Hammer Toe Surgery
Overview
A hammer toe or contracted toe is a kind of deformity of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the second, third, or fourth toe causing it to be permanently bent, resembling a hammer. Hammer toe is primarily caused due to wearing poorly fitting shoes that can force the toe into a bent position, such as excessively high heels or shoes that are too short or narrow for the foot.
Its symptoms include:
- Middle joint of the toe is bent
- Difficulty in moving the toe
- Callus on the sole of the foot
- Walking or wearing shoes can be painful
There could be many reasons of hammer toe including:
- Wearing wrong sized shoes
- Wearing high heel shoes
- Sitting in wrong foot position over a long time
- Joint damage
- Osteoarthritis
Mild hammer toe in children can be treated by manipulating and splinting the affected toe. Control drugs to prevent attacks.
The following changes in footwear may help relieve symptoms:
- Wear the right size shoes or shoes with wide toe boxes for comfort, and to avoid making hammer toe worse
- Avoid high heels as much as possible
- Wear soft insoles to relieve pressure on the toe