When one or more of your middle toes bends abnormally at the middle joint, the condition called hammertoe may have begun. In the initial stages, a hammertoe doesn’t usually cause pain or discomfort. But as it progresses (without any conservative treatments) the toe will become more rigid and bent and may rub on the inside of your shoes causing painful corns to develop. You can help postpone and prevent hammertoe complications with some conservative tips.

5 conservative, non-surgical treatments for painful hammertoes include the following:

1. Custom orthotic inserts—Custom orthotic inserts that lift the base of the metatarsal (toe) bones are used to correct the imbalance between the muscle and tendons that contribute to toe bending.
2. Toe splints—This specially designed hardware is used while sleeping to realign the toes and gradually force them into the correct position for many months.
3. Cushioning pads—Painful corns that often develop on the tops of hammertoes can be isolated with cushioning moleskin pads to relieve pressure and allow healing to occur.
4. Medication—ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be taken to reduce pain and inflammation.
5. Physical therapy—A variety of toe strengthening and flexibility exercises will help strengthen muscles and increase tendon flexibility and straighten the toe.

 

If you are experiencing a painful and rigid hammertoe problem you may need surgery to straighten it out.

You can count on the foot doctors at Foot & Ankle Specialists, PC to provide fast relief for your aching feet using a full range of both conservative and surgical therapies. Our expert team, including board-certified podiatrists Dr. Scott E. Hughes, Dr. Greg P. Vogt, and Dr. Christine I. Tumele, serves patients of all ages with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technologies including onsite digital x-ray, ultrasound, diabetic shoes, and digital scanning for custom orthotics. For any questions or to make an appointment, please contact us at one of our Southeast Michigan facilities in Monroe (734-241-0200) and Lambertville (734-856-8900) (Bedford and Monroe counties). We also offer convenient house calls Monday through Thursday, so give us a call!