What is a Hammer Toe?

1. What is a Hammer Toe? Your feet are very interesting and unique parts of your body and, as time goes on, you may notice that there are a variety of things that happen to them as time goes on. One such issue is known as a hammer toe – mainly, because they end up being a shape that is similar to a hammer. The middle of your toe ends up flexing upward, and the end of your toe is flexing downward – and it can be quite a painful foot issue to deal with. What Causes Hammer Toe? Hammer toes happen because of the way that our feet are designed. Each of our smaller toes has 3 different joints (including where it attaches to the ball of your foot) and 3 different bones. Hammer toe happens when the joint that is attached to the ball of the foot has a permanent extension, and the middle tow joint has what is called a flexion. Our lower leg is connected to the muscles in our foot, and every one of those muscles plays a role in our foot stability and how our feet work. The above conditions usually happen to our toes when there is some sort of imbalance in the muscles. Lower leg muscle imbalances can happen for a variety of reasons, including foot and leg structure, spinal injuries, stroke, and even just wearing the wrong type of shoes for your feet. Can You Fix Hammer Toe? Sometimes. If hammer toes are just starting to develop in an adult or child, then the toes are likely still flexible enough to be straightened out by a doctor. But, if you have had hammer toes for an extended period of time, the soft tissue and bones actually form differently, and end up staying that way permanently. Other Associated Issues There are a variety of different problems that can occur with your toes if you have hammer toes. Here is a quick overview of the most common problems: - Bunions. The big toe and/or pinkie toe is misaligned, causing a bump on misaligned side. - Pain. You can feel all sorts of pain, from arthritis in the joints of your toes, to metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot), and in any of your foot, toe, or leg muscles. - Flat Feet. The arches of your feet may fall due to the pain or pressure related to hammer toes. - Calluses or Corns. Since your toes and the ball of your foot are not positioned correctly, you can get corns or calluses anywhere. The most common spots are at the balls of your feet, on your toe knuckles, or in between toes. If you’re having issues with your hammer toes, then you want to be sure that you talk to a doctor about the issues that you’re dealing with. They can work to recommend podiatrist foot care solutions and

2. help you to sort out what is necessary so that you can have relief from any pain you may be in. Contact your doctor or a podiatrist to make an appointment.