5 Things We Want You to Know About Hammertoes

You watch as your feet change shape — some of your once-straight toes are now pointing in the wrong direction or bending upward, and your toes are becoming increasingly stuck in these awkward and often uncomfortable positions.

What we’ve described are the most common podiatry issues — bunions and hammertoes — that we see here at Advanced Ankle & Foot. Given that the latter, hammertoes, affect about one in five people, you can be sure that Dr. John Schopp and our team know a thing or two about this common foot issue, and we want to share some of what we’ve learned here.

1. Hammertoes — a matter of imbalance

The term hammertoes describes a contracture in one or both of the joints in your second, third, fourth, or fifth toes. In most cases, hammertoes develop in the second, third, and fourth toes and often in the proximal interphalangeal joints.

This progressive contracture occurs when there’s an imbalance between the tendons and muscles in your toes. More specifically, the muscles in your toes work in pairs to bend and straighten the digit. If your toe spends more time bent, which is often due to mechanical or neurological issues, these muscles tighten and become increasingly rigid, which shortens your tendons and leads to a hammertoe.

2. Behind the hammertoes

Several issues can place you at more risk for developing hammertoes, such as:

• Heredity — you may inherit mechanical issues that favor hammertoes
• Footwear — you wear shoes that crowd and bend your toes
• Bunions — this foot deformity often leads to hammertoes
• Age—foot issues like bunions and hammertoes increase exponentially with age

Of this list, footwear may be the biggest culprit behind hammertoes. Any shoes that prevent your toes from spreading out and lying flat on the floor can set the stage for hammertoes.

3. Hammertoes affects women more than men

Thanks to women's increased use of shoes with pointy toes and high heels, hammertoes are more common in women than in men.

4. Hammertoes are progressive

The longer you let a hammertoe go untreated, the more severe and rigid it can become, as this condition is progressive.

5. There are solutions for hammertoes

The good news is that we offer some great solutions for hammertoes and the earlier we can intervene, the easier the treatment will be. For example, if we see early signs of a hammertoe, we can head the issue off by changing your footwear and having you do exercises that can help rebalance the muscles and tendons in your toe.

The more the hammertoes progress, the more aggressive we need to be. So, if your hammertoe fails to respond to roomier footwear and exercises, we might try toe spacers and/or orthotic devices.

If your hammertoe is rigid and it’s causing you a good deal of discomfort, we can perform a quick podiatric surgery during which Dr. Schoppe might lengthen your tendons or he might fuse your joint.

If you’re trying to figure out next steps for your hammertoes, it’s a good idea to sit down with us. To get started, please contact our office in Columbus, Georgia, to schedule an appointment.