Turf Toe Surgery &Treatment Irvine Orange County Podiatrist

What is Turf Toe Surgery& how Turf Toes are treated

Turf toe or Hallux limitus is a typical condition affecting the big toe joints. The eroded cartilage of the great toe causes rigidity and limitation action of motion, and that's why it's called "limitus.". Stiffness & pain in the big toe is the most common symptoms which occur after physical or daily activity or when the patient wears high heels shoes. Family history, traumatic toe injury, prior traumatic injury, elevated metatarsal, toe surgery are the most common causes of turf toe. When treating turf toe, It is essential to determine the exact cause of arthritis. If not the cause is pinpointed correctly, then the turf toe treatment will not be successful.

Turf Toe Surgery & Preventive Care

Shoe insoles, orthotics, icing, and injections are the nonsurgical methods in treating turf toe. Still, when a patient's daily activity is disrupted and limited, the surgical option would seem appealing. Regarding surgical treatment, there are different methods. Still, in all techniques and approaches, the main goal is to remove the pressure that deformation puts on the great toe joint where the arthritis is present. In case of choosing the surgical option, it is essential to choose a podiatrist specializing in bunion surgery with proven records and results.

Turf Toe Surgical Methods

• In mild cases of a turf toe problem, Cheilectomy s a good option. In Cheilectomy, your podiatrist removes bone spurs from the sides of the big toe joint. The recovery time is fast, and the patient can very soon return to activities.
• In moderate arthritic cases, your podiatrist might use joint implants. Hemi joint implant replaces the damaged cartilage and the arthritic bone. This method decreases the pain and improves the foot's range of motion tremendously. After the surgical procedure, the patient, using a surgical shoe, will be able to walk. Using a unique surgical procedure in our foot and ankle center, we resurface the joint of the damaged cartilage inside the joint.
•  In moderate to severe turf toe cases, we use total joint implants. In this procedure, we cut the bone from both sides, and the joint is completely replaced by an implant. Patients will have a quick recovery time and will return to daily activities.
• When both long metatarsal and minimal arthritic changes are present, your podiatrist might use the bone cut or method. This method is used to create more space for the toe joint to function correctly.
• Another known surgical procedure is used to address turf toe problems is distraction diastasis of the big toe. It's performed to provide more motion to the toe. A fixator is placed and kept in your foot for several weeks. Using stem cell injections after the soft tissue has stretched out enough, the fixator will be removed. 
• The fusion of bones of the joint is called arthrodesis of the toe. When the patient had failed operations before or in severe cases of turf toe, the fusion method is used. 
• In the fusion method, arthritic cartilage and bones remove and place the bones in their functional positions. This method works great for removing the pain. The downside with this method is that patient will not be able to move the big toe anymore. This will create limitations for wearing high heels in women.
• Your podiatrist can determine the best surgical procedure for you.

Make an Appointment with our podiatrist in Irvine today.