Hammer Toes: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention

Hammer toes is a condition affecting the feet, in which one of the toes points outwards or curls instead of buckling. The condition is more likely to affect women than men, owing to the type of shoes they wear. People with diabetes or circulatory disorders should see their orthopedic doctor at the first sign of the development of hammer toes, since the disorder can take a serious shape in these patients. Hammer toes can be flexible or rigid. The former indicate that the disorder is in its initial stage and can respond to various stages, while in the latter, the toe can no longer move, and usually needs surgery. 

Causes:

Hammer toes are caused by an imbalance in the toe muscles, which in turn, can be caused by:

• Toe injury- This commonly occurs due to ill-fitting shoes that are too tight, too pointy, or high-heeled. 
• Genetic- People with flat feet usually have a tendency to develop hammer toes, even though those with high-arched feet can also get the condition. 
• Arthritis

Symptoms:

• A toe that assumes an upside-down “V” shape usually indicates a hammer toe
• Pain, at the top of the toe and the heel of the foot, especially when wearing shoes
• Corns at the top of the affected toe joint
• Redness and inflammation 
• Difficulty in moving the toe joint- at later stages it might become impossible to move the joint 

Treatment:

The treatment begins with a thorough medical examination to determine if you really have a hammer toe. This includes an X-ray to determine the extent of the condition. The treatment options that are offered include:

• Medication to relieve pain and swelling 
• Podiatrist-recommended footwear and padded inserts
• Foot exercises to restore muscle balance
• Splinting the toe- this can help at early stages of the disorder
• Surgical procedures might be needed in certain cases of hammer toe. Our orthopedic surgeons are well experienced in performing these procedures, ensuring speedy recovery and minimal side effects. 

Prevention:

Hammer toes can be prevented by taking the following simple precautions:

• Check your feet regularly and see your doctor immediately if you notice any abnormality. An early diagnosis goes a long way in ensuring quick recovery in case of foot disorders. 
• Improve circulation to your feet through a foot massage, a warm foot bath, or simply putting your feet up while sitting. 
• Most importantly, wear well-fitted shoes. If one of your feet is bigger than the other, make sure that you fit your shoes to the bigger foot. 
• Do not buy tight shoes hoping they will get loose through wearing. Ideally, there should be at least 1.5 cm between your longest toe and the front of the shoe. 

Partial Knee Replacement In Irving TX

A partial knee replacement, also known as a Unicompartmental Knee Replacement, is a minimally-invasive procedure involving the replacement of either the medial (internal) or lateral (external) part of the damaged knee. An artificial implant, known as a Prosthetic, replaces the damaged tissue and bone. The patient is administered with general or local anesthesia before the surgery is performed.

The orthopedic surgeon makes an incision that is 3-5 inches long over the knee. This is followed by a medical examination in which the doctor rules out damage to more than one part of the knee, in which case total knee replacement is required. The damaged bone and tissue is then removed, after which the prosthetic is placed into the knee, and sealed with bone cement. Stitches are used to close the wound.

It is advisable to get the procedure performed by a renowned orthopedic surgeon in Irving TX to avoid any post-surgery complications. Arthritis pain is one of the most common causes for which patients need to undergo partial knee replacement. Your orthopedic doctor might recommend the surgery if your arthritis pain is severely limiting the quality of your life, and the pain is not responding to treatment.

The major advantages offered by partial knee replacement over complete knee replacement are a smaller incision, less blood loss, and faster recovery. Patients who might not be suitable candidates for partial knee replacement include patients under the age of 55, obese patients, and undergo intense physical activity. When performed in the right patient by an experienced Irving orthopedic surgeon, partial knee replacement shows highly positive results, with most patients not requiring revision for up to two decades.

Patient selection is a key factor in determining the success of partial knee replacement surgery. Even though most patients do not need to undergo any further surgery once the procedure is performed, in some cases, the patient might develop arthritis in other regions of the knee. This might result in the need for further surgery or even a possible conversion to total knee replacement surgery. This conversion is not uncommon, and the results are usually positive.

It is important to have a detailed discussion with your doctor prior to the surgery, and make sure that you understand the risk factors involved in your case. Potential complications that you might want to look into include infection, blood clots, and problems related to anesthesia. 

Allen Sports And Spine: Tips for Young Athletes

Being an athlete means you are prone to a lot of injuries associated with the bones and especially spine. The doctors advise physical therapy in order to completely recover from sports injuries. However, there are certain tips that you can follow in order to keep yourself safe while getting involved in your sport.

• It is important for young athletes to undergo a physical exam before the commencement of the sports season. This is especially significant for kids who play any kind of sport because continuous exertion can bring up a previously undetected problem. For instance, blood pressure or heart-related difficulties can arise during practice sessions. The Orthopedic doctors in Allen TX must be given all the details about your child’s medical history. Also make sure that your child’s joints and muscles are in the best of condition.
• Secondly, you must motivate your kids to adopt the practice of cross-training. Continuous stress on one body part does not give it the time to heal itself. So, even if your child is focused on a single sport, make sure he also gets involved in an activity that makes him use different muscles. For instance, running and swimming can be incorporated in your child’s sports regimen.
• AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are life-saving devices as they are helpful in case a young student suffers cardiac arrest. These instruments administer a shock to the child and that eventually starts the normal heartbeat again. So, enquire from your child’s sports instructor whether he has these devices or not.
• Exhaustion caused by heat can be easily resolved by drinking water or sports drinks. It is important to drink at least 7 to 10 ounces of liquid before exercising. Thereafter, your child can keep on consuming liquid sip by sip during the practice sessions.
• A large number of cases of cardiac arrest occur in young athletes when they are hit hard in the chest. This leads to a disruption in the heartbeat and eventually takes away someone’s life. Therefore, you must talk to the coach and ask him to use safety baseballs because they are softer than the usual balls. You must also check out RIF (Reduced Injury Factor) baseballs at stores that stock sports goods.
• You must also make it a point to get your child’s heart screened i.e., get an EKG (electrocardiogram) done in order to test the electrical activity of the heart. However, there is not much assurance of the results of EKG since a cardiac arrest can occur even if the results are normal. But that does not mean an EKG is completely useless since results vary from individual to individual.

Minimally Invasive Joint Replacement In Irving TX

Minimally invasive joint replacement is a surgery that makes it possible to completely replace an affected joint like the hip or knee joint using one or two small incisions. Using small incisions for replacing the joints helps to decrease the trauma caused to the muscles and tendons, hence aiding speedy recovery, as well as minimal blood loss. This means a shorter hospital stay for the patients, and quicker rehabilitation.  If you are considering getting this surgery, you shall need to schedule an appointment with your orthopedic surgeon to ensure that you are eligible for the surgery. 

The surgery is widely performed in orthopedic clinics across Irving TX. MIS is best suited for patients with a healthy weight, who are young and in good health. It is also important for the patient to be motivated to work towards their recovery once the surgery is performed. Patients who have already undergone joint surgery previously, and those who are obese, excessively muscular, or aged are usually not eligible for minimally invasive joint replacement. 

Your orthopedic surgeon in Irving will carefully evaluate your individual history and tell you whether or not you are eligible for the surgery. It is also important to have a clear understanding of the risks and benefits of the surgery before getting it performed. Patients must not confuse MIS with arthroscopic procedures, which involve treating damaged cartilage, and require very small incisions. In MIS, the surgeons must make an incision of 3-4 inches for hip replacement, and 4-5 inches for knee replacement, large enough to insert the implant. This is smaller than the incision required for traditional surgery, which is around 12 inches. 

The basic procedure involved is similar to traditional knee replacement surgery, involving cutting of the bone, realigning the supporting soft tissue mechanism, and placing the implant. The procedure is almost painless, owing to the use of epidural hypotensive anesthesia and light sedation. This also helps to avoid the risks involved with general anesthesia, which is administered in case of traditional surgery. The outcomes are as good as those with the traditional approach.

As many advantages as this procedure offers, it is important to ensure that you get it performed by an experienced orthopedic surgeon, who performs the surgery regularly, and practices appropriate patient selection. You might also want to discuss the alternative method of minimally invasive joint replacement with your surgeon, which involves two incisions instead of one, and the use of x-ray guidance to place two pieces of the prosthesis.