Hammertoes

Hammertoe is a bending of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth, or fifth (little) toes.  Hammertoes usually start out as mild deformities and get progressively worse over time. Signs and symptoms of hammer toe may include:

• A hammer-like or claw-like appearance of a toe
• In mallet toe, a deformity at the end of the toe, giving the toe a mallet-like appearance
• Pain and difficulty moving the toe
• Corns and calluses resulting from the toe rubbing against the inside of your footwear

Hammer toe most frequently results from wearing poorly-fit shoes that can force the toe into a bent position, such as excessively high heels or shoes that are too short or narrow for the foot. Having the toes bent for long periods of time can cause the muscles in them to shorten, resulting in the hammer toe deformity. This is often found in conjunction with bunions, corns, or calluses. It can also be caused by muscle, nerve, or joint damage resulting from conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes.

Dr. Prant’s treatment for hammer toes includes:

·         Shaving off any corns that may occur as a result of hammer toes

·         Retraining flexible deformities, either by:

o   Taping

o   Silicon molds

o   Inserts

While the above conservative treatment are often times enough, surgery may be needed to correct hammer toes that are permanently bent.  There is minimal recovery time with surgery-many patients require only local anesthesia and most can walk right away.  

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