Hammertoes are the bane of many women’s existence. This condition shows up on the foot as bending or a deformity of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth or fifth toes – sometimes called the “little toes.” The most common digit to develop into a hammertoe is the toe next to the big toe. They usually start out as mild deformities and get progressively worse over time. The good news is that early treatment can often prevent them from progressing.
A hammertoe is regularly caused by wearing shoes with high heels or narrow toe boxes. These fashion-forward but unfortunate shoes crowd your toes into a space in which they can’t lie flat, which disrupts the muscles, tendons or ligaments that hold the toe straight. You can also develop a hammertoe as the result of an injury in which you stub, jam or break a toe and thus make it more likely for that digit to experience hammertoe.
The affected toe may be painful or hard to move and can develop corns or calluses from rubbing against a shoe or another toe. Treatment can include wearing roomier shoes and using orthotics. Surgery might be needed to get relief if the condition has gone unchecked. The team at Minor & James Podiatry can help get your toes in tip-top shape with a personalized treatment plan for hammertoe.
