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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Hammertoes are the most common and well-known digital deformity affecting the lesser toes. They typically will affect a single toe and will cause it to bend such that the first part of the toe is bent upwards, and the second part of the toe (the part with the toenail) is bent downwards. The typical signs and symptoms may include a corn on top of the joint where the toe bends as well as a callus underneath and behind the toe where it bears weight. Common causes of a hammertoe include tight shoes or stockings, biomechanical problems, or simply a long second toe.

A cousin to the hammertoe is the “claw toe” deformity. Whether our lesser toes are healthy or not, they typically consist of three small bones and two joints. With claw toes, not only is the first part of the toe bent upwards, but both the joints in the toe are also bent so that the second part of the toe tends to bend or curl downwards in a claw-like manner. This scenario is often associated with a cavus or high-arch foot type and neuromuscular disorders. It typically affects all the lesser toes at once, and may even affect the hallux.

In a “Mallet toe” deformity, the toe is strait except for the very end of the toe which is bent downwards. This tends to put pressure on the skin at the tip of the toe and will often lead to a callus formation there. The toenail will often become thickened and look as though it has a fungal infection. This condition is commonly associated with a long toe.

Numerous other conditions can also affect the lesser toes. “Curly toes” will typically bend downwards and underneath adjacent toes. They will often occur simultaneously on both feet. An overlapping 2nd toe will bend back and over the hallux, while both the 4th and 5th toes can be affected such that they may bend and rotate beneath the adjacent toes. Finally, a “floating toe” is commonly observed in a congenitally short toe which cannot purchase the ground.

Of course, each of these conditions has a unique set of symptoms, prognoses, and treatment options. Visit your podiatrist for an in-depth evaluation and discussion.

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