Take Action on Your Hammertoes

Hammertoes may sound familiar, but the pain associated with them may not be. They occur when there is an inequity with muscles and ligaments throughout the toe joint which yields a bend in the central joint of the toe. When this bending occurs, the toe becomes stuck in a stubborn position. The toes rub against the inside of shoes and become irritated on the top of the bent toe. This happens because the toe bends in an unusual way. Hammertoes thereby cause the joints to collapse, making the toe point upwards. They are flexible at first but become fixed in that location if not treated timely.

This condition generally occurs from wearing shoes that do not fit accurately or a muscle disparity since the muscles straighten and bend the toes. This can be due to severe trauma caused by an injury or poorly fitting shoes.

I think I’m Developing a Hammertoe. What should I do?

• You must reduce pain from hammertoes by using shoes with deep toe boxes.
• High-heeled shoes should not be used.
• Use padding to decrease the pressure placed on toes.
• Physical therapy is very helpful in reducing the tightness in the tendons and assists with building back the muscles in the feet affected by your hammertoes. It will also help to encourage the strengthening of the joint and helps to reduce tension in the surrounding tendons. 
• You may need to have surgery on your hammertoes to fix toes that have become oddly bent due from a lack of pro-active treatment. The joint may be removed or redirected to correct the deformity.

At Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC, located in Waterbury 203-755-0489 & Newtown 203-270-6724, Connecticut, our podiatrist, Dr. Joel S. Segalman, DPM, can provide your feet with relief from hammertoes. So, please call our office at any of the two numbers listed above today!