Concierge foot & ankle surgery · UK
Private hammer toe surgery, by a consultant foot and ankle surgeon.
Hammer, claw or mallet — the operation is chosen for the deformity in front of us, with the anaesthetic that suits you and a buried implant on the table if you would rather not have a wire in your toe.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant foot and ankle surgeon, in theatre
Not a nail bar and not a training list. A named consultant, a licensed day-case theatre, and the anaesthetic that suits you.
- 02
The right operation for your toe
Flexible or fixed, hammer or claw or mallet — the technique is chosen for the deformity in front of us, not the one on the leaflet.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private hammer toe surgery costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A single toe under an ankle block in our network: £1,500–£2,800, home the same day.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-toe surgery under LA ankle block | £1,500–£2,800 | 15–30 min | Same visit |
| Single-toe surgery under sedation | £2,200–£3,400 | Half-day | Same visit |
| Single-toe surgery under GA or spinal | £2,800–£4,000 | Half-day | Same visit |
| Two toes, same foot (package) | £3,000–£5,500 | Half-day | Same visit |
| Mallet-toe flexor tenotomy (percutaneous) | £600–£1,200 | 10 min LA | Same visit |
| Consultation only | £200–£400 | 30 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by clinic, by which surgeon does the case, by the anaesthetic chosen, by whether a buried implant is used, and by any combined work such as a Weil osteotomy, plantar-plate repair or bunion correction. Multi-toe packages typically drop 20–30% on the single-toe price. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right diagnosis first, then the right operation.
Lesser-toe surgery goes wrong when the wrong toe is corrected, an unstable MTPJ or plantar-plate tear is missed, or a driving bunion is left alone. A proper standing exam and X-ray beats a leaflet every time.
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Flexible or fixed?
A hammer toe that still straightens when pushed is treated differently to one that will not. We test this on the day.
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Is the MTPJ stable?
A drawer test and standing X-ray tell us whether the plantar plate is intact — otherwise the toe will drift back.
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Is a bunion driving it?
A hallux valgus pushing the second toe up rarely settles until the bunion is corrected. Often the same operation.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the post-op shoe weeks and wire removal.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A few hours at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Which toe, how long, whether it still straightens when pushed, and what shoes you can no longer wear.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: the likely diagnosis (hammer, claw or mallet), whether a splint and shoe change is worth trying first, and if not, the right operation.
- 03
Before
We arrange the appointment
Usually within one to two weeks. Blood-thinning medication is reviewed with the team and you are told exactly how to prepare.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the clinic
Arrival, consent and a chat with the surgeon and anaesthetist. Ankle block, sedation or GA — whichever was chosen.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
15 to 30 minutes per toe under tourniquet. Tendon release, PIPJ arthroplasty or fusion — with a K-wire or a buried implant, depending on the plan.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
A short recovery, a flat heel-relief post-op shoe, written aftercare, and home within a few hours. With sedation or GA you will need someone to collect you.
- 07
After
Recovery and review
Post-op shoe for four to six weeks. K-wire, if used, comes out at four to six weeks in clinic. Normal shoes at six to eight weeks.
Typical end-to-end: 2–3 weeks from enquiry to procedure. Back in normal shoes: 6–8 weeks.
When it helps
When hammer toe surgery is the right step.
The presentations we see most, plus the one red flag that means a neurologist before a scalpel.
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Flexible hammer toe
The PIPJ bends but still straightens when pushed. Often manageable with a splint, wider shoes and a tendon-transfer if surgery is needed.
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Fixed hammer toe
The PIPJ is stuck in flexion and will not correct passively. Arthroplasty or fusion of the PIPJ is usually required.
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Claw toe
MTPJ hyperextended, PIPJ and DIPJ flexed. Often multi-level correction, and worth ruling out a neurological cause.
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Mallet toe
Isolated DIPJ flexion — the tip of the toe rubs the shoe. A quick percutaneous flexor tenotomy often fixes it.
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Painful corn on top of the toe
A dorsal corn over a bent PIPJ that keeps coming back despite paring and wider shoes.
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Second-toe deformity from a bunion
A hallux valgus pushing the second toe up and over — usually best corrected at the same operation as the bunion.
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Metatarsalgia with a plantar plate tear
Pain under the ball of the foot with a drifting or floating second toe — the plantar plate may need repair alongside a Weil osteotomy.
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Red flag: new clawing with numbness
A new claw-toe deformity with sensory change or weakness needs neurology review — think diabetes, Charcot–Marie–Tooth or a spinal cause before booking surgery.
Procedure options
One deformity, several operations. Here is which fits which.
Flexible toes get tendon work. Fixed toes get bone work. Instability gets a Weil, and a plantar-plate tear gets repaired. Often several at once, on the same foot.
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Flexor-to-extensor tendon transfer
The Girdlestone–Taylor transfer for a flexible hammer toe — the long flexor tendon is rerouted to act as a corrector rather than a deformer.
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Soft-tissue release
Extensor tenotomy and MTPJ capsulotomy, sometimes with a temporary K-wire — used for flexible deformity or as part of a bigger correction.
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PIPJ arthroplasty (Weil–Duvries)
Resection of the head of the proximal phalanx for a fixed hammer toe — the joint becomes a fibrous pseudo-joint rather than a fusion.
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PIPJ arthrodesis with a K-wire
A traditional fusion of the PIPJ held with a stainless-steel wire that exits the tip of the toe and is removed at four to six weeks.
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PIPJ arthrodesis with a buried implant
A SmartToe, StayFuse, Nextra or TenFuse intramedullary implant — no external K-wire, no dressing changes for pin care, better patient acceptance.
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Weil metatarsal osteotomy
Shortening cut of the metatarsal to offload the MTPJ when there is subluxation, plantar-plate injury or transfer metatarsalgia.
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Plantar plate repair
Direct repair of a torn plantar plate — often combined with a Weil osteotomy and a hammer-toe correction on the same toe.
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Mallet-toe flexor tenotomy
A percutaneous release of the long flexor tendon at the base of the toe — done under local anaesthetic in minutes.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of foot and ankle surgeons, we picked them.
Consultant foot and ankle surgeons across London, the Home Counties and the major UK cities. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every foot and ankle surgeon in our network.
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Consultant foot and ankle surgeons on the BOFAS register, not trainees or generalists
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Ankle-block, sedation, spinal and GA all offered — chosen for the case, not the list
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Buried implants (SmartToe, StayFuse, Nextra, TenFuse) available where a wire is not preferred
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Combined bunion, Weil osteotomy and plantar-plate work done in a single sitting where appropriate
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Hammer toe surgery is a common, safe day-case procedure. The things worth planning are elevation, the post-op shoe, and knowing that a fused toe is a stiff toe by design.
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Ankle block, sedation, spinal or GA
A ring block or ankle block alone is often enough for a single toe. Sedation, spinal or GA is added if multiple toes or a nervous patient — the anaesthetist advises.
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Post-op shoe for four to six weeks
A flat, stiff-soled heel-relief shoe protects the correction. You can weight-bear on the heel from day one.
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Elevation matters
Foot up above the hip for the first 72 hours cuts swelling and pain more than any tablet. Ice packs help too.
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K-wire care if one is used
A wire that exits the tip of the toe stays clean under a dry dressing. It is removed painlessly in clinic at four to six weeks.
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Driving
Not until you are out of the post-op shoe, off strong painkillers and can perform an emergency stop — usually six to eight weeks for a right foot.
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Recurrence is the honest risk
A flexible deformity not fully corrected, or an unrecognised MTPJ instability, is the commonest reason a toe drifts back. Getting the diagnosis right beforehand is half the operation.
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A fused toe is a stiff toe
Arthrodesis of the PIPJ is stiff by design — this is the trade-off for a reliably straight toe. Most patients accept it easily.
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Transfer metatarsalgia
Over-shortening one metatarsal can push the pain onto the next one along. A careful Weil cut and X-ray planning matters here.
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Red flags
Fever, spreading redness, uncontrolled pain, a cold blue toe or heavy bleeding after surgery are not normal — call the clinic or A&E the same day.
Rare but real risks
Non-union of a fusion (2–5% — a buried implant helps), pin-tract infection with a K-wire, transient numbness from stretching a digital nerve, a floating toe from over-lengthening an extensor tendon, rotational malalignment, transfer metatarsalgia after a Weil cut, avascular necrosis of the metatarsal head, unsatisfactory cosmesis, chronic pain, and — rarely — the need for a revision operation.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Diagnosis and toes operated on
Which toe or toes, whether the deformity was hammer, claw or mallet, and whether it was flexible or fixed at the time of surgery.
- 02 Technique
Anaesthetic and procedures performed
Whether it was an ankle block, sedation, spinal or GA, and the exact procedure — tendon transfer, arthroplasty, arthrodesis, Weil osteotomy or plantar-plate repair.
- 03 Findings
Fixation and combined work
K-wire versus buried implant, any bunion or Weil work done at the same time, and any plantar-plate tear found and repaired.
- 04 Impression
Recovery, shoe wear and review timing
Read this first: post-op shoe duration, when the K-wire comes out, when you can drive and return to normal shoes, and whether a review X-ray is planned.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for hammer toe surgery varies by insurer and by indication — usually funded when the toe is painful, ulcerating or catching in shoes, and self-pay for purely cosmetic cases. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about hammer toe surgery.
Quick answers on the difference between hammer, claw and mallet, whether you need surgery at all, cost, K-wire versus buried implant, and recovery.
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What is the difference between a hammer, claw and mallet toe?
A hammer toe is bent at the middle joint (PIPJ). A claw toe is cocked up at the joint with the foot (MTPJ) and curled at both toe joints. A mallet toe is bent only at the end joint (DIPJ). The distinction matters because the operation for each is different.
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Do I need surgery, or can I manage with a splint and different shoes?
If the toe still straightens when you push it (flexible), a hammer-toe splint or silicone sleeve, a wider deeper shoe, callus paring and an orthotic can hold the line for a long time. Once the toe is fixed and rubbing, or the corn keeps coming back, surgery is usually the next step.
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How much does private hammer-toe surgery cost in the UK?
Roughly £1,500–£2,800 for a single toe under an ankle block, £2,200–£3,400 with sedation, and £2,800–£4,000 under GA or spinal. Two toes on the same foot are usually packaged at a 20–30% discount. A mallet-toe flexor tenotomy alone is £600–£1,200.
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K-wire or a buried implant — which is better?
A K-wire is proven, cheap and works well, but a stainless wire sticks out of the toe for four to six weeks and needs a dressing. A buried implant (SmartToe, StayFuse, Nextra, TenFuse) stays inside the bone, has no external hardware, and is easier to live with. Fusion rates are broadly similar in the published data.
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How long is the recovery from hammer-toe surgery?
You are in a flat post-op shoe for four to six weeks and weight-bear on the heel from day one. Normal shoes at six to eight weeks, driving when you are out of the shoe and off strong painkillers, and full activity by three months.
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Will my toe be completely straight afterwards?
The goal is a toe that lies flat and does not rub. A fused toe is reliably straight but stiff at the middle joint — that is the trade-off. An arthroplasty preserves some movement but occasionally the toe floats or drifts a little.
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Can the deformity come back?
Yes, and this is the honest risk to plan for. Recurrence is commonest when a flexible deformity is not fully addressed, when an unstable MTPJ or torn plantar plate has been missed, or when a driving bunion has not been corrected at the same time.
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My mother had claw toes and now I do too — should I be checked for anything?
New or progressive claw toes, especially with numbness, weakness or a high-arched (cavus) foot, deserve a neurological look — diabetes, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease or a spinal cord problem can all present this way. It changes the plan, and sometimes the surgeon.
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When should I see a GP or A&E urgently?
A cold, blue or numb toe after surgery, uncontrolled pain, spreading redness or a fever are all reasons to seek same-day medical help. A new clawing deformity with new numbness or weakness — before any surgery is booked — also needs urgent review.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Foot surgery for toe problems
The wider umbrella — bunions, lesser-toe deformity and forefoot pain.
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Foot fusion surgery
Arthrodesis of the midfoot, hindfoot or ankle for arthritis and deformity.
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Orthotics
Custom insoles for cavus, pes planus and forefoot offloading.
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All tests
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more