Hammer Toe

Overview

A foot condition in which the toe has an abnormal bend in the middle joint.

A hammer toe is usually caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes. It often affects the toe next to the big toe.

The affected toe may be painful or hard to move and may develop corns or calluses.

Treatment can include wearing roomier shoes and using shoe inserts or pads. Surgery might be required.

What is a hammer toe?

A hammer toe is a deformity that causes your toe to bend or curl downward instead of pointing forward. This deformity can affect any toe on your foot. It most often affects the second or third toe. Although a hammer toe may be present at birth, it usually develops over time due to arthritis or wearing ill-fitting shoes, such as tight, pointed heels. In most cases, a hammer toe condition is treatable.

Signs and symptoms

A hammer toe causes you discomfort when you walk. It can also cause you pain when you try to stretch or move the affected toe or those around it. Hammer toe symptoms may be mild or severe.

Mild symptoms

1.a toe that bends downward

2.corns or calluses

3.difficulty walking

4.inability to flex your foot or wiggle your toes

5.claw-like toes

Severe symptoms

See your orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist right away if you develop any of these symptoms.

Treatment  for a mild hammer toe

You can correct a hammer toe caused by inappropriate footwear by wearing properly fitting shoes. If a high arch caused the condition, wearing toe pads or insoles in your shoes can help. These pads work by shifting your toe’s position, which relieves pain and corrects the appearance of your toe.

Treatment for a severe hammer toe

If you’re unable to flex your toe, surgery is the only option to restore movement. Surgery can reposition the toe, remove deformed or injured bone, and realign your tendons and joints. Surgery is normally done on an outpatient basis, so you can return home on the day of your surgery.

How can I avoid getting a hammer toe?

The best hammer toe prevention tip is to wear properly fitting shoes. If your shoes feel too snug, go to your local shoe store and have the length and width of your feet measured.

If you wear high heels, the heel height should be 2 inches or less. Wearing shoes with high heels increases the pressure on your toes and causes them to bend. It can also cause the formation of corns and a high arch.

What can I expect after treatment?

After treating the cause of your hammer toe, it usually goes away without complications. However, waiting too long to seek treatment can cause your surrounding toes to become deformed as the hammer toe forces them out of position. It’s best to get treatment as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed.

Risks and complications

Hammer toe is a progressive condition, which means it worsens over time. This may result in:

1.pain

2.walking imbalance

3.skin changes, such as corns, calluses, and blisters

4.open sores

5.reduced quality of life

There are also some potential complications of having surgery for hammer toe, such as pain, stiffness, infection, and numbness. It is also possible for the hammer toe to come back.

Prevention

Since wearing restrictive shoes is a common cause of hammer toe, wearing certain kinds of shoes can reduce the risk of developing the condition. People should look for flat or low-heeled shoes with enough room in the toes and avoid shoes that:

1.have high heels

2.have pointed or narrow toes

3.are too tight

Other causes of hammer toe are not within a person’s control, so focusing on wearing well-fitting shoes is the best way to help prevent it.

People with other foot conditions, such as bunions, flat feet, or neuropathy, may also want to seek treatment for these conditions to help reduce their risk of further problems.

When to contact a doctor

A person with early signs of hammer toe should speak with their doctor. They can assess the toes and begin conservative treatment right away to help prevent the toe from getting more bent.

People who have a more advanced hammer toe should also speak with their doctor. Even if the toe has been in a bent position for a long time, there are treatment options that can help.

Contact a doctor as soon as possible if an open sore develops on the foot that does not heal.

What Causes Hammer Toes?

Hammer toes typically develop over time due to an increasing imbalance in the toe’s tendons, ligaments, and muscles. These imbalances eventually cause the toe to contract and bend at one or both of the toe’s two joints.

There are several factors that can play a role in causing hammer toe, but like many toe deformities, poor fitting footwear is one of the top causes. Some of the footwear characteristics that increase your risk of developing hammer toe are:

1.Tightly fitting

2.Narrow or pointed toe boxes that cause your toes to squeeze together

3.High heels

Some other factors that may increase your chances of hammer toe are:

1.Heredity

2.Injury

3.Diabetes

4.Arthritis

5.Age – you can develop hammer toe at any age, but your risk increases as you grow older

Exercises For Hammertoes

1.Toe Crunch. Crunch is an exercise for abs, but this type of crunch is for the toes. ...

2.Taps. Tapping exercises can take the same position as for toe crunches. ...

3.Manual Stretch. Using a towel, the person can stretch their toes to lengthen the contracted muscles. ...

4.Toll Rolls. ...

5.Squeeze. ...

6.Floor Grip.

Do hammer toes ever go away?

Hammertoes are progressive—they do not go away by themselves and usually they will get worse over time. However, not all cases are alike—some hammertoes progress more rapidly than others. Once your foot and ankle surgeon has evaluated your hammertoes, a treatment plan can be developed that is suited to your needs.

How do you keep hammer toes from getting worse?

If your hammer toe is not severe, there are things you can do help your symptoms.

1.Wear the right size shoe. ...

2.Avoid high heels as much as you can.

3.Wear shoes with soft insoles or purchase soft insoles you can insert into your shoes. ...

4.Protect the joint that is sticking up by using corn pads or felt pads.