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Our feet contain 25% of the bones in our body. These weight-bearing workhorses are often neglected, with inadequate footwear and improper gait for years taking their toll. We don’t realize how badly we treat our feet until something begins to hurt. Hammer toe is a painful condition in the toe joint that can make any movement painful. Here’s what you need to know.
Hammer toe is a physical deformity that affects the middle joint of the toe. Muscles and ligaments of each toe working together control all movement in your foot. When these toes are forced into an unnatural alignment, the resulting pressure on the toe tendons and joints can result in a bent, stiff, and deformed toe.
When this occurs, the affected toe is forced into a bent, fixed position. The hammer toe is unable to straighten and may actually cross over another toe. Whether the toe is bent in place or crosses over another, this unnatural bend can cause rubbing and irritation on the top of the toe joint, leading to blisters and corns.
These blisters and corns can be especially serious for patients with diabetes or poor circulation. Complications from foot problems due to hammer toe can include infection and tissue death, both of which warrant prompt consultation with a doctor.
Hammer toe can be classified into two categories:
Ill-fitting shoes and high heels that force the foot into an unnatural position are the main causes of this condition. In many cases, high heels with a cramped, pointy toe box put a lot of pressure on the foot and can lead to the deformity.
Other causes include the following.
The symptoms are easy to ignore – until it’s too late. Look for the following signs.
Ignoring these symptoms can cause the condition to worsen. The toe may eventually cross over the neighboring toe, and the joint will become fixed. Getting prompt treatment is always important.
A physical exam of your foot is the first step, followed by an X-ray to look at the bones of the feet. Doppler ultrasound may evaluate blood flow to your foot if circulation is a concern.
Your doctor will also look at your complete medical history, including:
In the early stages, there are many non-invasive treatments to ease irritation and prevent the condition from worsening.
These include the following hammer toe treatments:
In conjunction with the above non-invasive hammer toe treatments, toe exercises and stretching routines make the toe more flexible and strengthen the muscles. This can result in better alignment.
Toe exercises are performed by carefully pulling the toes, one at a time, to stretch the bent joints. Then, maintain the stretch for a few seconds. You can also use the toes to pick up objects, such as marbles. Placing a towel flat under the feet and employing the toes to scrunch it also increases strength and benefits muscle alignment.
Perform toe exercises several times in the morning and then again in the evening.
If your hammer toe is severe and unresponsive to noninvasive treatments, surgery may be an effective treatment option.
Surgical treatments generally include the following three options.
It’s important to note that hammer toe may reoccur after surgery. In some cases, even surgery is not enough to return the toe to a normal position. The most successful treatment options include a combination of preventative techniques for healthy feet.
If you have any questions or are simply looking for more information please contact us and our friendly team will be happy to answer your questions and help in any way we can.
