Toe Deformities

Toe deformities like hammertoes, claw toes, and mallet toes occur when something puts pressure on your toes and pushes them out of place. Over time, muscles and tendons in your toes tighten, freezing your toes in a curled shape.

The most obvious sign of these conditions is the bend in the joints of the toes. There can also be enlargement of the toes and joints, difficulty fitting into shoes, and corns and calluses on the top or end of the toes. In many cases, there is pain or discomfort caused by irritation and rubbing in shoes.

Causes and Prevention

There are many reasons why a person may be suffering from a toe deformity. Some causes are hereditary, while some factors are easily preventable. Common causes include:

  • Too tight or ill-fitting footwear

  • Heredity and familiar tendency

  • Abnormal bone structure of the foot from birth

  • Inherited structural defects of the foot

  • Arthritis or other joint conditions

  • Foot injuries

  • Neuromuscular problems

  • Flat feet, collapsed arches, or pronation

Preventing the development of hammertoes, claw toes, and mallet toes mostly involves always wearing properly fitting footwear. This footwear needs to support the arches to prevent collapse or pronation. In many cases, custom foot orthotics can help prevent these toe deformities before they occur if there is a structural defect in the foot or familiar tendency of these conditions.

Treatment

If left untreated, hammertoes, claw toes, and mallet toes can create a variety of other conditions that can be painful and uncomfortable. Arthritis, calluses, and corns can all develop in and on the toes. These lead to difficulty walking, pain, discomfort, and difficulty fitting into footwear.

Luckily, there are a variety of easy hammertoe treatment methods available to you:

  • Toe props

  • Protective padding

  • Removal of corns and calluses

  • Custom foot orthotics

  • Orthopedic footwear to accommodate

  • Tenotomy surgery (a simple, low-risk procedure that can be performed in the office without the need for an incision)

Book Online!

If you’re suffering from toe deformities, or worried about them developing, there are options for you. Book an appointment with us to discover what treatment options are best for you.

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