Hammer toe what is it

However, here are some of the most common symptoms and identifiable characteristics of hammer toe: Your toe is angling upward at the joint Corn formation at the top of the affected joint Toe pain when wearing footwear Bending, swelling, and redness at the affected joint Restricted motion of the toe The toe is unable to lie flat Foot pain at the ball of the foot under the affected toe How To Fix Hammer Toes: Treatment, Care, and Correction Hammer toes can sometimes be corrected through non-invasive treatment options, but may require surgery in severe cases.

Some of the stretches and exercises that you can do at home to help prevent and treat hammer toe are: Stretching — sit with your legs flat in front of you and softly pull the toes back 20 to 30 seconds at a time Toe rolls — stand with your feet flat, lift your toes, and then lower each toe independently, or best you can, down the line from biggest to smallest Repeatedly curling and extending your toes Repeatedly splaying and tightening your toes together — spreading your toes apart and then squeezing them together Surgical If your hammer toe is severe and conservative treatment options have not or will not work, then surgery may be needed.

Some of the surgical treatments for hammer toe are: Lengthening the contracted tendons and joint capsule Removing a piece of the joint knuckle to allow room for the toe to straighten Tendon transfer — rerouting the tendons at the bottom of the toe to the top Joint replacement Placement of metal pins for stabilization Arthrodesis — a surgical immobilization of the joint to allow bone growth For more information about hammer toes, or any foot and ankle problem , contact us today and schedule an appointment at one of our conveniently located Middle TN locations!

Share: Facebook Twitter Email. Request an Appointment. Web Site. Send us your info and we'll work with you to schedule an appointment. Your Name. If the hammer toe is treated while the toe is still flexible, a doctor may recommend the following:.

It is important not to pop any blisters that might occur on the foot as this can lead to infection. The surgery aims to reposition the toe, realign tendons, and remove deformed or injured bone. Often, surgery is carried out as an outpatient, so the individual can normally go home on the same day as the procedure.

Hammer toe, like many other foot problems, can be avoided with wearing proper footwear. Proper footwear should have the following:.

Hammer toe can be treated and prevented with simple exercises and footwear changes. However, if the toe becomes rigid, surgery may be needed to relieve the hammer toe.

Even after treatment, hammer toe may return. The best way to make sure that hammer toe does not reoccur is through choosing proper footwear.

If something goes wrong with the feet, it is often a sign of a more serious problem. Find out what your feet say about the health of the rest of your…. Bunions are bony bumps that develop at the base of the big toe joint.

Pain, numbness, and redness might occur. They are more common in adults but also…. People use their feet almost constantly, whatever level of activity they are involved in on a daily basis.

A clubfoot is a congenital deformity in which the affected foot appears rotated internally at the ankle. It is treatable in many cases. Everything you need to know about hammer toe. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. Causes Symptoms and diagnosis Treatment and prevention Hammer toe is the most common deformity of the second, third, or fourth toe.

Doctors can often treat flexible toe problems by moving tendons to release tension on the joint and let the toe straighten. In some cases, the surgery for a flexible toe problem will still include work on the bones.

Surgery for these problems has not been widely studied and may not be for everyone. Talk to your doctor about the types of surgery and how much they might help you. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Top of the page. Topic Overview What are hammer, claw, and mallet toes? A hammer toe bends down toward the floor at the middle toe joint. This causes the middle toe joint to rise up. It usually affects the second toe.

Hammer toes often occur with bunions. Claw toe often affects the four smaller toes at the same time. The toes bend up at the joint where the toes and the foot meet. They bend down at the middle joints and at the joints nearest the tip of the toes. This causes the toes to curl down toward the floor. A mallet toe bends down at the joint closest to the tip of the toe. It often affects the second toe, but it may happen in the other toes too. What causes hammer, claw, and mallet toes?

What are the symptoms? Besides looking odd, hammer, claw, and mallet toes may: Hurt. Make it hard to find shoes that fit. Rub against your footwear. You may get calluses or corns where a bent toe presses against another toe or your shoe or where the toe's tip touches the ground. In more severe cases, these toe problems may affect your balance and make it hard to walk.

How are hammer, claw, and mallet toes diagnosed? Your doctor will want to know: When the problems started, what activities or shoes make them worse, and if other parts of the foot are painful. What kind of shoes you wear and how much time you spend standing or walking every day. Any previous foot problems you have had. Any medical conditions you have that could be related, such as arthritis, diabetes, or poor circulation. If you are thinking about having surgery to correct your problem, you may need: An X-ray to help the doctor decide what type of surgery would be most helpful.

Blood flow testing, which may include Doppler ultrasound , if your foot seems to have poor blood flow. Nerve testing if your doctor thinks you have nerve problems in your foot. If this is the case, you may need to see a neurologist , a doctor who specializes in brain, spine, and nerve problems. How are they treated?