Bent Toe Correction
This condition occurs from a muscle and ligament imbalance around your toe joint that causes the toe joint to bend and become stuck in an abnormal position. Doctors have several bent toe correction options that vary according to how severe your hammer, mallet, or claw toe condition is.
Conditions
Tight-fitting shoes often aggravate and put pressure on hammertoes. The most common complaint with hammertoes is rubbing and irritation on the top of the bent toe.
Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle
The pain and stiffness you feel in your feet and ankles as you age could be arthritis. If left untreated, this nagging pain can get worse over time, eventually making it difficult to walk even short distances.
Bent Toe Disorders (Hammer, Mallet and Claw)
A bent toe disorder is an oddly bent toe joint. Hammer, claw and mallet toes are often painful and commonly occur in one or more of the four smaller toes.
Nonsurgical
- Wear good-fitting shoes; this does not necessarily mean expensive shoes.
- Padding any prominent areas around your bony point of your toe may help to relieve pain.
- Drugs that reduce inflammation can ease the pain and swelling. Sometimes, doctors will use cortisone injections to relieve acute pain.
- Your doctor may also custom-make an insert to wear inside your shoe. This can reduce pain and keep the hammertoe from getting worse.
- Over-the-counter metatarsal pads that are properly placed may help.
- Your doctor may recommend foot exercises to help restore muscle balance. Splinting the toe may help in the very early stages.
Surgical
If these traditional hammertoe treatments fail to provide results, your doctor may suggest joint arthroplasty, joint fusion, or arthroscopic surgery to release the tendon.
