Hammer Toes

What Are Hammer Toes?

Hammer Toes are a deformity caused by abnormal tendon pull.  This can cuase the toes to bend down or "hammer".  Over time, this can become rigid and painful. There are many non-surgical and surgical options available to treat this common toe problem.

How Do I know If I have Hammer Toes?

If your toe is curling, raied or stiff, you may have a hammer toe.  These can be isolated or be part of other problems such as bunions, plantar plate tears or toe rotation.  The toes can be painful in shoes or with activity.  Pain can be located at the ball of the foot or on top of the toes.

How Did I Get Hammer Toes?

Hammer toes can be an inherited condition or caused by shoe gear.  Tight shoes can force the toes into a hammered position. Flip-flops can also cause the toes to curl in order to hold on the shoes.  Patients with very high or low arches may also develop hammer toes due to tendon imbalance.

Hammer Toe Conservative Care

Padding, shoe gear and orthotics are common non-surgical treatments for hammer toes.  Patients with mild hammer toes or non-painful hammer toes may decide to monitor the toes until they become painful or problematic.

Hammer Toe Surgery

Surgery for hammer toes can help to correct the deformity.  Often, we will re-balance the tendon structure or fuse the toe in the middle where it is bent.  This used to be done with wire fixation, but can now be done with toe implants to maintain alignment in most cases. Recovery varies based on the surgery but most often entails wearing a post-operative shoe for 4-6 weeks and back to activity by 2-3 months.

How Can I Get My Hammer Toes Checked?

Give us a call at 480-632-5757 or visit us on the web to book an appontment today!