If you’ve ever looked at your feet and notice your toes bending at the joints, you may have hammertoes. Hammertoes is a condition caused by an imbalance of the muscles, bones and ligaments that keep your toes straight.
Causes may include:
- Improper footwear – not wearing proper fitting shoes
- Genetics – foot issues can be passed down from other relatives
- Foot diseases – People with arthritis and diabetes can develop hammertoes
- Toe length – a longer toe may be bent by hitting the front of the shoe
- Sex – women tend to get hammertoes more than men
- Age – Hammertoes is more prevalent as people get older
- Sudden trauma – an injury can cause the toes to bend at the knuckles.
Indications of Hammertoe include:
- Pain and swelling – the bending of the toe will result in irritation and pain
- Inability to move the toe – with swelling it will be difficult to move or straighten
- Corns and/or calluses – constant wearing of skin against another toe
- Open sore – if enough contact is being made a sore may develop
There are a few things you can do short of surgery including stretching your toes before you put your shoes on, making sure you have proper fitting shoes, using a store-bought insole, adding padding and taking a pain med like Tylenol. A podiatrist can administer a cortisone shot for pain. Your podiatrist can also fashion a custom orthotic for you.
If none of them help, then you may need surgery. If so, you podiatrist will confirm this with you. Surgery could include the following:
- Arthroplasty – removal of a half of the joint
- Arthrodesis – removal of a whole joint
- Basal phalangectomy - removing the base of the bone under the big toe
If you believe you have hammertoes and they ate bothering you or have any other concerns about your feet, make an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. He will assess your feet and find the appropriate treatments. Call Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505, which provides services to Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas.