DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 59-year-old female. I have developed two hammertoes on my left foot and one on my right foot during the past three months. I went to a podiatrist, who advised me to use a cold pack for 20 minutes three times a day and to wear only athletic shoes. He also advised me not to go barefoot. I paid $23 for a pair of shoe inserts made of compressed foam, which he made during my visit. I am still experiencing the same level of discomfort. The stabbing pains are in the affected toes and the balls of my feet. The pain even awakens me during sleep. Can this condition be surgically corrected? Do you have any suggestions for a less invasive treatment?

DEAR READER: Hammertoe is a condition in which the affected toe or toes become bent at the middle joint. The middle joint bends upward, while the tip curls downward into a characteristic hammer or clawlike shape.
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