Hammertoe | North Fort Worth Foot Specialist

What Is Hammertoe?

Hammertoe is a contracture (bending) of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth, or fifth (little) toes. This abnormal bending can put pressure on the toe when wearing shoes, causing problems to develop.

Hammertoe2Hammertoes usually start out as mild deformities and get progressively worse over time. In the earlier stages, hammertoes are flexible and the symptoms can often be managed with noninvasive measures. But if left untreated, hammertoes can become more rigid and will not respond to non-surgical treatment.

Because of the progressive nature of hammertoes, they should receive early attention. Hammertoes never get better without some kind of intervention.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of hammertoes include:

• Pain or irritation of the affected toe when wearing shoes.
• Corns and calluses (a buildup of skin) on the toe, between two toes, or on the ball of the foot. Corns are caused by constant friction against the shoe. They may be soft or hard, depending upon their location.
• Inflammation, redness, or a burning sensation
• Contracture of the toe
• In more severe cases of hammertoe, open sores may form.

When Is Surgery Needed?

In some cases, usually when the hammertoe has become more rigid and painful, or when an open sore has developed, surgery is needed.

Often patients with hammertoe have bunions or other foot deformities corrected at the same time. In selecting the procedure or combination of procedures for your particular case, the foot and ankle surgeon will take into consideration the extent of your deformity, the number of toes involved, your age, your activity level, and other factors. The length of the recovery period will vary, depending on the procedure or procedures performed.

Abridged from http://www.foothealthfacts.org. Read more here.