Hammertoes

What is a hammertoe?

A hammertoe is a foot deformity in the middle joint of a toe, due to an imbalance of muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the toe, causing the toe to bend.

What causes hammertoes?

The most common cause for hammertoes is a muscle imbalance that affects the way you walk, causing the toes to bear too much weight. Another common cause is wearing ill-fitting shoes that have a narrow toe box, such as women’s high heels. Shoes that are too narrow or too tight can cause toes to bend.

Common symptoms:

• Pain
• Difficulty moving the affected toe
• Corns or calluses on your toes
• Permanently bent toe

How do we treat you?

We will perform a physical examination and ask you about your symptoms. We’ll evaluate your health history and if conservative treatment fails, we may recommend further solutions.

Usually, hammertoes can be treated conservatively by:

• Wearing properly fitted shoes that are wide enough
• Wearing shoe inserts, like orthotics, or pads
• Exercising and strengthening your toe muscles

When to visit Nagy Footcare

If you have worsening hammertoe and severe pain, it’s important to contact Nagy Footcare because you may need hammertoe surgery to fix the tendon and allow your toe to lay flat.