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Hammertoes are a deformity of the second, third, fourth or fifth toes. In this condition, the toe is bent at the middle joint, causing it to resemble a hammer. Hammertoes can be caused by shoes that are too tight or have high heels. Treatment for hammertoes depends on the severity of the condition. Mild cases can be treated with improving footwear, orthotics, stretching and exercises. More severe cases may require surgery.
Hammer toes can be a painful condition that affects the joints in your toes. If you have hammer toes, your toe may be bent at the joint, making it difficult to straighten your toe. You may also have pain and stiffness in your toe. Hammer toes are more common in women than men. There are several treatment options for hammer toes. Your podiatrist may recommend splinting or taping your toe to help straighten it. You may also need to wear the right shoes with orthotics to keep your toe from bending. Surgery is also an option for painful and severe cases of hammer toes.
How to treat hammer toes
If hammer toes are causing pain or difficulty walking, there are several things you can do to ease the pain and improve your mobility. These include soaking your feet daily in warm water and avoiding high heels or tight shoes. Wearing comfortable shoes with plenty of room for your toes always helps. Using orthotics and special toe pads can relieve pressure on the affected toe. Exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles around the joints can be helpful. In some case administering corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation is needed. Sometimes surgery may be necessary to straighten the affected joint.
Surgery for hammer toes
If conservative treatments do not improve symptoms, surgery may be necessary. The goal of surgery is to straighten the affected joint and relieve pain. Most often surgery is done using a “key-hole” technique. This means a small portal is made in the skin and a small bone cut is made to allow the toe to be straightened. Usually, no pins or stiches are needed which means minimal pain and swelling after surgery. Initial recovery from surgery usually takes 4-6 weeks and most patients can wear all forms of footwear in 3 months.
Hammer toes develop when 1 or more of the 3 joints that comprise a toe become contracted and poorly positioned. The toe will often rub against the inside of shoes or the ground and develop inflammation, calluses, corns and pain.
Treatment is focused on reducing the rubbing on the hammer toe using suitable footwear, padding and splints. When the condition is persistent and non-responsive to conservative treatment surgery may be indicated.