CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS

Patient Education

Our doctor and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library covering an array of educational topics. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you. Or, for a more comprehensive search of our entire Web site, enter your term(s) in the search bar provided.

As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.

Forms
Patient Instructions
AmeriGel Post Op Kit
Epsom Salt Soaks
Hyperhydrosis (sweaty feet)
Musculoskeletal Pain (heel pain)
Onychomycosis (fungal nails)
Verruca (warts)

Patient Education
Achilles Tendon Disorders
Acute Inflammation
Ankle Fractures
Ankle Sprain
Bunions
Charcot Foot
Chronic Ankle Instability
Crossover Toe
Crutches Instructions
Diabetic Complications
Diabetic Foot Care
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
Flatfoot
Ganglion Cyst
Gout
Haglund's Deformity
Hallux Rigidus
Hammertoe
Heel Pain
Ingrown Toenail
Morton's Neuroma
Osteoarthritis
Pediatric Flatfoot
Pediatric Heel Pain
Personeal Tendon Injuries
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
Puncture Wounds
Tailor's Bunion
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Toe and Metatarsal Fractures

Links
Foot and Ankle Health Associations
The American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management
The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics
American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
American Podiatric Medical Association
Illinois Podiatric Medical Association
Pedorthic Footwear Association

Preferred Vendors
Amerx Health Care Corporation
Bako Pathology Services
Biofreeze
Burns International, Inc.
Dr Jill's Footpads
Dr.'s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish
Powerstep Insoles

Shoes
Acor
Aetrex Worldwide
Brooks
CrocsRx
Dr. Comfort
Hush Puppies
New Balance
OrthoFeet
Pedors
Safe Step

Our Community Partners
Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers
Advanced Rehab & Sports Medicine Services
Advocate BroMenn Medical Center
Champion Fitness
City of Bloomington
Fox and Hounds Day Spa
Girl Friday Spa and Boutique
Healthy Cells Magazine
Ireland Grove Center for Surgury
McLean County Chamber of Commerce
O.S.F. St. Joseph Medical Center
Town of Normal

Our Partners in Foot Health
Advanced Foot Care Centers, Ira Kraus, DPM, Chattanooga, TN
Affiliates in Podiatry, William McCann, DPM, Concord, NH
Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center, Hal Ornstein, DPM, Howell, NJ
Central Kansas Podiatry Associates, Ben Weaver, DPM, Wichita, KS
Christie Clinic, Kim Eickmeier, DPM, Champaign, IL
Complete Foot & Ankle, Elizabeth Kurtz, DPM, Chicago, IL
Death By Pedicure, Robert Spalding, DPM, Signal Mountain, TN
Family Foot & Ankle Specialists, Peter Wishnie, DPM, Piscataway, NJ
Family Podiatry Center, Marlene Reid, DPM & Larry Kosova, DPM, Westmont, IL
Foot & Ankle Associates of North Texas, Marybeth Crane, DPM, Grapvine TX
Foot & Ankle Specialists, Bruce Werber, DPM, Mesa, AZ
The Foot Doctor of San Diego, Ronald Worley, DPM, San Diego, CA
Foundation Foot & Ankle Centers, Julie Lester, DPM, Houston TX



Hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third, or fourth toes. In this condition, the toe is bent at the middle joint, causing it to resemble a hammer. Left untreated, hammertoes can become inflexible and painful, requiring surgery.

Hammertoe surgery can be done on an outpatient basis in the doctor's office or a surgery center using a local anesthetic, sometimes combined with sedation. The surgery takes about 15 minutes to perform. Up to four small incisions are made and the tendons are rebalanced around the toe so that it no longer curls. Patients usually can walk immediately after the surgery wearing a special surgical shoe. Minimal or no pain medication is needed following the surgery.

Icing and elevation of the foot is recommended during the first week following the procedure to prevent excessive swelling and promote healing. It is also important that the dressing be kept clean and dry to prevent infection. Two weeks after the surgery, the sutures are removed and a wide athletic shoe can replace the post-operative surgical shoe. Patients can then gradually increase their walking and other physical activities.