Hammer toe is a foot condition where the toe has an abnormal bend in the middle joint. The toe next to your big toe is usually affected. In the case of hammer toe, a toe gets deformed to bend or curl downward instead of pointing forward. It can be a deformity since birth but can also develop over a lifetime due to several reasons like arthritis, ill-fitting shoes etc.
Causes of Hammer toe
Generally, our toe is composed of two joints that make it possible to flex and move located at middle and bottom. But in the case of hammer toe, the middle joint becomes flexed or bent downwards. This is a special case of bunion deformity in the second and third toe. It is also caused when you have a bunion deformity in your big toe which pushes inward your second toe. But such deformity can be fixed by opting for Hammer Toes Treatment at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center.
The causes of developing such deformity are:
- An accidental toe injury
- Arthritis
- Ill fitted shoes such as pointed heels.
- Tightening of ligaments and tendons in the foot
- Pressure from a bunion.
- Sometimes due to a spinal cord or peripheral nerve damage.
You generally develop the risk of getting a hammertoe, if:
- Your family has a genetic history
- You have bunions, calluses or prolonged friction of the skin layers.
Visit a doctor or a bunion specialist in Houston TX in case you need sprained ankle treatment or bunion surgery to avoid any lingering disease.
Symptoms
You can understand if you have developed a hammertoe because it causes discomfort when you walk. Get hammertoe treatment in Houston as soon as you develop the symptoms. The deformity will cause you pain whenever you will try to stretch or move the affected toe.
The preliminary symptoms involve:
- You can see your toe bent downwards.
- Corns or calluses
- Face difficulty while walking
- Unable to stretch or wiggle your toes.
Do not delay and visit your podiatrist nearby as soon as you develop these symptoms. Even if you develop mere heel pain or corns, do not ignore. Visit your nearest Houston foot doctor or get a corn’s treatment in Houston at the earliest.
Treatment
Depending upon the condition of your toe, a suitable treatment is determined. You can start by wearing flat, properly fitting shoes or start wearing toe pads or insoles in your shoes. These pads will help to shift your toes back to position. This will also help in toning down the pain and would also help in fixing the appearance caused due to deformity. Do not pop blisters to cause any further pain or infection. The foot doctor at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center may prescribe OTC creams and cushions. If the condition gets severe, surgery might be the only option left for you. The surgery would cut open to reposition the toe, remove the injured bone or realign the joints. Surgery is the last resource. However, it is nothing serious and you can return home on the day of your surgery itself.
If you any other query, please feel free to contact our office located in Houston, TX. We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all foot and ankle injuries.
Bunions