How to Treat Hammertoes
Before you learn how to treat hammertoes, it’s important to understand about this medical condition. A Hammertoe is a disfigurement caused in the second, third, or fourth toes. Hammertoe can affect multiple toes at once, or you can just have one toe that is deformed.
The disfigurement caused by hammertoe is not only a cosmetic worry, but it can cause excruciating pain, too. Therefore, it’s necessary to get treatment early on. The only way how to treat hammertoes in advanced stages is surgery.
What Causes Hammertoes
Hammertoes usually affect women. Our feet support us while walking upright. However, beauty and other perceived images of women in high heeled shoes and ones that fit so tightly they can hardly walk, have caused women to choose style over the health and safety of their feet. Our toes were not meant to be bunched together in a curled position.
Arthritis, toe injuries, and stroke can also cause hammertoes.
Symptoms of Hammertoes
The tell-tale signs of hammertoes are deformed looking toes that resemble a hammer shape. It usually affects the longest toe. In addition, it can also cause corns due to excessive rubbing against shoes. Pain and difficulty to move around the toe is also a symptom of hammertoes.
How to Prevent Hammertoes
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to how to prevent hammertoes. Try to keep affected toes stretched as much as possible each day. Simples toe stretching exercises should accomplish that. Also, make sure that you have comfortable fitting shoes to stop hammertoe before it starts.
How to Treat Hammertoes
Contrary to popular belief, most inserts will not treat hammertoes. You need special mold inserts to stop more damage. However, you could try taping or splints. In addition, to stop excessive skin pressure you could apply pads to the affected area.
You can apply ice every three or four hours to reduce swelling. Anti-inflammatory medications will also provide temporary relief, too.
The only way how to treat hammertoes when your toes are really deformed is through corrective surgery. This can be done by repairing a tendon, or it can be as complex as reshaping the bone. The main objective for such surgeries is to straighten the toe and to alleviate the constant pain. So, the only way how to treat hammertoe deformities is through some type of surgery.
If you want to know more about how to treat hammertoes, or possibly need corrective surgery from a podiatrist in the Chandler, AZ. area, contact the office of Dr. Robert Kuvent at Advanced Foot Care: 480.917.2300
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