Hammer toes: Causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention

What are hammer toes?

Is one of your toes pointing down instead of out? Does it make an upside-down "V" at the first joint? If the answer is “yes”, you probably have a hammer toe. Toes that curl rather than buckle (most commonly the little toe), are also considered hammer toes.

This can happen to any toe. Women are more likely to get pain associated with hammer toes than men because of the types of shoe they may wear.

Hammer toes can be a serious problem in people with diabetes or poor circulation. People with these conditions should see a doctor at the first sign of foot trouble.

There are two types of hammer toes:

• Flexible hammer toes. If the toe can still be moved at the joint, it's a flexible hammer toe. That's good, because this is an earlier, less-severe form of the problem. There may be several treatment options.
• Rigid hammer toes. If the tendons in the toe become rigid, they press the joint out of alignment. At this stage, the toe can't be moved. This usually means surgery is required to correct the problem.

What causes hammer toes?

The muscles of each toe work in pairs. When the toe muscles get out of balance, a hammer toe can form. Muscle imbalance puts a lot of pressure on the toe's tendons and joints. This pressure forces the toe into a hammerhead shape.

How do the toe muscles get out of balance? There are three main reasons:

• Your genes: you may have inherited a tendency to develop hammer toes because your foot is slightly unstable - such as a flat foot. But high-arched feet can also get hammer toes.
• Arthritis
• Injury to the toe: ill-fitting shoes are the main culprits of this cause. If shoes are too tight, too short, or too pointy, they push the toes out of balance. Pointy, high-heeled shoes put particularly severe pressure on the toes.

What are the symptoms of hammer toes?

A toe stuck in an upside-down "V" is probably a hammertoe. Some symptoms are:

• Pain at the top of the bent toe when putting on a shoe.
• Corns forming on the top of the toe joint.
• The toe joint swelling and taking on an angry red colour.
• Difficulty in moving the toe joint - and pain when you try to.
• Pain on the ball of the foot under the bent toe.

Seek medical advice if:

If your feet regularly hurt, you should see a doctor or podiatrist. If you have a hammertoe, you probably need medical attention. Ask your doctor for a referral to a podiatrist or foot surgeon. Act now, before the problem gets worse.

How do I know if I have hammer toes?

A thorough medical examination will tell whether you have a hammer toe. Usually an X-ray is part of this examination to assess the extent of the condition.