tenotomy is a surgical procedure which involves cutting the tendon through a small incision in the toe to straighten the toe. This is especially important for certain individuals in which wounds can occur due to pressure areas. The procedure involves numbing the affected toe with a local anesthetic and then using sterile instruments to cut the offending tendon, after which the toe will be “buddy” taped to the neighbouring toe to allow it to heal in a straight position. The procedure will last no more than 20 minutes and you will be given verbal and written post-op instructions to follow. The Family Care Foot Clinic staff and team will try to make any procedure as comfortable as possible.
Image taken from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1235341-overview