What Causes Hammertoes?

What Causes Hammertoes?

Find out what could be to blame for your hammertoe and what we can do to help.

How often do you examine your feet? Most people would say “never” or “rarely”. Of course, inspecting your feet is just one way of hammertoepinpointing a problem when it first appears. If our Ridgefield, CT podiatrist, Dr. Allan Rosenthal, has said that you have a hammertoe you may be a bit confused about this condition and why it has happened to you. Find out more about why hammertoes happen and what you can do to treat it.

Why do I have a hammertoe?

There are two joints that make up a toe. These joints allow your toe to move and bend. If the middle joint is dislocated, this can cause a hammertoe. This joint dislocation can be due to arthritis, having very high arches, trauma to the toe, tight ligaments in the foot or from wearing poorly fitted shoes.

Are there any risk factors?

There are certain factors that may predispose you to develop a hammertoe, including:

  • Genetics
  • Wearing tight-fitted shoes or shoes with a pointed toe
  • A bunion, corn or callus, which is more likely to cause friction and pressure on the feet

What are the signs and symptoms of a hammertoe?

Many people only experience mild pain when walking or when trying to stretch out the affected toe. You may also notice that the toe is bent and that a corn or callus has formed on it.

What are my treatment options?

When you come in to visit our Ridgefield foot doctor the first thing we will do is examine your feet to make a definitive diagnosis. From there we can determine the severity of your hammertoe and how to properly treat it. Mild treatment options include wearing toe pads, shoe inserts and appropriately fitted shoes. We can also show you effective stretching exercises that you can do to help reposition the toe and alleviate any pain.

If the hammertoe is so severe that you can’t move the toe the only way to realign the bone and tendons is with surgery. 

If you ever have questions about your hammertoe or other foot issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to Advanced Foot Care Center in Ridgefield, CT.

Contact Us

Advanced Foot Care Center

Ridgefield, CT Podiatrist
Advanced Foot Care Center30 Prospect St Ste 400
Ridgefield, CT 06877
(203) 431-0048
Podiatrist in Ridgefield, CT  Call For Pricing Options

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