Hammer toes are contractions of the toe caused by a muscular imbalance in the foot, where the tendons and muscles on the bottom of the foot overpower the tendons and muscles on the top.
Usually, a hammer toe has an abnormal bend in the middle joint of a toe, and may occur in your second, third and fourth toes. This condition and deformity is called hammer toe because of the resemblance of a hammer as the toes are bent.
Each toe has three joints, except the first one (the big toe), which usually has only two joints. The middle joint that is affected is called proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint.
We start by correcting faulty foot mechanics that cause the hammertoe to develop. The emphasis is also on relieving painful symptoms through anti-inflammatory medications and through relieving the pressure caused from the shoe.
Early treatment focuses on conservative methods such as converting from a pointed-toe low toe box shoe to wider, high toe box shoes can alleviate the pressure.
There are surgical and nonsurgical options you can choose if you don’t get relief from medications and adjusting your foot mechanics.
Here at Pathak Podiatry, our services include assessment, diagnosis, and advanced surgical and non-surgical treatment options to help restore the function to your foot and eliminate any pain.
During a one-on-one consultation, our team can determine which option is best suited for your specific case, lifestyle, and budget.
- Shoe gear modification: Using wider shoes with larger toe boxes;
- Splinting, strapping, cushioning, and padding of the hammertoes;
- Custom orthotics to stabilize and slow progression of the deformity;
- Avoidance of activities that aggravate symptoms;
- Anti-inflammatory medications for periodic relief;
- Physical therapy to calm the inflammatory process.