Are your toes crooked and painful? Let's learn about Hammertoe!

Sometimes you may have noticed that one or more of your toes are bent upwards in the middle, forming a hammer-like shape. This can be painful when walking and can make it difficult to put on shoes. While many people think this is normal, it is actually a condition that requires medical attention. Today, we will talk about what Hammertoe is, why it occurs, and what can be done about it.

What exactly is Hammertoe?

Simply put, this condition occurs when the muscles and ligaments in one of our toes become out of balance . This imbalance causes the middle joint of the toe to bend upward and become stuck in that position. This condition is most commonly seen in the middle three toes.

There are two main types of this.

What is the difference between Hammertoe and Mallet Toe?

These are two similar conditions that occur in the toes. But there is a slight difference. Think about it, in Hammertoe , the middle joint of the toe bends upwards. But in Mallet toe, the joint closest to the tip of the toe bends downwards.

Do you also have these symptoms?

The main symptom of hammertoe is that one or more toes are bent upward at the middle joint. This can cause you to experience things like:

• The toes are bent upwards, causing blisters and calluses to form on the top of the shoe.
• Pain in the joint where the finger connects to the foot.
• Pain when walking.
• Over time, bent fingers become stiffer and harder to straighten.

Why is this happening? What are the reasons?

Each of our fingers has a pair of muscles that work together. When these muscles are out of balance, there is a lot of pressure on the tendons and joints in the finger. This pressure causes the finger to bend into a hammer shape.

There are several main reasons for this:

• Ill-fitting shoes: Wearing tight shoes, small shoes, especially shoes that squeeze the toes, can cause this condition by causing imbalance in the toes.
• High heels : This is common among women who wear pointed, high-heeled shoes. This is because when you wear these types of shoes, your toes are pushed forward into the front of the shoe, creating excessive pressure.
• Having long toes: Some people have a second toe that is longer than their big toe. This condition can cause the toes to bend, making it difficult for them to find shoes that fit properly.
• Foot shape: People with high arches or flat feet are also at higher risk.
• Having a bunion: Hammertoe can also develop due to a bunion, a condition in which the big toe is pulled in and puts pressure on the other toes.
• Injuries to the fingers: This condition can also be caused by an accident such as a sharp blow or a broken finger.
• Genes : Some people are born with this condition. This means that if someone in your family has it, you are more likely to develop it.

Who is at higher risk?

The risk of developing hammertoe increases with age. Also, women are more likely to experience pain from it than men, especially because of the types of shoes they wear.

In addition, some medical conditions may increase this risk:

• Arthritis
• Alcoholism
• Diabetes
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a disease that damages the nerves in the hands and feet.

What are the treatments?

The best thing is, there is treatment for this. Your doctor will suggest the most appropriate treatment based on your condition.

Non-surgical treatments

In the early stages, surgery is not necessary. Simple things like these can provide relief.

• Roomy shoes: Wear wide, soft shoes that have at least half an inch of space in front of your longest toe.
• Special pads or inserts: These are placed inside shoes to help align the toe and reduce pain.
• Special exercises: Exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles of the fingers provide relief.
• Taping or Splinting: Keep the finger straight, taping it to the adjacent finger, or wearing a special device (splint).
• Ice application: When there is pain and swelling, apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel for about 15-20 minutes.
• Painkillers: You can take painkillers (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen on the advice of your doctor.
• Steroid injections: If the pain and swelling are severe , your doctor may give you an injection into the joint.

Surgery

If your hammertoe is very severe, the pain is unbearable, the toe is completely hardened, or it has caused an open sore, your doctor may suggest surgery. There are several types of surgery:

• Arthroplasty: A part of the tip of the finger bone is removed to straighten the finger.
• Arthrodesis: The bent joint is completely removed and a wire is inserted to keep the finger straight until it heals.
• Tendon transfer: To help straighten the finger, the tendon on the bottom of the finger is connected to the top of the finger.

After surgery, you should follow your doctor's instructions exactly. You will usually need to wear a special shoe or boot. Physiotherapy may also be recommended after a while.

Simple exercises you can do at home

These exercises will strengthen your foot muscles and help control the hammertoe condition.

1. Toe Curls: Place a towel on the floor, sit in a chair, and try to curl it with your toes. You can also do this using a small marble.

2. Toe Stretch: Sit in a chair, grab your bent toe and pull it towards your ankle. Hold for 15-30 seconds and then release. Do this several times a day.

3. Toe Raise: Standing, holding onto something like a table, balance, and raise your toes up and hold for about 10 seconds. Repeat about five times.

What can happen if this is ignored?

If hammertoe is left untreated, other problems can occur.

• Increased occurrence of rough skin (corns and calluses).
• Open sores on the finger that can break and become infected.
• Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs in the foot (Bursitis).
• Tendinitis of the foot.

Hammertoe, bunions, toes, foot pain, shoes, bone disease, physical therapy