Foot surgery has changed considerably over the past decade. Where traditional procedures once required large incisions and lengthy non-weight-bearing recovery periods, many common foot conditions can now be corrected through minimally invasive techniques that use incisions as small as a few millimeters.
A hammertoe often starts as a minor cosmetic concern before gradually becoming painful enough to affect daily walking and shoe choices. Because the deformity develops slowly, many patients in Claremont and across the Inland Empire do not seek treatment until the toe has become rigid or a painful corn has developed over the joint.
Footwear is one of the most overlooked factors in foot and ankle pain, and it is also one of the easiest to change. Patients throughout Claremont and the Inland Empire frequently improve significantly just by switching out unsupportive daily shoes, even before starting any other treatment.
This summer's World Cup has put a spotlight on one of the most feared injuries in sports. Several national team players were ruled out of the tournament entirely after rupturing their Achilles tendon during the club season, a reminder of how serious this injury can be even for elite, well-conditioned athletes.
The weeks surrounding the Fourth of July bring backyard gatherings, community fireworks shows, and unfortunately a sharp rise in hand and finger injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that hands and fingers are the single most frequently injured body part in fireworks incidents, accounting for more than a third of all fireworks-related emergency room visits.
