Hammertoe

Prevention

Reduce your risk.

The most efficient way to prevent the development of hammertoe is by wearing properly fitted shoes. Avoid shoes that feel too snug on your feet or increase the pressure being applied to your toes. If you frequently wear high-heels, the heel height should be two inches or less, to ensure that a manageable amount of tow pressure is retained, especially when heels leave your toes bent for an extended period of time.

Other common causes of hammertoe include:

• Heredity factors
• Injury to the toes or foot
• Muscle and tendon imbalance

Symptoms

Pinpoint your pain.

Symptoms of hammertoe range in severity, but include:

• Toes that are fixed in a downward bending position
• Corns or calluses forming on the top of the toe joint
• Difficulty walking
• Inability to flex, wiggle, or move the affected toe joints
• Pain or irritation on the top of a bent toe when putting on a shoe
• Red coloring and swelling of the toe joint
• Pain on the ball of the foot, under the bent toe

Diagnosis

Get the answers you need.

The physical characteristics of hammertoe make diagnosis readily apparent, but our physicians will perform a physical examination to further certify that the toe deformity is, in fact, hammertoe. During the exam, our physicians will manipulate the patient’s foot in ways to reproduce the symptoms that are being experienced and study the contractures of the affected toes. X-rays can help to determine whether other deformities are present and to further clarify the severity of the condition.

Treatment

Life’s too short to put up with pain.

In the early stages, flexible hammertoes may be treated with nonsurgical methods. Our foot and ankle experts may prescribe:

• Orthotic devices to correct muscle imbalances
• Padding to prevent corns and calluses
• Proper fitting shoes
• Splinting

If conservative measures fail or the toe has become tight and painful, our surgeons may suggest minimally invasive surgery to reposition the tendons and straighten the toe. The procedure reduces trauma to surrounding tissues, minimizes scarring and offers a faster recovery time. In some cases, traditional surgical correction may be required.