Hammer Toe: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment - A Comprehensive Guide

Hammer toe is a deformity in a toe and is often caused by wearing improper shoes, where the bones and joints form to resemble a hammer.

Time Frame

• Toes that are squeezed together in an unnatural position (such as too narrow of a shoe) repeatedly over a long period of time stay in that position.

Significance

• Hammer toe may cause corns or calluses on the toe, cause pain in toes and feet and hinder finding comfortable shoes.

Features

• Hammer-toe is when the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP), the first joint connecting toe to foot, bends up and the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), middle joint, bends down, forming a hammer-like shape.

Considerations

• To avoid developing hammer toe, purchase comfortable shoes with adequate room for all of your toes. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons suggest purchasing shoes that are 1/2-inch longer than your longest toes (often the 2nd toe) and that are not tight, narrowed or high-heeled.

Prevention/Solution

• Hammer toe can be corrected by switching to shoes that fit properly in less advanced cases. In more extreme cases, surgery may be used to restructure or replace the joint.