Hammer Toes

There are many different types of digital contractures that fall under the general definition of hammer toes, including: Mallet toe, Claw toe and traditional Hammer toe. All are formed by a specific sequence of contractures of the digital joints. Hammer toes can be rigid, semi-rigid and flexible. They usually lead to corns, calluses and may lead to ulcerations and infection in some instances. They can lead to painful toes and cause traumatic thickening or ingrowing of the toe nails. Hammer toes are the result of muscle imbalances to certain muscle groups as they support there individual digits. This imbalance can be the result of; foot type, biomechanics during gait, or disease processes. The end result, is the dominance of either the flexor or extensor's over the other muscle groups. Your physician will examine the cause of the digital deformity, resulting in a treatment solution. Treatment will usually start with a more conservative approach such as padding, correction of biomechanics, physical therapy and shoe accommodations. If these conservative measures fail, more invasive options such as surgical correction may be pursued.

This material is only provided as helpful information and you should always go to your medical doctor or podiatrist for a professional diagnosis.