Toe correction surgery/procedures

I was wondering if anyone in the States actually does this, and specifically if it can be applied directly to an SSA account?
This issue has been a constant thorn in my side—it’s basically a defect. On top of that, I'm dealing with some tendon issues, which makes it impossible to stay active physically. 😢

hiddentinker19 said:Does anyone in the States actually do this, and can I file the claim through the Social Security Administration?
This issue has been a constant thorn in my side—it’s a physical defect. On top of that, my tendons are shot, so I can't stay active like I used to. 😢

What kind of defect are we talking about here?
If it's something that genuinely impairs your mobility or balance—something that fundamentally tanks your quality of life—then yes, those types of procedures are typically covered by Medicare or Social Security. But if it's purely cosmetic? Then you're on your own.

Angela Wright said:What kind of defect are we actually talking about here?
If it’s something that genuinely messes with your mobility or balance—something that ruins your quality of life—then yeah, that’s usually covered under Social Security Disability. But if it’s purely cosmetic? Not a chance.

I can walk fine for now, but it's getting harder every day.
I can't even hop, and my running is painfully slow because I have to lift my feet higher just to move. When I try to hike uphill, I feel this intense tightening. It doesn't exactly hurt like crazy, but it’s incredibly uncomfortable. Sometimes my balance slips, too, so I’m constantly on edge just trying to walk normally. Then there's the issue with my toes—they look terrible, and I catch people staring at them all the time. It makes me miserable. I’d love to wear sandals, but honestly, I’m too embarrassed 😢
I haven't heard of anyone getting that covered before. An acquaintance of mine actually got free skin removal after losing weight through some program, so I was foolish enough to wonder if someone might fix my toes for free, too.

hiddentinker19 said:I can walk fine, but it’s getting harder by the day.
I can't even pinch anything properly, and my running has slowed to a crawl because I have to lift my feet higher just to move. When I'm hiking uphill, I feel this intense tightness—it’s not agonizing, but it sure isn't comfortable. My balance is off sometimes too, so I’m constantly on edge just trying to walk straight. It’s a tendon issue, but on top of that, my toes look terrible. I notice people staring at them all the time. It makes me miserable, and honestly, I’d love to wear sandals, but I'm just too embarrassed.😢
I haven't heard of anyone doing that. An acquaintance of mine went to a clinic for free skin removal after she lost weight, so I was wondering if there might be some way to get toe corrections done for free too.

Your best bet is to book an appointment with an orthopedic specialist; they'll give you the full rundown.

In extreme cases, excess skin can seriously tank your quality of life.
For instance, I have a shortened fourth metatarsal bone, which makes that toe look smaller than my pinky toe. Since it’s purely a cosmetic issue and doesn't actually hinder my daily life, I'd have to pay out of pocket for a surgery that is incredibly complex.

Angela Wright said:Just try scheduling an appointment with an orthopedic specialist. They'll walk you through everything there.

In extreme cases, bunions can actually ruin your quality of life.
Personally, I have a shortened fourth metatarsal, which makes that toe look smaller than my pinky toe. Since it’s mostly an aesthetic issue and doesn't impact my daily movement, I'd have to pay out of pocket for a surgery that sounds incredibly complicated.

I've already seen an orthopedist. He suggested physical therapy, but honestly? I don't think that's going to cut it. This has been my reality my entire life, and I've been doing exercises for a while now with zero results. In fact, all this exercising has started causing pain in my 🙂
The physiatrist did bring up surgery, but there's a risk that things could get worse down the road—apparently, in some people, the tendons end up even more tight after the procedure.
That’s a massive concern for me because I live for sports, and right now, I just can't keep up with everyone else. I trip constantly, and frankly, it's embarrassing to work out in a group setting. 😢
I definitely plan on going through with the surgery eventually, and I'll deal with whatever comes next. I'm just worried it won't actually fix the alignment of my toes, which is frustrating because, let's be real, they look terrible.