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The information on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical, legal, or financial advice. Always consult a health provider, legal counsel, or financial professional if you have questions or concerns. The use of the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship between Surgency and you.
Hammertoe surgery fixes a toe that’s bent at the middle joint (usually the second toe) because the tendons/ligaments are too tight or the joint has become rigid. The goal is to straighten the toe, relieve pain from shoe pressure/corns, and restore function.
How it works (depends on whether the toe is flexible or rigid):
Consults and surgery dates are typically scheduled in weeks—not months—which means faster return to work, sport, and caregiving duties.
Ability to choose a surgeon based on what's important to you (i.e. specific expertise, experience, qualifications, personal connection).
Private pathways typically provide a clear quote and surgery date/timeline, so you can arrange time off, caregiver help, and rehab. This certainty can ease anxiety and help families plan for recovery.
Hammertoe surgery usually takes 30-60 minutes.
The recovery process varies patient to patient. Your recovery might look quite different, so please seek further guidance from your surgeon. In general here is what you can expect:
Week 1:
Weeks 2-4:
Weeks 5-12:
Weeks 13-52:
Private clinics in Canada charge between $4,000 - $8,000 per foot.
In the United States, the average cost is CA$9,600 per foot.
Costs vary so much because of location, surgeon experience, facility type, complexity, and included services (some clinics offer all-inclusive, while others charge separately for anesthesia, followup care, etc.).
Most quotes for private hammertoe surgery cover:
What’s usually not included:
Choosing your surgeon is one of the benefits of going the private route. Here’s what to consider and the key questions to bring to your hammertoe consultation.
Hammertoe surgery makes sense for people whose toe deformity causes ongoing pain or problems despite non-surgical care.
You may be a good candidate if you're experiencing:
Who might try more nonoperative treatment first:
Ultimately, your surgeon will advise you whether surgery makes sense, given your unique circumstances.
Most private surgical clinics in Canada require a referral from a family doctor, walk-in clinic physician, or specialist. Your referring doctor will send over your medical records, imaging, biopsy results, and relevant blood work.
If you don't have a family doctor, many private clinics can help you navigate the referral process or connect you with a physician who can provide one, so you can still reach out, even if you don't have a referral.
Your surgeon will provide you with guidance on how to prepare.
If you smoke, you will be advised to stop to improve healing outcomes. Depending on your weight, you may be advised to diet and exercise to reduce surgical risks and improve healing outcomes.
Plan help: a ride home; someone to assist first 24 hours; plan time off work (desk: ~1–2 weeks; manual: 4–8+ weeks).
Home setup: elevate station (pillows/recliner), ice packs, clear paths, shower chair if useful, loose clothing and wide toe-box post-op shoe/sandal.
Footwear: arrange roomy shoes for the recovery phase; if a pin will protrude, confirm protection plan.
Surgency is free for patients, funded for by surgeons.
Surgeons—who meet our listing criteria—pay a flat fee to list on the Surgency platform. To maintain objectivity, there are no commissions, referral fees, nor any ranking or recommending one surgeon over another. Surgency is patient-first. Our goal is to make the process of finding a private surgeon as simple as possible. You choose who to contact. Learn more in our Advertising Policy.
Risks of hammertoe surgery
Risks of delaying hammertoe surgery
When waiting is reasonable: mild, flexible deformity controlled by wider shoes, pads, spacers, and orthotics; when optimizing health first (stop smoking, diabetes control). Seek earlier surgery for rigid/worsening deformity, recurrent wounds, or persistent pain despite proper footwear and padding.
If you still have questions, then feel free to contact us directly.
Triple-fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon dedicated to getting active patients back on their feet. Specializing in foot and ankle reconstruction, sports injuries, and minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Highly experienced orthopedic surgeon with over 30 years of experience. Regarded as a regional leader in foot and ankle surgery, focused on complex deformities, sports injuries, degenerative conditions.
Board-certified foot and ankle surgeon specializing in minimally invasive forefoot reconstruction and diabetic limb salvage–trained reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, with 8 years of experience.
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