Hammer Toe Specialist

What is hammertoe?

Hammertoe is a joint condition that affects your lesser digits — the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes. If you have hammertoe, the joint in the middle of your toe bends, making an upside-down V shape when you view it from the side. 

Most hammertoe sufferers have flexible hammertoe, in which you can move your toe joint but it naturally contracts when you're not applying pressure, at least in the beginning.

If you don't treat flexible hammertoe, or if you have serious arthritis, you may develop rigid hammertoe. With rigid hammertoe, the tendons in your toe grow very tight and the joints become misaligned to make it impossible to move the joint.

What are the symptoms of hammertoes?

Hammertoe is easy to recognize because it causes prominent toe contracture. You may also have other symptoms like:

• Pain when wearing tight shoes 
• Corns on top of the affected toe
• Calluses on the ball of your foot
• Inflamed red skin
• Burning sensation in the affected toe

Although the providers at Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado can diagnose hammertoe with a visual exam, they may also use X-ray imaging to determine the severity and observe any changes in your foot's framework. 

Why does hammertoe occur?

Hammertoe usually starts with muscle imbalance in your toes. This leads to abnormal pressure on your toe tendons and joints, thereby causing hammertoe. 

This can happen for several reasons, including arthritis, foot trauma, and constantly wearing too-tight shoes. You may also inherit a tendency towards hammertoe development.

How do you treat hammertoe?

Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado treats hammertoe with both conservative care and surgery, based on the kind of hammertoe and your needs. Conservative care can include:

• Padding
• Splints or straps
• Custom orthotics
• Different shoes
• Anti-inflammatory medication

You may also need wound care if you develop an open sore above the affected toe joint. If you have rigid hammertoe or if your flexible hammertoe doesn't respond to nonsurgical care, your Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado providers may recommend surgery. 

The expert surgeons use the latest hammertoe surgical techniques, such as hammertoe implants. With hammertoe implants, all hardware goes inside your toe, completely eliminating the old-fashioned method that required painful pins sticking out of your toes after surgery.

Call Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado or click the online booking tool to get hammertoe pain relief now.