Hammer Toe: Easy To Prevent, Painful To Cure If Surgery Becomes Necessary

If one of your toes is bent you have a condition known as hammer toe.

Often caused by poorly fitting shoes that force the toes into unnatural positions, hammer toe can be very painful and make it difficult for you to go about your day-to-day activities.

Most hammer toes occur in the "lesser" toes (the second, third and fourth toes); it's rarely seen in the big toe.

Unless your hammer toe is has a genetic component or you have arthritis -- another cause of hammer toe -- treatment can be relatively simple: wear well-fitting shoes that don't push your toes together unnaturally. High heels also can contribute to hammer toe, so female hammer toe sufferers should forgo wearing heels. You also could try placing over-the-counter inserts into your shoes to give your feet more support. Just be sure your shoes' toe box has enough room to accommodate your feet and the insert.

In addition to avoiding high heels and wearing shoes with plenty of room inside for your toes, other prevention tips include wearing shoes you can adjust (shoes with laces, for example). You also should be sure to try on new shoes later in the day, when your feet are larger. Also steer clear of shoes made of unnatural materials such as vinyl or plastics.

As for the actual treatment of hammer toe, you podiatrist may prescribe toe exercises you can do on your own. These will strengthen and stretch your toes (try picking small things up from the floor with your toes, for example).

Your podiatrist may recommend orthopedic surgery. If you have some flexibility remaining in your toe, your surgeon will cut a small incision in your toe to release its tendon. If your hammer toe is more severe, the surgeon may have to go so far as to work on the toe's bone itself. He or she will place temporary pins in your toe while you go through healing process. Obviously, your activities will be curtailed for weeks as a result.

So it's best to prevent hammer toe in the first place. Don't be a slave to fashion; wear shoes that fit you properly and which have plenty of space for your toes in the toe box. There are many attractive and well-fitting shoes on the market today; you needn't feel as if you're wearing ungainly "granny shoes" in order to prevent hammer toe.

if your hammer toe is very severe the treatment for this condition is more involved then usual hammer toe surgery. Sometimes an MPJ release and tendon transfer is needed to prevent the problem from. re-occuring.

Copyright (c) 2010 Dr Alireza Khosroabady DPM

by: Dr Alireza Khosroabady DPM

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