Hammer Toes

In this post you will find information and treatment recommendations for Hammer toes. Hammer toes can be a very painful problem. They are most often caused by an imbalance in the pull between the tendon on the top, and the tendon on the bottom of the toe. A hammer toe is a toe deformity where the toe is pulled up at it's main joint, then often turned down at the smaller joints within the toe. Hammer toes are painful because of the pressure and rubbing created by the toe pulling up into shoes.

Obviously hammer toes can exist in varying degrees of severity. More severe and rigid hammer toes are going to rub more on shoes thus, cause more pain. Some hammer toes are so severe that they may cause the break down of the skin on the toe, leading to an ulcer. This is especially concerning for diabetics and should be treated by a physician.

Treatment

1) Deeper shoes. Wearing deeper shoes can take the pressure and rubbing away from the toe and thus, reduce pain and risk of skin break down. By "deeper" shoes, we mean top to bottom depth of the toe box, not the width or length. Stay away from shoes with a shallow or tappered toe box. To see examples of approved shoes and types of shoes click the "Shoes For Foot Pain" link found above.

2) Padding: There are many different types of pads that can be worn to protect toes. These pads may help reduce pain by reducing pressure or rubbing. To see examples of appropriate types of padding click "Helpful Foot Pain Products" link found above.

Hammertoes are a bone deformity. When conservative treatments are not successful, then surgery may be necessary to fix them. Surgery is intended to reduce the deformity thus, reduce pain. If necessary seek medical care to discuss if surgery is appropriate for you.