“What is the treatment for hammer toe?”
My mother is 70 years old and has pain in the ball of her feet due to hammer toes. What is the treatment for this condition?
22 Answers
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If the pain has come on relatively suddenly, It would be best to have a doctor evaluate the foot to rule out any injuries such as a stress fracture. Assuming her pain is due to the hammertoes displacing the fat pad and putting a downward pressure on the weight bearing metatarsals, the first treatment would be an insole with special padding to take pressure off the ball of her feet. If she continues to have pain, there is surgery to reduce the hammertoes
Hi,
There are a lot of treatments for hammertoes, both conservatively & surgically. First, we need to know if the hammertoe is rigid or flexible (i.e., does it bend/straighten out). If it’s flexible, conservative methods could work - metatarsal pads, budin splints, mesh gel tubes, deeper toe box shoes could all help. If rigid or the above treatments don’t help, you may be looking at surgery. In surgery, it can be as simple as nicking the tendon to straighten the toe or removing some bone & then keeping the toe straight with an implant.
There are a lot of treatments for hammertoes, both conservatively & surgically. First, we need to know if the hammertoe is rigid or flexible (i.e., does it bend/straighten out). If it’s flexible, conservative methods could work - metatarsal pads, budin splints, mesh gel tubes, deeper toe box shoes could all help. If rigid or the above treatments don’t help, you may be looking at surgery. In surgery, it can be as simple as nicking the tendon to straighten the toe or removing some bone & then keeping the toe straight with an implant.
It's best to be evaluated by a specialist
Well it depends on the type of hammer toe deformity. A hammer toe is a contracted digit which is in an abnormal anatomical position. This type of contraction can cause abnormal stress on associated joints. Treatment can be as simple padding and/or shoe modifications all the way up to surgery to correct the deformity. Consult with a Board Certified Podiatric Surgeon who is Board Certified by the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgeons.
You may want to try a shoe with a wider shoe box, if pain is near the bottom of the foot on a constant basis you may have metatarsalgia or nerve impingment ; you will need to seek a podiatrist
Hi, I would try hammertoe pads, see if they help with combination of wearing orthopedic supportive shoes. Try physical therapy and follow up with your Podiatrist.
Ball of the foot pain is usually a metatarsalgia (painful ball of foot) instead of a hammertoe, the hammertoe can cause this pain and to fix hammertoes requires surgery. For ball of the foot pain there are some pads that can be used to reduce the pain such as a metatarsal pad.
There are non surgical and surgical solutions depending on your mother's physical condition. Trimming corns or calluses and then padding the area with moleskin will provide temporary relief. Changing to shoes that relieve the pressure on the toe will also help. Surgical correction of the hammertoe deformity may also be a viable option. Oftentimes we can perform this procedure in our office or outpatient facility. Recovery from hammertoe surgery includes a gradual return to full activity with the benefit of the toe being straight and the patient able to return to her shoes and activities of choice.
Regards,
Dr. Tim Liddy
Regards,
Dr. Tim Liddy
If it is a flexible deformity then there are splints and pads available
Without surgery good fitting shoes with more depth to the toe box or flexible material of the shoe will help in avoiding pressure to the toes. Massage, manipulation and stretching the toes helps as well to avoid them from getting stiff. Taping and splinting the toes can help but best instructed by a foot doctor. There are a number of hammer toe procedures which can be performed but should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Conservatively, padding around the ball of the foot or a custom type of insert can be used. However, since it is a structural problem in the foot, the best course is often surgical correction.
Hammertoes are a chronic foot deformity that is unfortunately very common in all age groups especially women. I am recommending a wider toe box shoe with a low //medium heel type and a thicker sole for the proper support and off loading for the callous.
We can try padding and splinting of the toes. If the pain continues it may be a surgical procedure to help reduce the pain.
Surgery to straighten the toe is the obvious answer. You might want to consider soft leather shoes with leather lining and well cushioned shoes.
With time we loose the fat padding on the balls and soles of our feet, and there is less cushioning and shock absorption. When we develop a hammertoe, the toe curls and places increased pressure under the ball of the foot, leading to pain, Your mom needs better cushioning, support, and pressure distribution padding to better balance the increased pressures under the foot.
Pain in the ball of the feet can come from hammertoes. Most important is to check with your local podiatrist and have them give you an appropriate treatment protocol difficult to make answers without seeing x-rays
There are a few ways to address this problem. Depending upon your mother’s general health surgery may be an option, however this may entail more than just hammertoe correction. The initial approach should be conservative utilizing shoe gear modification, injection and / or orthoses. Your podiatrist should be consulted to determine the best course of action for your mother.
Hammertoes occur due to a muscle imbalance in the feet. Over time, the toe will adapt to the contracted position and arthritis can set in. I recommend she be evaluated by a foot and and ankle specialist (podiatrist) to discuss options that are right for her.
If she has rigid hammertoes, she is likely experiencing pain secondary to pressure of the metatarsals angulated plantarly with a likely combination of loss of fat cushioning under the ball of the foot. Conservatively, the best options have to include a shoe with a deep toe-box and an extra layer of cushioning for the ball of the foot. Surgical treatment is the definitive treatment for rigid deformities if the patient is a surgical candidate.
Pain in the ball of the feet may or may not be from hammer toes. There is no way to straighten a hammer toe without surgical intervention. But there are several causes of pain at the ball of the feet and many can be treated either with injections or with arch supports, or both. It would be best fro your mother so that she can be more thoroughly evaluated by a specialist, and treatment will be given, if necessary.
This will depend on how rigid the contracture is, but usually wider and deeper toebox with a soft upper shoe will help. There are many types of splints available if the condition is not rigid, but she would need evaluation in order to make an appropriate recommendation. Surgery is always an option, but depends on the severity of her condition.
